Alexandra and Leona battle it out!
Her first single has broken records, but it might be a while until you hear anything new from X Factor winner Alexandra Burke. The singer's debut album could now be released as late as November this year, as record execs have shelved plans to rush out an album by March. It is thought that her label Syco want Alexandra to record the best album she possibly can, giving her the best chance of having the same success as fellow X Factor champ Leona Lewis, to whom she is often compared. Although the same trick didn't work quite as well last year with Leon Jackson, it is thought Alexandra's talent will be more than enough to see her sail through. A source explained, "They [the record label] want to wait to find the right songs and let her polish her skills like they did with Leona. She can then launch it on a live X Factor show." The only problem with releasing Alexandra's album at the end of the year is that she will be in direct competition with Leona, whose second album will be due out around the same time. Are you happy to wait until November to hear Alexandra in action, or do you think all this delaying is a mistake?

Does Russell have the X Factor?
Russell Brand looks set to unleash an assault on the charts. The funnyman is the latest in a whole list of celebs to have a crack at the charts with a novelty single. Brand et al are said to be working on a project to release The Chugga Chugga Song backed, of course, by music mogul Simon Cowell. Joby Harte – who is Brand's warm-up act, wrote the tune and now the project is full steam ahead after a talent scout working for Simon Cowell at Syco Records heard it on Russell's Radio 2 show last year. A label source said, “Joby wrote the track to get the crowd on their feet before Russell’s gigs. It’s really cheesy and has a dance routine to go with it. Russell loved it and got involved by dancing along to it on his radio show. He thought that would be the end of it, but record labels got in touch about releasing it. Joby is dead keen and Russell is up for a laugh if he can find the time to record it.” Russell, who quit his radio show following Manuelgate, is keen it appears to perform the new tune with his pal Joby, adding, “Joby is a Jelly Baby Jesus and Chugga Chugga can solve every global malady, from economic decline to the ongoing Carlos Tevez saga. Just Chugga Chugga . . . it’ll all be OK.” And with Simon Cowell backing it, we think it's a fair bet that it will be OK!

It's Posh & Becks the musical!
Now, we imagine Victoria and David probably aren't on board with this particular project – but frankly, we can't wait! MacBecks the musical is about to hit the stage – telling the story in jokes, songs and words – about the life of our very own Posh and Becks. Dublin writers Gary Cooke and Malachy McKenna are the geniuses behind the project, which will premiere at the Olympia Theatre in Dublin on Wednesday. Apparently it's based loosely on Shakespeare's Scottish play Macbeth, but the action takes place in 16th-century England where football is increasingly a popular hobby. Mr Cooke explained, “In our conceit there are three Spice Witches – one of whom is Poshoria – who create Becks because of the dire need for a good-looking player. There’s a Sir Alex Ferguson-type character we call Salax, who’s a mix of King Lear and the Devil. It’s a kind of love triangle because he’s fighting with Posh over Becks.” The scene soon changes from England to Europe and latterly Becks is paid hundreds of millions of groats. We also understand that there is a Rebecca Loos-type character involved. Mmm, interesting...

Madonna's a galloping success
Oh, we do love it when celebrities do crazy things that only a celebrity would be able to do. Take Madonna, for example. The Queen of Pop has not only flown her two horses over to the US from here, but she's nabbed her equestrian trainer, too. Madge obviously hasn't let that nasty fall of a few years back scare her out of the saddle, as she's reported to be a "dream pupil", and she clearly loves her two horses enough to fly them over first class. The pampered four-legged friends, named Sportsfield Silver Lining and, erm, Boris are now living over in the States with their famous mum. Madonna's trainer Daisy Trayford, who has also journeyed over the pond, said of her star pupil, "She's very driven, listens to what you say. When I started teaching her, she hadn't jumped and now she can jump a course of 1.05m." We wonder if she's snapped up any of Jordan's pink equestrian range to wear? Somehow, though, we’re guessing Madge prefers the leather boots and whip combo.