Earlier this week Gemma Arterton appeared on GMTV, chatting on the couch with Lorraine Kelly. That’s a screen capture from the meeting above - just for those of you (well, those of us, really) that find Ms. Arterton somewhat easy on the eyes. Besides coming over as really very pleasant, discussing figure-assisting underwear and plugging The Boat that Rocked, Arterton also announced she had two big lead roles scheduled to hit cinemas in 2010. One, she said, was Prince of Persia but the other she wasn’t yet allowed to announce. Just a few days later: all change.

Tonight, at the Empire Awards, Arterton appeared to have received the white flag, green light and crack of the crop telling her she would be A-OK for a reveal and she duly announced her casting in Clash of the Titans. She will be playing to role of Io, a character I don’t think was featured in the Desmond Davis film of 1981, but in the myths the lucky priestess to be seduced by Zeus and then turned into a cow. Later, Io escaped across the Ionian Sea, which begs that old chicken and egg question again, don’t you think?

According to rumors I’ve solicited from my nameless internet chums, Arterton begins filming her role in Titans in Tenerife, of all places, about three weeks from now. I don’t know how closely Letterier will be hewing to the Lawrence Kasdan draft I read, but if he follows it to the letter I wouldn’t be too disappointed.

Other bits and bobs from the Empire Awards ceremony below, courtesy of myriad reports on TV, radio, teletext and the like:

• Terry Gilliam announced that the final effects shots would be edited into The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus tomorrow. Good - that’s in time for a Cannes premiere. Can I see it now, please, Terry?
• Tim Burton is a convert to the 3D film medium. He’s experimenting a lot in the post on Alice in Wonderland and isn’t sure how much CG he’ll end up using in the finished film.
• Helena Bonham Carter came by to collect the Best Actress award (Who for? Boom boom) and revealed that she’d today been on set for her Enid Blyton biopic. We can expect that one on BBC4 in the autumn, apparently.
• Paul Grenngrass confirmed that Bourne 4 is still on the cards for him - or perhaps more pertinently, he’s still on the cards for Bourne 4 - once Green Zone is completely done.

If you want to know even more, Empire liveblogged the ceremony, for your convenience and entertainment. Enjoy.