Sacred Heart through to Choir finals

The all-girls Sacred Heart Secondary School, Tullamore and choir director, Regina Mc Carthy, emerged as the winners in the second Regional Final of the All Island School Choir of the Year competition.

The Tullamore choir will join Loreto College, Fermoy in the All Island final, live on RTÉ One television from the Titanic Centre Belfast on Sunday November 11th.

The choirs who featured with Tullamore in the second regional final were St Joseph's Mercy Secondary School, Castlebar; Loreto Saint Michael's Secondary School Navan; Saint Leo's Mercy Secondary School Carlow and Saint Finian's College, Mullingar.

Two more choirs for the Grand Final event will be selected from Regional Competitions involving Leinster and Northern Ireland schools.

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Leona Lewis finds fame lonely

Leona Lewis has said she finds being famous "very lonely".

The Trouble singer revealed that she has been let down by those close to her in the past and is now more wary of others.

Speaking to The Mail on Sunday, The X-Factor winner said: "I don't have a huge circle of friends, but the ones I do have are really close to me.

"Who I trust depends on gut instinct, and Simon [Cowell] has encouraged me to cultivate this." the 27-year-old singer said.

"I've been let down really badly by a couple of friends in recent years who I thought were genuine but I then found out were selling stories about me, which was devastating.

"They betrayed me and that just makes them evil."

Lewis's new album Glassheart is out now.

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Adele gives birth to baby boy - report

Adele has reportedly given birth to a baby boy.

The 24-year-old Londoner is said to have given birth to her first child with boyfriend Simon Konecki last week.

Speaking to The Sunday People, a source said: "Adele and Simon are ecstatic at their new arrival.

"She was over the moon that they were expecting their first child together."

Her spokesman said of Friday night's reported birth: "We are not releasing a statement at this time. No comment."

The singer, who has sold 24 million copies of her second album 21, announced her pregnancy back in June, writing on her official blog: "I'm delighted to announce that Simon and I are expecting our first child together.

"I wanted you to hear the news direct from me, obviously we're over the moon and very excited but please respect our privacy at this precious time. Yours always, Adele xx"

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Irish composer triumphs over Madonna

Irish composer Brian Byrne has beaten off competition from Madonna and Florence + The Machine to win two awards at the highly prestigious World Soundtrack Awards 2012.

The results were announced last night at the closing night of Ghent International Film Festival where Byrne scooped awards for Discovery of the Year for his score to Albert Nobbs, recorded with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, and Best Original Song for Lay Your Head Down, lyrics by Glenn Close, performed by Sinéad O'Connor with the RTÉ CO.

Lay Your Head Down took the Best Original Song award ahead of songs performed by Madonna, Mary J. Blige, Florence + The Machine and Academy Award winner Bret McKenzie.

This follows an IFTA win for the LA-based Navan man and a place on the Oscar long list for the Albert Nobbs score and a Golden Globe nomination for Lay Your Head Down.

The Albert Nobbs soundtrack was recorded in RTÉ Radio Centre by the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, with Byrne himself conducting.

"I am incredibly proud of the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and its enormous contribution to the Albert Nobbs soundtrack," says Byrne. "I am so glad I got to do it with the home team. This orchestra's versatility is unmatched in Europe - let's hope there will be many more collaborations like this one."

Byrne previously composed The Late Late Show to usher in Ryan Tubridy's tenure and won an IFTA for his score for the Irish sci-fi comedy Zonad. He has also toured with Diane Warren and worked on the soundtrack for Sex and the City 2. He also played piano on Liza Minnelli's version of Beyoncé's Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).

The composer's relationship with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra continues in November when his first classical album, Tales from the Walled City, with the RTÉ CO and guests including soprano Danielle de Niese and violinist Nicola Benedetti, is released on the Decca label.

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Downton star annoyed by camera phones

Downton Abbey star Brendan Coyle hates being filmed by fans with camera phones.

Coyle, who plays Lord Grantham's valet John Bates in the hit period drama, explained that he doesn't mind people having a photograph taken with him, but he detests the fact that fans are able to record footage of his everyday life.

BANG showbiz quotes him as saying: "One thing I'm really keen not to do is complain about the fact that I got a job that's made me very successful.

''But what I will say is that every single f****r on the planet has a camera. I posed for about 40 photographs yesterday.

''I don't mind stopping for a photograph, yes, sure.''

The 48-year-old star says he's very happy to be part of a successful show. "Any actor who told you that he didn't want to get a hit show is a liar. It's rare beyond belief.

''To get to do what you want at all is rare. Most of our struggles revolve around getting to do what we want to do, and be with the people we want to be with.

''These are our designs for life. I want to be with people who make me happy and do the things I want to do.''

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Clooney honoured for charity work

George Clooney was recognised for his charity work at a star-studded gala in Los Angeles on Saturday at The 26th Anniversary Carousel of Hope Ball.

Clooney was joined by girlfriend Stacy Keibler at The Beverly Hilton Hotel as he was recognised for advocating various humanitarian causes and presented with the Brass Ring Award.

George Clooney and his girlfriend Stacy Keibler shared a giggle at the charity gala

Other stars in attendance for the main event included Jennie Garth. Carmen Electra, Shirley MacLaine, Jane Fonda, Julianne Hough, Holly Robinson Peete, Jessica Sanchez, Nicky Hilton (with parents Kathy and Rick), Nicollette Sheridan, Daisy Fuentes, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and Joan Collins, among others.

Shirley MacLaine turned out to see the Ocean's Eleven star as he was honoured for his humanitarianism

The black-tie fundraiser, which was compered by comedian Jay Leno, pulls in money for the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes in Colorado.

Neil Diamond performed at the star-studded event

Singer Neil Diamond later took to the stage to perform, while guests also bid on luxury items including a wedding in Bora Bora and tickets to designer fashion shows.

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Timberlake weds Biel in Italy

Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel have tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in Italy.

The couple confirmed the news on Friday in a statement, following days of mounting speculation about their nuptials.

Their statement to People.com read: "It's great to be married, the ceremony was beautiful and it was so special to be surrounded by our family and friends."

Security was tight, and guests were, according to E!, required to sign a nondisclosure agreement to protect the privacy of the nuptials.

The guest list included Jimmy Fallon, Timbaland, Andy Samberg and Beverly Mitchell.

The couple began dating in 2007 and Timberlake proposed to Biel in December, months after reuniting following a brief, three-month split.

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Stiller denies Gaga Zoolander reports

Ben Stiller has denied reports that he approached Lady GaGa for a role in the Zoolander sequel.

Taking to his Twitter page, he wrote: "Zoolander LadyGaga story is not true".

Stiller later joked: "Weird to read a made up story on the internet."

The 46-year-old actor, who played air-headed male model Derek Zoolander opposite Owen Wilson's Hansel McDonald in the original film, has previously stated that he has a script for the sequel, but has struggled to get production off the ground.

He said: "We have a script, as we've had for a little while, and it's not quite coming together right now.

"I hope it does. I would like to do it at some point in the future."

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Wyman re-joins Stones after 20 years

Former Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman has rejoined the band for the first time in 20 years - - but he won't be hitting the road on the new tour.

Wyman, at 75, the oldest Rolling Stone, accompanied Charlie Watts, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Mick Jagger to the premiere screening of forthcoming Stones documentary Crossfire Hurricane: The Rise of The Stones.

The Stones, who are currently celebrating their 50th anniversary as a group this year, all attended in the film which combines unseen footage from over the last five decades with interviews and commentary from band members.

The film, made by director Brett Morgen, will be screened in cinemas and then broadcast by BBC Two later in the year.

Wyman says he's pleased that founder member and guitarist Brian Jones, who died in 1969, also featured in the new documentary.

"I'm glad he's remembered," he told The Daily Telegraph. "That's the most important thing."

Their geriatric majesties attend the premiere of new Stones doco Crossfire Hurricane

However, Wyman will not be joining the remaining members of the band on their upcoming tour, which kicks off next month with a series of dates at London's O2 Arena and concludes in New Jersey in December.

"I'm really looking forward to it," said Mick Jagger. "We've been working hard rehearsing over the last few weeks and we're looking forward to doing the shows for the anniversary."

Keith Richards responded to rumours that the group plan to retire after the series of concerts: "People have been saying that for 20 years, who knows? We don't know so how can anyone say so?"
He added that the band "don't know yet" if they will be headlining Glastonbury 2013, but "would love to".

"Once this wheel is turning I don't think it will be able to stop," said "new boy" Ronnie Wood. "We won't be able to stop.

"You would think it would be boring doing the same thing over and over again but it's not. It's totally fresh and totally new every time we get together. There's a chemistry between us. I don't know what the hell it is but it's magic."

There has also been speculation that the band will play Slane next year.

Earlier this week, The Rolling Stones hinted at the potential set list for their 50th anniversary tour. The band tweeted a picture of a handwritten list of songs, but later deleted the post following fan speculation.

The group are scheduled to release greatest hits collection GRRR! on November 12. They recently unveiled the lead single from the album, Doom and Gloom.

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Dot to make Eastenders comeback

EastEnders veteran June Brown is set to make her comeback to the hit TV soap in the new year when Dot Branning returns to The Square.

The 85-year-old actress departed the show earlier this year to write her memoir, as well as working on a BBC1 documentary Respect Your Elders.

Speaking about her return to Walford, executive producer Lorraine Newman said: "Dot is one of EastEnders' best-loved characters and Albert Square hasn't been the same without her."

Brown first joined the series the year it launched in 1985, when she was known as Dot Cotton, changing her name in 2002 when she married Jim Branning.

She took a four-year break from Albert Square in the 1990s.

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