Calling her a “nature goddess”, the BBC is pursuing girl of the moment Gemma Arterton to star as Thomas Hardy’s earthy heroine Tess of the D’Urbervilles.

The 22-year-old actress is currently shooting the new James Bond film, Quantum Of Solace, on locations in Panama with 007 Daniel Craig. Gemma’s playing the kick-boxing Agent Fields.

The actress, a recent graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, read for the part of Tess in front of executives from the BBC’s drama production section.

One told me: “She’s unutterably beautiful, but the key thing here is that she’s an actress, not just a face – a real star in the making.”

Indeed, this column wrote about her a year ago when she was still at RADA, before she was cast in St Trinian’s.

She also played Rosaline in director Dominic Dromgoole’s Shakespeare’s Globe production of Love’s Labour’s Lost.

BBC insiders confirmed to me that they are in “serious negotiations” for her to lead the four-hour dramatisation of Tess, which will film late next month in Hardy country in Dorset.

Tess is different from the usual bonnet brigade of TV adaptations in that it’s not about people bowing and scraping.

“It’s more passionate, and the novel was quite daring for its time,” a BBC executive told me.

“It’s not about posh people, it’s about country people, people of the earth. In many ways, Gemma’s a nature goddess, as Tess is herself.

“Also, Gemma’s very down to earth, which is perfectly fine, with all this attention going on around her.”

Tess Of The D’Urbervilles will be screened on BBC1 in September.

Lindsay Lohan blames overwork and her father’s two-year prison sentence for violating his probation for her bad behaviour.

Imdb.com quoted her as saying: ‘Not seeing my father was really hard for me, and not being with my family enough… I wasn’t taking any time to just sit and live and breathe. I was going, going, going, and that ran me down. It was a stressor. It upset me. I didn’t have a father to call, and that was a lot of the pain.

‘I have it in me to go, go, go. I’m still young. I love life. I love music and being around that. I love people, and I’m a very social person. But I also love being home, quiet and normal… I’ve always been a homebody… Seriously, I was just running away from what my home had become.’

The actress spent the summer in rehab and 84 minutes in jail after two driving under the influence (DUI) incidents. Her party girl lifestyle also landed her in trouble with a Hollywood studio boss angry about her poor time keeping.

Kirsten Dunst has checked into rehab, a source close to the actress has confirmed to People.

Dunst, 25, has reportedly checked herself into the Cirque Lodge in Utah – the same facility Lindsay Lohan entered back in August.

When contacted by Access Hollywood, a rep for the actress was not immediately available for comment.

Well known as Mary Jane from the “Spider-Man” franchise, Dunst’s other film credits include “Mona Lisa Smile,” “Bring It On” and “The Virgin Suicides.”

And just as Kirsten has checked in, fellow actress Eva Mendes has checked out of the Cirque Lodge, although it appears her leave is only temporary.

“Eva is attending to some personal business in Los Angeles and intends to return to complete her treatment shortly ,” her rep told Access Hollywood.

It was revealed last week that Eva had actually been in the Cirque Lodge for several weeks

A lawsuit launched against Teri Hatcher by a cosmetics firm will be sent to arbitration after a Los Angeles judge ruled in her favour.

Beauty company Hydroderm lodged a £2 million lawsuit against the Desperate Housewives actress, suing her for breach of contract, after they claimed she had promoted other beauty products while signed up to them.

The star, who was paid £2.4 million to promote Hydroderm products, insists her promotion of CityLips’ lip plumper did not affect the deal, and that management changes constantly left her unsure of the terms of her conract.

And Hatcher’s lawyers have successfully persuaded a judge to move the case to arbitration, meaning the matter will now be settled out of court.