Battle for Eurovision

EUROVISION hopefuls are set to battle it out to see who will represent the UK this year.

Finalists Jade Ewen, from east London, Prince Charming pantomime actor Mark Evans, from north Wales, and identical twins Francine and Nicola Gleadall, from Sheffield, will compete to see who is going to Moscow in May.

As part of their preparations this week, the singers met politicians Kevin Brennan, Pete Wishart, Ian Cawsey and Greg Knight - who make up the band MP4.

The MPs advised them to be confident in their communication skills and taught them how to ask people to vote for them in French, Spanish, German and Russian, as well as the phrase "Hello Moscow" in Russian.

Details of the visit will be broadcast during the programme, which will also feature the finalists singing three songs including the specially-composed UK entry by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Diane Warren.

Last year's entry - X Factor reject Andy Abraham - came last with just 14 points and it is hoped the combination of Lord Lloyd Webber's music and Grammy-winning Warren's lyrics will produce a winning song.

Warren wrote hits including Celine Dion's Because You Loved Me, Toni Braxton's Unbreak My Heart and Cher's If I Could Turn Back Time.

:: The final of Eurovision: Your Country Needs You will be shown at 6.40pm on Saturday on BBC1.

Lights go out on the Streets

GLUM Streets fans were forced to mill around outside Brixton Academy last night - after the gig was cancelled because of a power cut.

Frontman Mike Skinner said on his blog: "Gutted. I was really excited, turned up and no lights in the whole building.

"They phoned the power company, who weren't very helpful unfortunately. The sight of you all outside queuing was heartbreaking."

He urged fans to keep hold of their tickets in case the show can be rescheduled.

At least the cancelled gig gave the singer time to recover from a self-inflicted injury he suffered earlier in the week when he went crowdsurfing at the 1,800 capacity Cambridge Corn Exchange.

The rapper claimed on his MySpace blog to have been punched and scratched when he jumped into the crowd. He was treated by St John Ambulance crew on site.

Todd Carty ready for more Dancing on Ice

TODD Carty is set to bring more entertainment to Dancing On Ice viewers this weekend with an impression of a cat and a "swim" incorporated into his routine.

The former EastEnder, who stumbled last week and made a hilarious exit from the ice, is hoping to impress with his latest moves.

But his efforts to stay in the competition hit problems this week when he left his ice skates behind in the boot of a taxi.

He was travelling back from a West Ham football match and was so excited by the club's win that he forgot his skates, which were returned the next day.

Carty said: "I just can't believe the reaction I've had to last week's routine.

"Everywhere I've been this week people are coming up to me and telling me to be careful and not to fall over!"

Has Madge got the kids?

Madonna has remained tight-lipped over a report that she has been given permission to take her children to live in the US.

The Evening Standard said the singer won a "residency battle" in negotiations following her split from film director Guy Ritchie, 40.

The decision meant she was free to take their sons, Rocco, and David - whom the couple adopted from an orphanage in Malawi - to live in New York, the paper said.

The couple were granted a "quickie" divorce in November after seven years of marriage.

The Standard quoted an unnamed "legal insider", who said: "There was an issue about where the children should live but that has been decided in Madonna's favour."

The 50-year-old singer's spokeswoman refused to comment on the report.

Health 'n' safety scuppers Beatles rooftop tribute

IT was exactly 40 years ago that the Beatles played their last live gig on the roof of their London HQ – but an anniversary tribute has been scuppered by health and safety bosses.

Four decades ago rules didn’t stop the Fab Four and today despite a proper tribute being prevented by red tape a dynamic duo from the tribute band the Bootleg Beatles managed a sneaky re-enactment.

Two of the group climbed up in front of the famous rooftop greenhouse at 3 Savile Row, the former home of the Apple Corp Ltd, the Beatles management company, and now owned by property developers, to perform an acoustic version of the track One After 909 on the roof this morning.

Meanwhile the originally-scheduled performance by rockers Some Velvet Morning (pictured) was moved on top of the PRS for Music building on Berners Street. Feargal Sharkey and Steve Porter also performed.

- Steve Myall

Beatles' rooftop gig - 40 years ago today

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On this day in 1969...

Brit rock group the Beatles performed their last public concert on the rooftop of the Apple Organization building for director Michael Lindsey-Hogg's film documentary, 'Let It Be,' on Savile Row, London.

Drummer Ringo Starr sits behind his kit.

Singer/songwriters Paul McCartney and John Lennon perform at their microphones, and guitarist George Harrison (1943 - 2001) stands behind them.

Lennon's wife Yoko Ono sits at right.

A recreation of the gig was planned for today's anniversary on the same rooftop - but planning permision got in the way and it was moved to a rooftop off Oxford Street. More to come....

Live Coldplay Webcast today from 1pm

FANS of Coldplay are being given an exclusive online treat this afternoon by our friends at Absolute Radio who have Chris Martin in for a London performance.

The radio station have the star in from lunchtime and will be streaming a live webcast of the singer performing an acoustic track.

The Live Coldplay Webcast comes from the Absolute Radio Zoo from 1pm today at www.absoluteradio.co.uk/coldplay 

Where are all your mates Paris?

PARIS HILTON managed to lose both her temper and her friends last night.

The evening started off so well when Paris, 27, headed to Molton House in Mayfair for a private screening of her new ITV2 show, Paris Hilton’s British Best Friend.

Looking hot in a sparkling black dress, she made sure she was the centre of attention when settling down to watch the show’s first episode. But of course, with Paris, nothing is ever that simple...

An onlooker said: "Suddenly Paris got really angry when people started talking through the screening. She shouted at her security to ‘Tell them to shut the f*** up!’ and they carried out her instructions."

Once the screening was over, Paris let her hair down at a nearby house party. She then hit Maddox club, where she got cosy with owner Fred Moss, before ending her night at Raffles in Chelsea just before 3am. At this point her British best friends were nowhere to be seen...

Far be it from theBuzz to suggest this was a deliberate move by Paris – although Ms Hilton did make her feelings known on Radio 1 yesterday.

Describing contestants on the show as "intense", she said: "Obviously there’s gonna be a lot of desperate, hungry tigers trying to be on the show." Ouch!

by Luke Blackall, Kala Paul-Worika and Ashleigh Rainbird

Ashton's angry rant at 'jackass' neighbour

ASHTON Kutcher has described his LA neighbour a “f***ing jackass” and posted a video of his verbal tirade on the internet.
 
The Dude, Where’s My Car? actor, who lost it after being woken up at 7.30am by builders working on his neighbour’s house, posted the clip on YouTube.
 
Kutcher, 30, called the neighbour a “dickweed” along with a slew of other animal-based obscenities including an “owl faeces cougar placenta”.
 
He filmed his rant while pointing out his back porch, bedroom and palatial pad with a handheld camera.
 
Ashton then started blogging Twitter updates on the situation all morning, adding “holy moly I’m gonna lose it!” and “I’m gonna kill my neighbour!”

See the rant here:

Naturally, his screenwriter neighbour Bruce Goldsmith, had something to say too - saying Kutcher "just doesn't want to deal with reality."
 
He said it was ironic that he and his actress wife Demi Moore were living in a home built over a ten year period, and thought the star was being "silly" and had acted “out of line”.
 
Goldsmith was also quick to point out the rules in the city of L.A. allow him to actually start construction at 7am. 
 
Goldsmith, who has been building the house for six months, added: “They don’t make hammers out of rubber”.

Lily Allen: 'I fancy men in their 40s'

LOCK up your fathers - Lily Allen is single again and has revealed she is on the prowl for a new man but wants one in his 40s.

The flirty singer revealed she wants a more mature boyfriend to television host Jonathan Ross as she recorded an interview for his Friday night show.

The 23-year-old told  Ross she is officially single and on the hunt for a new man to share her life with.

The star was recently spotted getting friendly with art dealer Jay Jopling but they have apparently broken up.

Allen told Ross : “It’s over, we’re friends, it was nice while it lasted. I’m single .. looking for several people.

“Last week I was seeing a guy who was quite young [but] I like them in their forties.”

She also revealed she has curbed her partying ways in favour of her career, she said: “I’ve calmed down a little bit, I’m working really hard.”

The full interview is on FRIDAY NIGHT WITH JONATHAN ROSS at 10.35pm, on BBC ONE.

-Steve Myall