A celebrity charity single recorded to help Haiti’s earthquake victims has been knocked off the top of the charts by American R&B singer Jason Derulo.

Everybody Hurts, orchestrated by Simon Cowell, was pushed down to ninth spot after two weeks at number one, the Official UK Charts Company said.

Jason Derulo, 20, went straight to the top with new entry In My Head.

The Helping Haiti song had notched up the biggest first week sales of any charity track in recent years.

Proceeds from the REM cover, which features stars such as Kylie Minogue, Robbie Williams, Cheryl Cole and Leona Lewis, is being split between the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) and The Sun newspaper’s Helping Haiti campaign.

‘Nostalgia’

Elsewhere in the singles chart, You Got The Dirtee Love – a collaboration between Florence and the Machine star Florence Welch and Dizzee Rascal – had to settle for the number two position for a second week.

A further two new releases made it into the top 10 – Ellie Goulding’s Starry Eyed and the latest single from Sugababes, Wear My Kiss.

In the album chart, Lady Gaga’s The Fame moved up from number two to the top spot for a second stint, having previously spent four weeks at number one last year.

Among the new entries to the top 40 albums was Our Gracie – The Best Of Gracie Fields, which went in at number 29.

The compilation saw the star from Rochdale, who was born in 1898, returning to popular culture more than 30 years after her death.

HMV spokesman Gennaro Castaldo said: "Whether it’s the current economic climate or a simple yearning for more optimistic times, you get a real sense that nostalgia has a growing appeal right now." </p

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

A celebrity charity single recorded to help Haiti’s earthquake victims has been knocked off the top of the charts by American R&B singer Jason Derulo.

Everybody Hurts, orchestrated by Simon Cowell, was pushed down to ninth spot after two weeks at number one, the Official UK Charts Company said.

Jason Derulo, 20, went straight to the top with new entry In My Head.

The Helping Haiti song had notched up the biggest first week sales of any charity track in recent years.

Proceeds from the REM cover, which features stars such as Kylie Minogue, Robbie Williams, Cheryl Cole and Leona Lewis, is being split between the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) and The Sun newspaper’s Helping Haiti campaign.

‘Nostalgia’

Elsewhere in the singles chart, You Got The Dirtee Love – a collaboration between Florence and the Machine star Florence Welch and Dizzee Rascal – had to settle for the number two position for a second week.

A further two new releases made it into the top 10 – Ellie Goulding’s Starry Eyed and the latest single from Sugababes, Wear My Kiss.

In the album chart, Lady Gaga’s The Fame moved up from number two to the top spot for a second stint, having previously spent four weeks at number one last year.

Among the new entries to the top 40 albums was Our Gracie – The Best Of Gracie Fields, which went in at number 29.

The compilation saw the star from Rochdale, who was born in 1898, returning to popular culture more than 30 years after her death.

HMV spokesman Gennaro Castaldo said: "Whether it’s the current economic climate or a simple yearning for more optimistic times, you get a real sense that nostalgia has a growing appeal right now." </p

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Sequined gowns and pantomime classics worn by the late entertainer Danny La Rue are to be auctioned in March.

They include outfits worn in the West End hit Hello Dolly! and glamorous frocks he wore impersonating Zsa Zsa Gabor, Tina Turner, and Dolly Parton.

The costumes and other memorabilia from La Rue’s 60-year career will be sold at Brick Lane Music Hall in London.

The Irish-born star, who was once Britain’s best known drag act, died last May at the age of 81.

The costumes are being sold by Annie Galbraith, the entertainer’s long-time friend and companion towards the end of his life.

Comic in a frock

Four have already been bought by the Victoria and Albert Museum, two of which will be on permanent display.

Another pair will be featured in a forthcoming exhibition of pantomime costumes at the Museum of Childhood.

During the 1960s and 70s, La Rue was one of the highest paid stars on television as well as carving out a successful career on the stage and in cabaret.

He was born Daniel Patrick Carroll, in Cork in 1927 and moved to London with his family when he was nine.

La Rue moved into show business after leaving the navy and made his West End debut in the mid-50s.

In 1969, he became the first drag act to feature in the Royal Variety Performance, the first of three such appearances.

He also became the first man to appear as a female character in a major musical when he took the role of Dolly Levi in Hello Dolly! in a 1982 production which eventually transferred to the West End.

He became a regular in pantomime and in summer shows around the country leading one critic to describe him as "a national monument".

He continued working almost to the end with appearances in a biographical revue in Spain at the age of 79 and the Brick Lane Music Hall in 2007.

Though he made his name as a drag performer, Danny La Rue always refused to be labelled as a female impersonator, once describing himself as "a comic in a frock".</p

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Blue Peter presenter Helen Skelton has completed a 2,000-mile kayak trip along the Amazon for Sport Relief.

The 26-year-old was greeted by cheers and celebratory gunfire as she crossed the finish line in Almerim, Brazil.

Skelton has clocked up 2,010 miles since she set off on her solo journey from Natua in Peru on 20 January.

The BBC star, who had never been in a kayak before training, broke two world records as she became the first woman to paddle the length of the river.

The records – for the longest solo journey by kayak and the longest distance in a kayak in 24 hours by a woman – are awaiting official verification.

The TV presenter paddled about 60 miles a day, six days a week, to reach the target.

"My bottom is bruised, my shoulders are sore and the muscles in my neck are making it hard to differentiate between my head and my shoulders but to be honest I am proud of the war wounds"

Helen Skelton

Skelton said of her challenge: "It’s been tough but I’ve had enough highs to make it more than worthwhile.

"I’m very lucky to have amazing people in my life who’ve picked me up when things got hard and most importantly inspired me to carry on.

"My bottom is bruised, my shoulders are sore and the muscles in my neck are making it hard to differentiate between my head and my shoulders but to be honest I am proud of the war wounds.

"I reckon that you shouldn’t shy away from things because they’re tough or you might fail. Get stuck in and you never know where you might end up."

Blue Peter, which is showing Skelton’s epic journey in two special episodes on 16 and 17 March, hopes her efforts will inspire families across the UK to rise to their own challenge for Sport Relief.

Sport Relief will take place from 19 to 21 March and will raise money for charity schemes in the UK as well as developing countries.

It will kick off with a night of entertainment on the BBC, with a sketch from Gavin and Stacey star James Corden and special editions of Masterchef, Top Gear and A Question Of Sport.

Other celebrity challenges include rugby ace Lawrence Dallaglio cycling around the Six Nations and BBC One Show presenter Christine Bleakley water skiing across the English Channel.</p

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw has queried the value of the BBC’s licence fee and said there is "good reason" for a debate over its future.

Mr Bradshaw told Sky News there were questions over whether the licence fee should continue "as the best funding mechanism" for the BBC.

The debate over the £3.6bn settlement should consider the size of the corporation, he said.

But Mr Bradshaw declined to comment on reports about proposed BBC cuts.

Mr Bradshaw told Sunday Live on Sky News: "I think there is a good reason to have a debate in the run-up to the next licence fee, which we shall have if we are in government, as to how big the BBC should be, how big the licence fee should be, even if we should continue to have a licence fee in the long-term as the best funding mechanism."

‘Difficult decisions’

It was important the public were involved in the debate because they paid for the service and consumed the programmes, he said.

He went on: "The BBC is free at any time to say ‘Look we don’t need all the money we have got, have some back’.

"But it is very, very important that political parties in between the years when the licence fee is set don’t give a running commentary like that because that would be a very serious breach of the BBC’s independence," he said.

Mr Bradshaw said he did not want to be drawn on proposed BBC cuts, which would reportedly close down digital stations BBC 6 Music and the Asian Network.

He admitted he had never listened to 6 Music but said the station’s future was a matter for the the BBC to decide.

"Whatever the BBC drops or stops doing there are bound to be people who are not happy with that but hey that is the job of leadership, that is the job of strategic management which means you have to take difficult decisions.

"Let’s wait to see what the BBC comes up with before we weigh in and give commentary on it," he said. </p

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

The 18-year-old son of American singer Marie Osmond, has died, a spokesman for the family has said.

Ms Osmond, 50, said in a statement that her family was "devastated and in deep shock by the tragic loss" of her son Michael Blosil.

News reports from the US suggested he committed suicide by jumping from an apartment building in Los Angeles.

Marie and her brother Donny hosted the popular TV variety programme the Donny & Marie Show in the late 1970s.

The Los Angeles coroner’s office said the death was being investigated.</p

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

British film-maker Wendy Toye, who enjoyed a varied career spanning nearly eight decades, has died aged 92.

Ms Toye initially worked as a dancer and choreographer on both stage and screen before directing films herself.

She first appeared on stage aged three at the Royal Albert Hall, where her solo turn made headlines.

She turned professional in 1929 and made her film debut in 1931, working with the likes of Jean Cocteau and British entertainers, the Crazy Gang.

Six years after her debut at the Royal Albert Hall, she appeared at the Palladium in a ballet she had choreographed herself.

She was soon much in demand, both as a performer and as a choreographer.

She choreographed numerous productions on both sides of the Atlantic including a Broadway production of Peter Pan starring Boris Karloff.

‘Responsible example’

After successes as an actress, dancer and choreographer, she turned her attention to film-making.

In 1952 she directed her first short film, The Stranger Left No Card, which won an award at that year’s Cannes Film Festival.

She returned to the story in 1981, directing a version as part of the Tales of the Unexpected series for Anglia Television.

During her film-making career she never went over budget, and her responsible example is said to have paved the way for other female directors in an era when women had to fight for the same opportunities as their male counterparts.

In later life, she lectured in Australia and was an adviser for the Arts Council.

She was made a CBE in 1992 and awarded the Queen’s Silver Jubilee medal in 1997.

She died at Hillingdon hospital in Middlesex. </p

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

British film-maker Wendy Toye, who enjoyed a varied career spanning nearly eight decades, has died aged 92.

Ms Toye initially worked as a dancer and choreographer on both stage and screen before directing films herself.

She first appeared on stage aged three at the Royal Albert Hall, where her solo turn made headlines.

She turned professional in 1929 and made her film debut in 1931, working with the likes of Jean Cocteau and British entertainers, the Crazy Gang.

Six years after her debut at the Royal Albert Hall, she appeared at the Palladium in a ballet she had choreographed herself.

She was soon much in demand, both as a performer and as a choreographer.

She choreographed numerous productions on both sides of the Atlantic including a Broadway production of Peter Pan starring Boris Karloff.

‘Responsible example’

After successes as an actress, dancer and choreographer, she turned her attention to film-making.

In 1952 she directed her first short film, The Stranger Left No Card, which won an award at that year’s Cannes Film Festival.

She returned to the story in 1981, directing a version as part of the Tales of the Unexpected series for Anglia Television.

During her film-making career she never went over budget, and her responsible example is said to have paved the way for other female directors in an era when women had to fight for the same opportunities as their male counterparts.

In later life, she lectured in Australia and was an adviser for the Arts Council.

She was made a CBE in 1992 and awarded the Queen’s Silver Jubilee medal in 1997.

She died at Hillingdon hospital in Middlesex. </p

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

British film-maker Wendy Toye, who enjoyed a varied career spanning nearly eight decades, has died aged 92.

Ms Toye initially worked as a dancer and choreographer on both stage and screen before directing films herself.

She first appeared on stage aged three at the Royal Albert Hall, where her solo turn made headlines.

She turned professional in 1929 and made her film debut in 1931, working with the likes of Jean Cocteau and British entertainers, the Crazy Gang.

Six years after her debut at the Royal Albert Hall, she appeared at the Palladium in a ballet she had choreographed herself.

She was soon much in demand, both as a performer and as a choreographer.

She choreographed numerous productions on both sides of the Atlantic including a Broadway production of Peter Pan starring Boris Karloff.

‘Responsible example’

After successes as an actress, dancer and choreographer, she turned her attention to film-making.

In 1952 she directed her first short film, The Stranger Left No Card, which won an award at that year’s Cannes Film Festival.

She returned to the story in 1981, directing a version as part of the Tales of the Unexpected series for Anglia Television.

During her film-making career she never went over budget, and her responsible example is said to have paved the way for other female directors in an era when women had to fight for the same opportunities as their male counterparts.

In later life, she lectured in Australia and was an adviser for the Arts Council.

She was made a CBE in 1992 and awarded the Queen’s Silver Jubilee medal in 1997.

She died at Hillingdon hospital in Middlesex. </p

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Some of the UK’s most popular classical music stars have gathered in London to record a charity song for the Disasters Emergency Committee.

Musicians including Julian Lloyd Webber, Aled Jones and Britain’s Got Talent stars Paul Potts and Faryl Smith went into a recording studio together.

A total of 23 artists have contributed to the song The Prayer, made famous by Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion.

Intended to help the Haiti aid effort, it will be released on 14 March.

The recording session took place at Metropolis Studios, west London, on Saturday.

The line-up included "popera" acts All Angels, Bond, Camilla Kerslake, Rhydian and The Priests, as well as ITV’s Pop Star To Opera Star winner Darius Campbell and Classical Brit winners Blake.

"When people listen to it and remember why we’re singing it, it will be a very moving and powerful piece of music"

Humphrey Berney
Blake

Blake singer Humphrey Berney said: "It’s the first time that a number of classical artists have come together, and it’s for an immensely important cause.

"It’s pretty exceptional circumstances to go into the studio with other artists who have collectively sold millions of albums. You’d think it would be a very high pressured environment but there’s an extremely relaxed and very friendly atmosphere."

Each vocalist performed different lines before coming together for a group finale.

"I know when people listen to it and remember why we’re singing it, it will be a very moving and powerful piece of music," Berney said.

Dame Evelyn Glennie, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and tenor Gardar Thor Cortez recorded their parts in advance.

The project was masterminded by manager Nadia Raibin, who said it came together in "two frantic weeks".

‘Haunting’ track

"I’ve pulled favours left, right and centre, I’ve begged and borrowed everything and everyone I could think of," she said. "The artists have flown in from here, there and everywhere, all at their own expense.

"Every single person that I have spoken to just said yes straight away. So everybody involved has given their time and enjoyed the day."

She described the song, written by David Foster, as an "iconic, haunting" piece of music.

"It sounds so beautiful and the general public just need to back it so that we can raise the money that is so needed."

It would be "lovely" to stage a live performance, she added. "You never know, maybe the Classical Brits will invite us to do it."

Meanwhile, a Haiti fundraising gig featuring rock acts such as Paul Weller, Seasick Steve and KT Tunstall at the London Roundhouse on Thursday raised £85,000, organisers have announced.</p

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.