Chester-le-Street Named Debt Capital of the Country.

The market town of Chester-le-Street has the highest levels of personal debt in the country, according to a recent report.

Residents currently owe an average of £5,248 on credit cards and loans, in comparison to borrowers in Northern Ireland who owe the least with an average of £2,291.

The study carried out by the credit reference agency Experian, who published a national debt map of the country, aimed to give a truer picture of debt by stripping back mortgages.

However Chester-le-Street District Council has serious doubts about the report which named the town as being the most debt ridden place in the country.

They believe that Experian’s research was inaccurate as it cited Chester-le-Street’s population as being over 114,000.

But the council estimates it at being less than 54,000, of which only 43,000 are eligible for credit cards.

They also scrutinize the figures as according to Experian areas surrounding the Chester-le-Street District, such as Durham, Sunderland andNewcastle, are shown to have debt varying between £3,367 and £3,397 per head.

The Council believes this minor variance as being inconsistent as it suggests that people in the town have nearly £2,000 more debt than their neighbours.

A spokesperson for the Council said:

“We thought it odd that people in Chester-le-Street should have the highest personal debt in the country, so we requested the information as was sent to the media by Experian.

“We found that Experian had Chester-le-Street’s population down as over 114,137 whereas, we have less than half of that number living in the entire District. Imagine if Experian had published London’s population as 15 million, we are sure they would have been chastised for poor research.

“The Council just wants to put the record straight, and having asked them what data they have used to reach this figure, it turns out that they’ve included people from Derwentside, and both Tyne and Wear Valleys, leading to this inaccurate portrayal of Chester-le-Street’s population.”

North-East: Debt-per-Head (Source: Experian)

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Graeme Leigh, Financial Planning Consultant for Orchard Finance blames buying luxuries.

“The trend in the public’s debt seems indicate that it is general commodities such as iPods, large Tv's and foreign holidays are what most people are buying on credit.

“It is often the case that people are spending this money on credit cards simply due to ignorance. People seem to have forgotten the way in which the monetary cycle works, for example there will always be varying times of 'boom' and 'bust' in the economy. Furthermore the members of the public in their 30's haven't experienced economic decline during their adult lives and are unaware of how quickly the economic climate can change. For example last May most people believed the housing market was as strong as ever and within 12 months the public are now more cautious about investing in housing.”

Leigh, whose company is based in Chester-le-Street, doesn’t think it is going to get any better.

“It has been forecasted that the average mortgage will rise by £200 a month and as people begin to have less cash, then they will turn to the credit card to pay for their weekly takeaways for example. Unfortunately their reckless spending over the past 3 years or so will leave many people with high levels of credit already. Furthermore inflation will make this situation even worse. World inflation fuelled by China and India's previous acquisition of raw commodities such as oil has seen diesel and petrol prices rocket recently and with prices expected to reach £1.50 per litre many people with high credit levels may face bankruptcy. Depressingly, this is only the beginning of the problems people will face.

“This poor economic situation is only going to get worse.”

But Chester-le-street wasn’t the only place in the North East mentioned in the Experian debt survey.

Bishop Auckland was the second highest in the area with residents owing £3,691 of personal debt each. This was closely followed by South Shields, Darlington and Redcar.

The seaside city of Scarborough was the regions lowest with only £2,776 per person owed to credit card and loan companies.

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Debt: Just Easy Money?

With an average household debt of £9,052 and 292 people declaring themselves insolvent or bankrupt everyday, it is clear that consumer debt is not a new problem in the UK.

A recent study carried out by Experian, the credit reference agency, found that the residents of Chester-le-Street were in the most personal debt in the country with an average of £5,248 each.

Anne*, 23 from the County Durham market town was only 19 when she was declared bankrupt owing over £20,000 to credit card and loan companies.

She said:

“To me it was easy money. It was something I didn’t have to worry about straight away. I would always carry ID with me so whenever I went into a store and they offered me a 20% discount it was just far too easy to say yes and nearly every store would offer me a card. . People would see on my credit file that I had arrears and was missing payments but they would still give me more.

“I had nothing to show for the money I spend. It went mainly on trying to impress people, such as going on a night out where I would buy anybody and everybody a drink. On average a night out would cost me £150 and I would go out two or three times a week. “

The mother-of-one believes that the agony of telling her parents was the hardest part.

”I realised I was in trouble when I got my third loan for £15,000 at 19 year old and nobody would accept me for credit anymore. I had lied so much to my parents about all the post and telephone calls I was getting and it became too much. When I eventually told them the look of disappointment on my mam’s face is something I will never forget, she was ashamed off me.”

The procedure of declaring yourself bankrupt can take up to four weeks and involves applying to a court for an order to be made on your behalf.

However by paying off the debt, it doesn’t mean that all will be forgotten.

“I was very honest to the official receiver who dealt with my case. I had to make a payment arrangement with them and because I had a lot of disposable income I had to pay back £250 a month for 3 years.

“It has been hard. I have recently had a baby so I went to see about getting a mortgage with my partner. Even though I was discharged and paid most of the debt back, I basically got laughed out of the bank when I said I was bankrupt.”

This is a very common stumbling block amongst those with financial difficulties.

Becky Bowden Wilks from National Debt Line explains why.

“When ever you apply for a mortgage they will normally ask if you have ever been declared bankrupt and if you say no, you are making a fraudulent application for credit.

“It is going to affect your ability to get a mortgage and more importantly the interest rate that you are offered because lenders will see you as a higher risk. It can also affect applying for bank accounts. They could offer you a higher interest rate or not give you current accounts that have all the perks and the overdraft facilities with really low interest rates.”

But that isn’t the only restriction.

“The main thing is that it is going to affect your credit rating and it will stay on your credit file for six years. You also have restrictions on you for example there are some professions you can’t do such as being an accountant or a practising barrister or solicitor. Another constraint is that you can’t get credit for more than £500 with out the official receivers permission until you are discharged.”

Although in some circumstances it can’t be avoided, for others bankruptcy isn’t the only option.

“It depends what your situation is, for example say you’re a home owner and you have a large amount of equity then obviously bankruptcy probably isn’t for you because you have got equity and obviously you don’t want to lose your home.

“So in that instance we look at negotiating with your credits and try to negotiate a reduced offer of payment, something that you can offered or offer a voluntary charge on your property offer to them to secure the debt against the property so they have some security for it without actually forcing the sale of the house and forcing you in to bankruptcy.

“But if you do have a property that is in negative equity or you don’t own anything, say you’re renting or living with your mum and dad or something, you have lots of options rather than go bankrupt. You could apply for a full and final settlement of the debt, which is when you make an offer to pay the debt back at a higher rate than a bankruptcy settlement and they will decide whether or not to accept it.”

So in today’s current climate, with the increase of mortgage prices, higher interest rates and the “buy now, pay later” slogan on everything from sofa’s to holidays in the sun …is it really that surprising that more and more people are finding themselves in such sever financial difficulties?

If you want private and confidential advice on your finances, visit The National Debt Line website.

*Name changed for personal reasons

R.I.P Mark Speight

Children’s TV presenter Mark Speight has been found dead.

The 42 year-old’s body was discovered at 10am on Sunday in a remote area of Paddington Station, London after he went missing six days ago.

Now Magazine said:

”It is understood he [Speight] hanged himself and had not been hit by a train....A security camera caught Mark entering Queen's Park underground station where he travelled on the Bakerloo Line to Paddington. “

Police are currently trying to fit together Speight’s last moments together from the CCTV footage as they believe it will be significant.

Press Association reported:

“CCTV evidence could hold the key to the last movements of tormented children's TV presenter Mark Speight....Officers are investigating how Speight managed to access the partially-disused office block and apparently take his life.”

The presenter, famous for his artistic talents on children’s TV show SMart went missing on the 7^th April.

Matthew Hemley from The Stage believes it is linked to the death of his fiancée earlier this year.

He wrote:

“The presenter, 42, disappeared last week following a post-mortem into the death of his fiancee Natasha Collins, 31, who was found dead in the bath three months ago with 60% burns after taking cocaine and sleeping tablets.”

Speight was originally arrested after suspicions that he was involved in the TV personalities death. However he was released without charge.

The Mirror recollected a previous interview with the star.

"In his last interview, Mark told how life "will never be the same without Natasha". He added: A part of me died with her."

Tributes have pored in after news broke of the tragic death.

The Stage published a statement from Speight’s father, Oliver.

“Sincere thanks to the BBC, friends and colleagues together with all the children and families who have supported Mark throughout his career, and in particular during these recent difficult times…Mark was a wonderful son and brother to his family and he will be very sadly missed.”

They also included a few words from his agent, Jan Kennedy at Billy Marsh Associates.

“We are absolutely devastated at the tragic news of the loss of Mark and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family as well as the family of his beloved fiancee, Natasha, whose equally tragic death had affected him so inconsolably. Mark was blessed with a remarkable personality, great artistic talents and the wonderful warm ability to communicate those skills with people, especially children of all ages.”

Lawyer Nabeel Sheikh acknowledged the pain Speight had experienced over the loss of his fiancé.

The Mirror reported him as saying:

"He had real difficulties in coping with what happened to Natasha and as a result has taken his life…It was too much for him. I didn't think he was dealing with it well, that's been borne out by what has happened. It's an absolute tragedy. The loss of another young person's life.”

One of the TV presenters close friends, Timmy Mallot was shocked by the terrible news and payed tribute.

He told Bucks Free Press:

"Mark was a delight to work with and a joy to watch. He was a dear friend to myself and my family…It was a privilege to have known him and we enjoyed his company on the TV, on stage and in person as a friend. We adored Mark ... He played the brilliant Abominable No Man in our series of Timmy Towers shows for CITV. He brought the show to life with his great sense of fun and everyone who worked with him or watched him will miss him dreadfully….Mark was not always aware of all his talents. He worried about singing - but his outstanding rendition of Robbie Williams' Let me Entertain you will stand as a testament to that huge talent...Mark always entertained us and we are deeply saddened by this tragedy."

The British Transport Police have said that a formal identification would take place today and investigations are still going on as to how long the body was at the station.

R.I.P Mark Speight (1965 – 2008)

Leona US Number 1

X-Factor winner Leona Lewis has become the first British female artist to top the US charts in over 20 years.

Beating off competition from American Stars Usher and Madonna, the 22 year old was the first female Brit to make it to number once since Kim Wilde in the 1980’s.

Everyone is excited at the prospect, none more than Simon Cowell, the brains behind the beauty.

He was quoted by Now Magazine saying:

"I'm incredibly proud of Leona. What she has achieved in the past year is simply amazing…I am very, very happy for her."

Thorough out her time on the reality TV show, the singing sensation was compared to many huge stars.

James Hurley, MSN’s Music Editor agrees with the connections.

"She is arguably the first British singer able to compete vocally with the great American pop divas like Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, and Celine Dion. Leona always looked capable of global superstardom. This week she took one huge step closer to it."

She is also creating a huge fan base along the way, be it here in the UK, the US or the other 25 countries in which "Bleeding Love" soared to the top of the charts.

Online blogger, Dizzy, has been a supporter from the start.

"I don't care what people might think of that record, or that sort of R&B feel it has, I've said it before and I'll say it again, that girl has talent. Pure unadulterated singing ability. She is the next Whitney and Mariah and she was a receptionist in Hackney with a dream that came true...You have to praise Simon Cowell for creating a revival in the format. Breaking America is one hell of an achievement for the girl and her lungs."

However, others believe that Leona has had a helping hand along the way over the pond…in the form of US TV Queen Opera Winfrey.

Erin explains:

"Not only does this prove that the killer combo of a catchy song, a gorgeous face and the talent to back it up can bring you instant success, but it confirms my long-standing theory that Oprah is a deity. Not surprisingly, the Lewis surge to the top occurred just days after her appearance on Oprah. American Idol judge Simon Cowell introduced Lewis to Oprah and ergo, the world, on March 18th. Nine days later, "Bleeding Love" hits number one."

The future looks bright for the sexy young singer, with debut album ‘Sprit’ tipped for the top spot after it’s release in America on 8th April.

Good Luck Leona.

Pregnant Kerry Rushed to Hospital

Pregnant Kerry Katona was rushed to hospital yesterday with suspected pre-eclampsia.

The reality star, 27, is being treated at a maternity unit in Macclesfield, near her home in Cheshire.

She is being tested for the illness which can lead to kidney and liver failure, and in severe cases can be fatal to both mum and baby.

The mother-of-three’s spokeman, Max Clifford, was reported by Now Magazine as saying:

"We're praying for her but only time will tell…In the past few weeks she's been in increasing pain with her legs and feet swollen. We just hope it's not pre-eclampsia. Mark's very concerned, like the rest of us. But she is a fighter and we've all got our fingers crossed."

This came just days after Katona checked herself into The Priory.

Kerry, who already has 3 daughters, Molly,6, Lily Sue, 5, and Heidi,1, suspended filming of her MTV fly-on-the-wall documentary, Crazy in Love, while she was treated with depression.

However, MSN Columnist David Levin, was amongst the first to wish the troubled star luck.

"Her reality show has been suspended, her Iceland contract is coming to an end, she’s been back in rehab, and now she’s been rushed to hospital... if anyone needs a bit of good luck, it’s Kerry Katona."

He continued by explaining what has been happening over the past few years, after the reality star won I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!

"In the past few years Kerry’s life has played out like a soap opera. She has been held hostage at gunpoint in her home, had friends and family sell stories of her alleged drug use, been criticised for smoking throughout her pregnancies, and faced claims that husband Mark Croft has been unfaithful. The former addict was accused of using cocaine while pregnant following an erratic appearance on GMTV last October, and reports surfaced that ex-husband Brian McFadden was considering filing for custody of their two daughters."

Lets hope all test results come back clear so the star can make a fresh start with baby number four.

Tatt's Enough Becks!

Some people write songs, while others opt for a more extravagant clothing…But for David Beckham it is all about his tattoos.


The LA Galaxy star has revealed his innermost feelings through body art, with his 15th tattoo.

With a sexy image of wife Victoria, and three cherubs to represent his three sons, Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz, Beckham sees the art as a way of expressing himself.

Now Magazine was one of the first to report on the stars latest addition.

"Most recently, the footballer had a strip of Chinese symbols inked down the left side of his torso. It is reported to say: 'Death and life have determined appointments. Riches and honour depend upon heaven."

Relache believes that Beck’s tattoos are becoming more famous than his football skills.

"Soccer star David Beckham is known as much for his fashion sense and tattoos as he is for is abilities on the playing field…no matter what this 30-something sports star does, the talk always comes back to his tattoos."

However, Simon H B thinks Beckham has too much time on his hands.

"Beckham's latest tattoo is a long one, suggesting that he's not got much else to do bar sit around having people write on him. "

Either way, he is still arguably one of the most attractive men in the world!

Ashley Cole Named Worst Husband

Ashley Cole has been given the title of Worst Celebrity Husband after cheating on his wife Cheryl with a hairdresser.

The Chelsea football star received almost half of the votes in the Nivea For Men poll. Prince Charles came second in the list, with Tom Cruise and Sven-Goran Eriksson at joint third.

The result didn’t come as much of a surprise after the tabloid tales of late.

The Mirror’s 3AM girls took a very sarcastic stance on the results.

"Hold the front page, here's some shocking news - Ashley Cole has been voted Worst Celebrity Husband...We can hardly contain our astonishment."

HeatWorld, Online’s equivalent to Heat Magazine was reminiscent of the great celeb husband, but agrees that Cole is definitely the worst.

"Sadly, there are quite a few dirty cheating rats in the celebrity world (and, for that matter, the plain old non-famous world. Sigh…) but the readers of grown-up ladies' magazine Eve reckon Ashley Cole is the worst of them all – and we can definitely see where they’re coming from with that one! "

But Cheryl has taken Ashley back, Andhranews explains.

"The Girls Aloud star has agreed to renew her marriage vows during a secret summer ceremony in Newcastle…Cheryl has demanded Ashley stick to the strict no-sex regime before the big day."

It is a good job website HeckleSpray were quick to give the cheat some words of wisdom for the future.

"Now here’s some advice for you, Ashley. At the very top of the opposite poll Jamie Oliver was voted best husband. So, if you want to get back in the wife’s good books all you need to do is spit in her face, cook an acceptable spag boll and you can shag and sick til your heart’s content."

But will this really make a difference? Once a cheat, always a cheat?

Jordan strips off for George

Glamour girl Jordan has been stripping off for George, and before Peter Andre starts to get worried, it is of course George at Asda.


Launching a new 32-38 D-G cup lingerie line yesterday, the model stripped down to her underwear with six competition winners to show how the range looks great on any figure.
And Mrs Andre was pleased with the results.

Now Magazine reported the model saying:

"I'm showing that girls of all shapes and sizes can look good. We all got on really well. It wasn't like we were all comparing boobs and stuff. We were having a laugh and I encouraged the girls to be confident."

Blogger Hayley this the timing couldn’t be better.

"In a week where the UK has its first ever Plus-Size Miss England entrant, Jordan the queen of cosmetic surgery has surprised everyone by launching the lingerie range using big, beautiful women! It just goes to show that not all Celebs will stoop low enough to ban larger people from endorsing their products. The lingerie looked stunning on every single one of the models."

Gordon Smith, editor of the Sun’s Bizzare explains how Jordan picked her models.

"Lucky members of her fan club stripped off for the glamour girl's new range alongside the star herself. Chatting at the launch, Jordan said: "I decided that I wanted girls from my fan club to model with me in front of the press so I got them to write in and then I chose six girls."

One of the lucky girls was 20-year-old Emma Dunn from Dorset. She told the Daily Star:

"Kate was amazing. She gave me lots of advice about how to pose and work the camera. I always wanted to be a Page 3 girl but I know I’m a big girl so I never dreamed I could do something like this."

If you want to try out Kate’s lingerie range by Panache, 32-38 D-G cup, is available at George at Asda stores nationwide.

What a Week for Winehouse!

A week in the life of Amy Winehouse would never be dull, well….especially not this past week!


Last night the Bee-hived Brit picked up only one award at the NME Awards in London – for Worst Dressed Star. It seems her style isn’t a favorite of the music magazine’s readers.

This comes only a few days after The Sun revealed the singers plans to launch Cosmetics and Fashion lines.

The tabloid said:

“Trampy Amy Winehouse is launching her own brand of clothes and make-up so fans can copy her unique style…The range will include hairspray, but the signature piece is set to be the heavy liquid eyeliner the Rehab singer has made famous.”

The Sun also reported that a friend of the star has been discussing the new range.

“Amy’s style has been copied by girls around the country and there’s a lot of money to be made. It’s a very distinctive look. She wants to bring out a range of cosmetics and fashion products. There could be hairspray, head scarves, liquid eyeliner, perfume. All the things that are distinctive of her look.”

Not everyone is so sure.

Excited Style Life said:

"Signature clothing item? We wouldn't like to say. Oh all right then. Greying wife-beater worn over a brightly coloured bra? Manky piece of leopard print carpet worn as a bandana? Stone washed mini with bare legs and pixies? The possiblities are endless. ..Leave it to the experts. If Primark tells you to wear it, think about it. If Amy tells you to wear it. Don't. You'll look like a turkey."

Harsh? Apparently not...

It was echoed by Blog, Get Fame.

“Yay! Maybe Amy will get some new clothes out of the deal. Who knew drugs were such a fashion statement. Tiny fine point red liner will be part of the makeup line for drawing avant-garde blood scratches for that freshly cracked-out look!...I love it! Good for Amy. I like that people are accepting her just he way she is! She doesn't have to be anything more than a crackhead to get love. That's big!”

But the NME awards wasn’t the only event to draw attention to Winehouse being a bad dresser.
She came second in Richard Blackwell’s 48th Annual Worst Dressed of 2007.

So Feminine were quick to remind us.

"Forgive us, but we're not convinced it would take off...Amy's all-too-well-documented problems with drink and drug abuse have left her looking rather less than fresh of late…The style guru [Richard Blackwell] said of Amy: "Exploding beehives above, tacky polka-dots below, she's part '50s carhop horror."

Blogger Jane Murphy, for Orange’s Celeb page is some what confused by the plans.

“Hmmm... what exactly will the perfume smell like, do you suppose? And why stop with the eyeliner and head scarves? We want wigs! Fake tattoos! Cigarettes! Incarcerated husbands! Oh no - hang on..."

Here is to hoping that the recent award won’t put a spanner in the works for the singers extra-curricular activities.

Regardless…Winehouse is still considered a style icon, even if NME readers disagree.
Colleen Last, MSN’s Celebrity Editor http://msnukentertainment.spaces.live.com/ explains why.

“No matter what the general public thinks, top fashion house Louis Vuitton loves Amy’s style, so much so that its paying her £500,000 to perform a one-off gig at Paris Fashion Week. Lucky Amy flew by private jet to France today.”

The self harmer, who wore a skinny white vest revealing red scratches on her arms, managed to find time to visit her hubby this week.

Blake Fielder-Civil, or maybe more recognisable as “Blake Incarcerated”, pleaded not guilty against his charges of assault and trial-fixing today while Wineo was jet setting and living the showbiz lifestyle.

Maybe this will make her realize what she is missing out on.

Good on her…Lets hope she finds herself a nice young French Fancy to take her mind off bad-boy Blake.

As the saying goes…When the cat is away, the mice will play!

Module Work: Preston News Map

This is an example of how news can be displayed in map format.

I constructed it using Google Maps, with stories taken from the Lancashire Evening Post.


View Larger Map

Europeans Clean-Up at Oscars

Designers will be able to hang up their needles and threads, as last night saw the most prestigious award ceremony of the year.

It is the one that everyone has been waiting for. The one everyone wants to be invited too. The one where everyone wants to win.

Of course it is the Academy Awards…or the Oscars to you and me.

The red carpet was rolled out at the Kodak Theatre at Hollwood & Highland Center® for the 80th ceremony...having seen more Jimmy Choo’s or Valentino gowns, over its years, than a girl could dream of.

With such a huge lead-up, it is doubtful that anyone could have predicted the outcome….

With Europe cleaned up, winning all four of the highly prestigious acting awards.

Nick Plowman explained how rare it is.

“Not one acting award went to an American, with Javier Bardem (Spainish), Daniel Day-Lewis (British born), Tilda Swinton (British) and Mation Cotillard (French) taking them all - something only achieved once before, in 1964. The Oscars truly are International.”

British and Irish national, Daniel Day-Lewis won the Best Male Oscar for his outstanding performance in “There Will Be Blood”. This is the second Oscar he has after previously winning one for his role in “My Left Foor: The story of Christy Brown”.

Michelle Forbes thought the British born Actor was the only clear winner in his category.

“Daniel Day Lewis totally deserves the Oscar. No one else is even close. If he wasn't in the race I'd say it was between George Clooney and Viggo Mortensen. It must have been a slow year for men though because I'm not sure why the other two [Jonny Depp and Tommy Lee Jones] were nominated. They were good, but Oscar?”

Tilda Swinton was the second Brit of the night to walk away with one of the top four awards, after winning Best Supporting Actress for ‘Michael Clayton’. This role also won her a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress.

But despite never having a leading role, she has quite a fan base.

Rick, writing for his blog The Trifecta, couldn’t speak more highly of the actress.

“I’ve always had a lot of respect for this fascinating actress. She’s had lots of small roles that have really stuck with me in some of my top tier films. I loved her business exec in Adaptation, her struggling mother in Thumbsucker, and her conflicted litigator in Michael Clayton was certainly Oscar worthy. Hopefully we’ll get to see more Tilda Swinton now, perhaps in some starring roles”

This was echoed by MSN Life and Style Blogger, Imogen Lloyd Webber.

“The more I hear about Tilda, the more I think: only made in Britain, and God how cool is this woman? She doesn’t give a flying f**k what people make of her outlandish outfits, or her unusual domestic set-up – she and her partner bring up their children in Scotland while she has a toy boy painter amour for when she’s not there.”

But she is not everyone’s cup of tea.

Alex Billington is clearly not her number one fan after writing:

“Best Supporting Actress, Tilda Swinton did not deserve it, hands down. Literally a minute before they announced the winner, I was telling Peter [his brother] that almost all of them were fairly good nominees, except for Swinton. She didn't seem to fit in that list, but anyone else would have been a fine and acceptable winner. And mere seconds later she won! Come on, over Amy Ryan or Cate Blanchet, or even Ruby Dee?!”

The BAFTA’s, two weeks previous to the Academy Awards, proved to be a great predictor for things to come.

Causing controversy after beating British leading ladies Keira Knightly and Julie Christie to the hotly tipped award in London, French actress Marion Cotillard again walked away with the Best Actress award for the second time this month.

Surely that is proof, if any, that she is well deserving?

Other winners last night included Ratatouille (Best Animated Feature), Juno (Best Original Screenplay), Atonement (Best Music Score) and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Best Art Direction).

The big winner of the night was No Country For Old Men walking away with 4 Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director (Joel and Ethan Coen), Best Supporting Actor (Javier Bardem) and Best Adapted Screenplay.

That’s it for this year....All we have to do now is to think about the big winners for 2008.

Sex and the City, now that has Oscar written all over it!

You heard it here first…Watch this space!

Suprise of the Sexiest?

It’s that time of year again.

FHM is set to name the Sexiest Women in April and there has been a surprise new entry.

Heather Mills has reportedly made it in to the top 100 in the annual poll and will therefore be names one of the sexiest in showbiz.

The Sun were first to break the news.

“The former model has amazed bosses at FHM magazine by getting 1,000 votes a DAY in their online poll to name the world’s 100 hottest females…the 40-year-old’ s attractiveness rating has rocketed since she began hammering out a massive divorce settlement from Sir Paul McCartney, 65.”

This is a huge jump from the 15 votes she was getting before her court appearances.

Chris Bell, deputy Editor of FHM Magazine told the tabloid:

“Heather Mills has always been vilified as a gold-digger with a dubious past…But readers have realised she's about to become the world's most eligible - and richest – women.”

However it is doubtful that Jessica Alba, named Sexiest Woman in 2007, will be left quaking in her Jimmy Choos.



The pregnant actress is favorite to walk away with the crown again this year, along with Girl’s Aloud singer Cheryl Cole.

Mills is currently in 95th place, ahead of socialite Paris Hilton, Gwen Steffani and Superman actress Kirsten Dunst.

GabbyBabble can’t understand the way the public have voted.

“I wonder what these voters have been smoking…If voters are serious (but I doubt they are), I just can't believe Mills would be ahead of Gwen Stefani - that's just crazy! It's surprising that Paris and Kirsten would make the list too, but even they should be ahead of Mills.”

She isn’t the only one.

Christi Hall from the National Ledger said:

“I'm not certain I understand the whole voting process that would put Heather Mills anywhere near the top.”

It is safe to say, we know one person who wont have voted for the ex-model.

Will Sir Paul be kicking himself when the winners are announced on 24 April?

Vote now for FHM's Sexiest Woman.

Big Brit Bender

Champagne will be on shortage after yet another star studded award ceremony last night.

In their fancy frocks and swish suits, celebs graced the red carpet at London’s Earl’s Court for the 2008 MasterCard Brit Awards.

Turning up in their plenty, someone must have told them that there was free booze…but wait…there was!

Determined not to let a drop be wasted The Arctic Monkeys, dressed from head-to-toe in tweed and twill, would have certainly won the award for “Drunkest Band”.

Toby Ricketts said:

“Just how drunk can the arctic monkeys get before they attend the awards naked and use expletives exclusively to accept their award?”

But the Sheffield boys weren’t the only ones to take advantage of the free booze.

Friday Night Project Funnyman Alan Carr apologized to the audience when he came on slightly sozzled to present the Best British Single to Take That.

The Sun reported the cheeky comedian saying:

“Sorry I am a bit p***ed…I put a straw in Amy Winehouses beehive. I kissed them all [Take That] last year. Will they get past first base?”

However the pièce de résistance came when Vic Reeves pulled out all the stops to take a pop at pint-size pop princess Kylie Minogue.

Monk Seal said:

“Vic Reeves, who majestically pulled out of the punch line to a decidedly foul-tasting quip about Kylie Minogue and cancer, leaving him clearly panicked at the sudden prospect of his career sloshing down the bogs faster than Michael Richards can say the N-word.”

Despite the not-so-sober slur, speculation has mounted that the only reason the Aussie star got the International Female gong was due to her illness.

MSN Music Editor James Hurley couldn't agree more:

“International Female to Kylie Minogue. That may well have gone to Rihanna had it not been for the old cancer scare. You can't begrudge her anything though, can you?”

Other winners of Brits this year included Kate Nash (Best British Female), Mark Ronson (Best British Male) and Mike (Best Breakthrough Act).

But with the tipple on tap, money is on the stars waking up this morning not really remembering what they did or didn’t win.

Funny enough the soberest star at the ceremony appeared to be Amy Winehouse but like they say…

There’s a first for everything.

Trio to Save Ledger's Last Film.

Jonny Depp, Colin Farrell and Brit actor Jude Law are to appear as Heath Ledger’s character in the unfinished film “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus”.

It all sounds a little confusing but Variety has explained the theory behind hiring three actors to play one part.

"Ledger's character steps into three different dimensions, each transporting him into a new world; worlds which will now be inhabitated by Depp, Law, and Farrell."

Filming for the Tony Gilliam movie was postponed after the tragic death of Ledger on 22 January.

But the director was determined to finish the film in honor of his close friend who died of an accidental drugs overdose.

It was originally reported that he planned to finish it by using Computer Generated Imagrey.

Chris Plummer who is also starring in the movie said:

“Terry’s throwing himself into the job of trying to salvage the picture. Fortunately, because the film deals with magic, there is a way, perhaps, of turning Heath into other people and then, using stills and…CGI. He very wants to go on with the movie…Because he wants to dedicate it to Heath.”

But is now thought that three actors will stand in for the late star.

BBC said:

“It is thought that original footage of Ledger will remain while Law, Depp and Farrell will play different incarnations of his character, Tony.”

Sounds like a lot of pressure for the three stand-ins.

BuzzSugar is glad filming is continuing but waiting with baited breath to see the outcome.

“Good for these guys for stepping up to the plate and taking on such a challenging and delicate task. I'm curious about this whimsical film and I look forward to seeing what these three can do with the part. I hope they can do justice to Heath's last role.”

Irish actor, Farrell has admitted that he feels honoured to be replacing Ledger in the film but he is still struggling to deal with the reality of the stars death.

He was reported by Now Magazine to have said:

"It makes me feel uncomfortable to think about it too much…It's an incredibly painful honour to have, an honour I wish wasn't bestowed, but an honour none-the-less."

But he is determined to do a good job.

"It's about getting Heath's work out there…he is too good for any of his work not to be seen, and I'm really keen and looking forward to doing it and just doing the best job I can do."

It has not yet been confirmed if British hunk, Jude Law will be getting involved but it looks hopeful.

A spokeswoman for Law told the Time Online that he is in discussions to appear along side the other stars as the lead character Tony.

"Negotiations have not yet been finalised…his participation will depend on the whole thing falling into place."

Over all, it sounds like the best solution but there has been mixed reactions to the new recruits.

Mariarty posted her excitement on Ain’t It Cool News.

"Have I mentioned how much I love this idea? Because I do. I think it’s beautiful that the script loaned itself to this sort of idea, that we’re going to see Heath Ledger’s work in Terry Gilliam’s new film, and that we’re also going to see three very interesting actors step up to offer interpretations of him as a way of paying one final tribute."

Others can’t understand how it is going to work.

Celebitchy, a showbiz blog, said:

“When I first read this story I thought it must have been something cooked up by a journalist with an overactive imagination, and it very well might be.”

All in all, everyone is in agreement that it is a sad situation when an actor has to be replaced because of his life being cut short.

HerBadMother summed it up well.

"I, for one, am thrilled that we'll get to see a Colin-Johnny-Jude sandwich - of a sort - but, yeah - the cost of it was far too high."

We will have to wait until its release in 2009 to see how “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” will turn out.

For Richer, For Poorer?

Once upon a time marriage was “until death us do part” but with more and more celebrities calling D-day after their big-day, the question on everybody’s lips is…

Are prenuptial agreements the way forward?

Singing ‘Superstar’ Jamelia certainly thinks so.

The Wag-Blog reported her as saying recently:

"I’m all for pre-nups. I’m going to ask my fiancé Darren to sign one, but he doesn’t know yet."

Possibly not the best way of telling him, but she isn’t the only one thinking along the security lines.

Research conducted by Internet bank Smile found that almost half of us in the UK confessed they would take out a prenuptial agreement before saying “I do”.

In 2004, they found that more than 47% of British women and only 44% of men would like to see prenups made legal.

Phil Garlick, the Director of Operations at Smile said:

"It seems people are taking the 'for richer' part of the wedding vow a little too literally these days. I’m surprised at how many people have admitted wanting a pre-nuptial agreement.”

But in some cases, it works out for the best.

It was revealed last month that Chelsea football ace Ashley Cole cheated on his Girls Aloud wife Cheryl, with hairdresser Aimee Walton.

Soccer Lens is looking at the bigger picture:

“It is not a good time for Ashley, if Cheryl does decide to file for divorce she would be entitled up to £4m in divorce settlement.”

Then there is the flip of the coin.

TeamSugar regard The Beckhams as a rarity in the world of showbiz.

“Victoria and David Beckham seem to have one of those rare celebrity marriages that appears to be pretty stable. Though the two have weathered a few storms (accusations have occasionally popped up regarding David’s possible cheating on Victoria) all and all they seem to be pretty solid.”

It all sounds well and good, but surely it is not an easy subject to broach.

PollyAnnDav believes there are two reasons why couples don’t ask their partners to sign a prenup before the big day.

“First of all… the majority of couples feel it predicts doom to suggest a prenuptial agreement to their perspective partner. Rumor has it that when Jennifer Lopez asked Ben Affleck to agree to a prenup, Ben Affleck ended the relationship.

The other reason is the majority of couples believe that in spite of the statistics showing that more then half of all marriages end in divorce, it will never happen to them. They believe their there love will overcome any possible obstacles that can occur in their relationship…and divorce will never happen.”

However, the author of the Blog, Secrets to a Successful Divorce is sceptical but perhaps more realistic about modern marriages.

“A prenup is not something couples who are in love and planning a wedding feel
comfortable discussing, but…If you feel that they [prenups] are unromantic and that this time is "forever" because you have met your "soul mate", you need to wake up.”

She then goes on to apply her theory to the recent high profiled divorce case of McCartney and Mills.

“Paul McCartney was so in love with Heather Mills that he didn't ask her to sign a prenup... I bet he deeply regrets that decision now that they are involved in a vicious divorce battle for his billion dollar empire. The sad reality is that had these two signed a prenup, there would be no fight…and they might have been able to divorce on friendly terms.”

After an eventful few months…let’s see what the rest of 2008 brings us. Another year will no doubt see more papers being signed.

Royal Sun has been looking at the hot predictions for the months ahead.

“Hotly tipped to announce their engagement shortly, Kate Middleton and Prince William are odds on at 1 to 5 to sign an agreement prior to marriage. Similarly, Jemima Goldsmith is 1 to 4 odds on to ask Hugh Grant to sign on the dotted line, to protect her sizeable inheritance should their relationship progress. Bookmakers are also offering even money on childhood sweethearts Wayne Rooney and fiancée Colleen McLoughlin signing a prenup to ensure fair distribution of their £20m fortune should they split.”

Is Romance Dead?

It certainly seems that way in Celeb-Ville.

The Best of British Talent?

It has been a busy weekend for British celebrities, with the BAFTA awards in London and the Grammy’s in America.

Dressed from head to toe in designer clobber, the stars graced the red carpet both here and Los Angeles to collect their awards.

Or in some cases, not.

At the awards in London in recognition of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), the biggest shock of the evening came when the Best Actress award was announced.

A Press Release said:

"Marion Cotillard received the BAFTA for Leading Actress for La Vie en Rose for her portrayal of Edith Piaf. The film also won awards for Music, Make Up & Hair and costume. "

The triumph for the young French actress raised suggestions that Brit stars had been disregarded.

The Sun wrote:

"Brit stars Keira Knightley and Julie Christie were sensationally snubbed at the Baftas - in favour of an unknown actress from France.

In a night of shocks at the star studded bash, Marion Cotillard beat both our girls to pick up the Best Actress award."

The Times echoed this by saying:

"Two of the film industry’s most reclusive and revered stars were thrown under the spotlight last night at the Baftas…but only one went home with a prize.

But Julie Christie, 66, left empty-handed, even though it was assumed widely that her portrayal of an Alzheimer’s sufferer in Away From Her would earn her the Best Actress prize.

Instead, the award went to a 32-year-old French actress, Marion Cotillard, for her portrayal of Edith Piaf in La Vie en Rose."

They also suggested that the win was a shock.

"Few [critics] had predicted her win because Baftas, Oscars and Golden Globes tend to relegate foreign films to their own categories."

Marion, who is already a Golden Globe winner, is the first ever French winner of the Best Actress award at the ceremony.

Molly Flatt from the Guardian was pleased with the outcome.

"I am thrilled Marion Cotillard has won the best actress award at this weeks baftas. Now she really has a fighting chance to bag the Oscar. Surely."

Knightley herself was also supportive of the decision and is a fan of the French actress.

Contact Music reported the star as saying:

"Marion [Cotillard] is my hero at the moment. She's amazing in La Vie En Rose."

Hotly tipped British film, Atonement, was nominated for 14 of the English equivalent of the Oscars but only acquired two.

Comments on the BAFTA website reflect the disappointment, especially after Knightley’s ‘snub’.

"Wow. Keira Knightley's performance in Atonement hasn't been fully respected in yet another award show."

However the 22 year-old did win a best actress award elsewhere this week.

Hot Online News reported:

"Keira Knightley finally got the appreciation she deserves last night as she took home an award for best actress.

The 22-year-old missed out on a BAFTA and an Oscar this year but scooped the title at the Elle Style Awards in London."

Other winners of BAFTA awards included ‘This is England’ for Best British Film, ‘Ratatouille’ for Best Animated Film and Daniel Day Lewis won Leading Actor for his role in There will be Blood.

Over the pond, the British were triumphant at the Grammy’s with Amy Winehouse winning five out of the six awards she was nominated for.

The star preformed at the event via video link after being refused a visa to be in LA because she is currently in rehab addressing a drug addiction.

There has been a lot of criticism over the awards, especially from Natalie Cole.

The singer doesn’t think Winehouse deserves her Grammys.

"We have to stop rewarding bad behaviour…I think it sends a bad message to our young people who are trying to get into this business.

It’s a slap in the face to artists who work very hard that they give it to someone who really obviously doesn’t have a grasp of what she has."

This has reiterated comments made by Antonio Costa, head of the UN’s Office on Drugs and Crime, last November.

He suggested that the soul singer [and other celebs such as Kate Moss] is glamorizing drugs which could be the reason for the amount of young people in the UK using cocaine doubling over the last ten years.

Costa said:

"Rock stars, like Amy Winehouse, become popular by singing: 'I ain't going to rehab,' even though she badly needed and eventually sought treatment."

However, it is not just the awards than critics are hung up about.

John Lundberg from The Hiffington Post was not impressed by the stars performance of “Rehab” and “You know I’m no Good”.

"The rail thin, strange and sultry singer fight for coherency in front of millions was breathtaking. She spoke like there were pieces missing, like the embodiment of the last few moments of a game of Jenga. God bless her for holding it together."

However, he does go on to praise her musical abilities.

That's not to say I don't like her music, I like it a lot. Her voice is kind of delicious, and you have to admire how she's brought Motown and 50's jazz club sounds to a new audience.

Despite the criticism, an online poll conducted by PopSugar has revealed that 58% of voters loved Amy Winehouse’s performance this week. [Results taken Feb 20th 2008]

This was echoed by others, who believe that Winehouse was most deserving of the highly acclaimed music awards.

The Daily Swarm published an article which stated that:

"She’s a great example of art and commerce achieving a perfect balance. Seeing an artist like Winehouse break and get award recognition is a gratifying reminder of the major label system at its best."

This was mirrored by a blog titled ‘MomPopSon’ who said:

"Amy Winehouse is a good singer and performer, and unlike in the Olympics, drug-taking is not a problem for someone to win a Grammy. She proved to everyone that she deserved them by performing live via satellite…Congratulations!"

Another big winner on the night was Kanye West who won awards for Best Rap Solo Performance (for ''Stronger''), Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group (''Southside,'' with Common), Best Rap Song (for ''Good Life''), and Best Rap Album (for Graduation).

Other Grammy winners included Herbie Hancock receiving Album of the Year for “River: The Joni Letter” and “Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace” winning Foo Fighters Best Rock Album.

In terms of the controversy surrounding the British stars at the awards ceremonies it is strongly suggested that Amy Winehouse is as deserving as any other artist to receive her five Grammy awards.

Her addiction does not make her any better or worse of a singer.

She has been talented from her very first album, Frank in 2003 which was nominated for an Ivor Novello Awaerd, and continues to be one of the best British singers to date.

Comments by Natalie Cole, can also be taken with a pinch of salt after the Grammy award winner herself has been reportedly mixed up in drugs in the past.

In her biography “Angel on My Shoulder” it describes incidents when:

"Cole continued to spiral out of control - including one incident where she refused to evacuate a burning building, and another where her young son Robert nearly drowned in the family swimming pool while she and her first husband, the late Reverend Marvin Yancy, were on a drug binge."

As for the BAFTA awards, it is a shame to see British talent such as that of Keira Knightely not being awarded for their talents.

However it is clear that there is a lot of respect for Marion Cotillard in the film industry and therefore her talents must also be recognised.

It is prehaps unfair to say that she should not have been named “Best Actress” just because she is French and therefore should have stuck to her category.

If she is in fact best actress, which she was awarded, then isn’t only right that she is given the title?