died at the age of 72. the big winner at the golden globes was the jazz musical la la land. it's also received more bafta nominations than any other film and it opens in the uk tomorrow. it's a celebration of the great tradition of hollywood romantic musicals, starring ryan gosling as a struggling musician, and emma stone as an aspiring actress. our arts editor, will gompertz, has been speaking to the writer and director. # city of stars # are you shining just for me?# welcome to la la land, the hollywood musical starring emma stone and ryan gosling, which looks like it's going to sing and dance itself to oscars glory. it is a genre of film—making which its 31—year—old writer and director thinks is unfairly derided for being a bit naff. this idea of musicals as still being vibrant and vital... i don't think that they're the outdated thing that they get labelled as sometimes. they're also notjust the purely fantastical thing that people sometimes label them as.

i think musicals can actually say a great deal about real life and real emotions and humanity and also where we are right now. and...the need for dreams. # here's to the ones who dream # foolish as they may seem...# from a writer's and a director's point of view, what can you do in a song that you can't do in a script? i think of a song in a musical as a reflection of a person's innermost feelings. it's feelings that can't be described in dialogue or in kind of action. it is feelings that need the outlet of a song. we had about a three to four month rehearsal period of prep, where every day ryan and emma were in dance lessons,

singing lessons, piano lessons. i think it's also part of the fun, if you're going to work with movie stars, put them outside their comfort zone, to see the vulnerability. maybe it means something? i doubt it. yeah, i don't think so. damien chazelle is not yet 32 but is already being lauded, applauded and awarded for his talents. he is a young film—maker living his own la la land dream. will gompertz, bbc news. will converts, talking to the man who brought the art of the musical back to hollywood. at hello, i'm olly foster, these are our sportsday headlines tonight:

"a real gentleman" and a "fantastic football person" — tributes are paid to graham taylor, who has died at the age of 72. dimitri payet goes on strike at the hammers, saying he wants to leave the club. the manager says his star player won't be sold. and new clubs for the new year — mcilroy makes a strong start at the south african open. the former watford, aston villa and england manager graham taylor

has died at the age of 72. his family say he had a suspected heart attack early this morning, and that it was "totally unexpected". hundreds of tributes have been paid by former colleagues and players. gary lineker described him as "an outstanding manager, lover of football and thoroughly decent man." patrick gearey looks back at his career. graham taylor will be remembered as a beleaguered england manager, but one of the best english managers. his time in charge came to exemplify its pressures. a tv documentary called it "an impossible job". but taylor had been pulling off improbable jobs all his managerial career. in 1977, elton john persuaded him tojoin watford. taylor took the hornets from the fourth division to the first in five seasons, and to the fa cup final in 1984.

his boss had become his friend. today, sir elton john said in a statement: taylor moved on to aston villa, and hauled them from the second division to a title challenge in the first. next was the top job — england. they'd just reached the world cup semifinals, but were also going through a transition. taylor got them to the european championships, but they disappointed in sweden. he was criticised for substituting gary lineker in what would be his last international. worse was to follow — taylor's england failed to qualify for the 1994 world cup. he resigned in november 1993, having failed in the biggest job of his career. the press dwelled on results, but he'd earned the players‘ respect. a guy who was so passionate, who was so in love with the game of football and who was straight

and honest, and who would tell you as it was, and he wasn't afraid to do that whether you were a young player or very experienced, and i think that is the way he will be remembered. the england experience never left taylor. he returned to management with wolves, watford and aston villa. he then moved from the manager's office to the microphone as a commentator. it allowed the nation to discover the graham taylor his players knew. in the words of one — an absolute gentleman. let's hear another tribute now, from the current england manager. through my involvement with england, graham was always somebody who spoke to me as an england player even though i didn't work directly with him, and also gave me great encouragement as a young manager, so i found him a gentleman who had a passion for england. he's given most of his life to english football, and i think

you meet decent football people, real football people, within the game. he was one of those. he was certainly somebody who had a passion for coaching and wanting to see young english coaches come through. you always talk about people's contribution within football but you always remember them most as people, and he was someone who was generous with everybody and generous with his time. they're the human qualities you remember the most. there will be a minute's silence at football grounds this saturday. qpr have now won three in a row.

dimitri payet "wants to leave" west ham, and has refused to play against crystal palace this saturday. payet was the hammers standout player in his first season, helping them to a seventh—place finish. he had a great summer with france when they reached the european championship final, but west ham are struggling this season down in 13th and payet wants a transfer. his former club marseille have already had a £19 million bid turned down. we don't want to sell him. we said hundreds of times we do not want to sell our best players. we want to keep them. he is definitely one of if not our best player, and that is why we gave him such a long contract. i informed him of that,

and he refused to play for us. another french international is on the move. morgan schneiderlin has completed his transfer from manchester united to everton, for a fee that could rise to £24 million. schneiderlin has signed for four—and—a—half years, and will link up again with ronald koeman, whom he played for at southampton. the french international played 47 times for united following his move from the saints in 2015, but he only made eight appearances this season, mostly as a substitute. everton have loaned out midfielder tom cleverley to watford until the end of the season, with an option for a permanent move. cleverley is well regarded at vicarage road — he was their player of the season seven years ago, when on loan from manchester united. the chief executive of the lawn tennis association has resigned, after just three years in the role. michael downey will return to his previousjob in charge of tennis canada, but family reasons also played a part in his decision. the first tennis major of the year,

the australian open, starts on monday and the british number one johanna konta looks in good form. she's into the final of the sydney international. she beat former wimbledon finalist eugenie bouchard in straight sets, to reach her third wta final. konta will now play world number three agnieszka radwa nska. konta, who is ranked at number ten in the world, made it to the semifinals at the australian open last year. also going well in sydney is the british number three dan evans, he's reached his first atp tour semifinal. he had to come from a set down again, just like the last round. he beat the top seed dominic thiem, his first victory over a top ten player. andy murray is already in melbourne — he's been warming up there ahead of the australian open draw, which takes place in the early hours of friday morning.