Karen Covell, founder of the Hollywood Prayer Network, has marked 25 years of encouraging Christians to pray for people in the entertainment industry rather than condemn them. The organisation, which she set up with her composer husband Jim Covell, aims to bridge a historic divide between the church and Hollywood, arguing that film and television have huge cultural influence and that faith communities should engage with storytellers rather than boycott them.

Founded in 2001, the Hollywood Prayer Network has grown to more than 170 chapters in 42 countries and recently held a Gatsby-themed gala in Los Angeles to celebrate its anniversary. It offers intercessory prayer, professional discipleship programmes, networking and Bible studies to industry workers, and has prayed for high-profile figures including Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, Robert Downey Jr and, more recently, Perez Hilton, as well as running a monthly prayer calendar supporting child and teen actors.