British hit flick makes North Korean history

British smash hit 'Bend It Like Beckham' has made history by being the first ever Western-made film to be shown on North Korean television.

State-run TV in North Korea is strictly controlled. It was recently reported that 1000 citizens had been imprisoned for watching TV shows from neighbouring South Korea.

The airing of 'Bend it Like Beckham', starring Keira Knightley and Jonathan Rhys Meyers, was arranged by the UK Embassy in Pyongyang.

The film ran eight minutes shorter than the original version, suggesting that it had been edited, according to the BBC.