George Michael

  • George Michael is reportedly being paid £750,000 to perform for an hour at retail tycoon Philip Green’s 55th birthday celebrations next week. Philip is flying more than 100 guests - believed to be including Kate Moss and Simon Cowell - to the Maldives for a lavish five-day holiday. An inside source revealed: “It’s going to be unbelievable. [He] really knows how to push out the boat. Philip wanted someone with real wow-factor and he knows George will keep everyone more than entertained.”
  • Rocker Eddie Van Halen has checked into rehab to help deal with an alcohol-related problem. In a statement issued by Eddie through his spokesperson, he confirmed the decision, saying that taking time out for treatment before the forthcoming Van Halen tour is the only way he’d be able to “deliver the 110% that I feel owe [the fans].”
  • Helen Mirren has admitted that she hates making phone calls. She said recently: “I never, ever return calls. I’m definitely very frightened of the phone. It makes me so nervous. I always avoid picking it up if I can. To me, the invention of the answering machine was amazing. But then, I never return the calls anyway, so it wasn’t that much use!”