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Audioslave hits its stride

Viewers of a BBC reality TV show chose a novice Welsh actress on Saturday night to play the leading role of Maria in Andrew Lloyd Webber's revival of The sound of Music on the West End.

Following the recommendation of Webber, who also appeared on the show, the majority of more than 2 million TV viewers who cast ballots chose Connie Fisher, 23, the daughter of a military officer. She had spent the past 18 months auditioning for West End roles with no success while working in a call center.

Fisher defeated two other finalists -- Siobhan Dillon, 21, and Helena Blackman, 23 -- on Saturday night during the eighth and final episode of the BBC reality TV show How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? Performing before a live audience, they also endured the comments of three judges and Webber.

Fisher was the bookies' favorite to win the role during the live talent competition, which has been drawing about 6 million viewers per installment. Dillon, Blackman and Fisher became finalists after defeating about 2,000 women who had auditioned for the role.

Webber decided to cast an unknown actress in his <> revival after actress backed out but has been criticized by some for conducting the Pop Idol-style auditions.

Pop diva Madonna has decided to extend her charity work in Malawi to the country's water supply when she visits next month to set up an orphan care center in the southern African country, local officials said. Expectations are running high in Malawi, an impoverished country dependent on tobacco exports, as Madonna prepares to join a flood of stars searching for a good cause in the world's poorest continent.

Sir Elton John says he has made up with singer George Michael, after the two fell out over the John's suggestion that his former friend was miserable. “George and I are fine. He came and stayed down my house last year,” the flamboyant British-born star told chat-show host Michael Parkinson on ITV Thursday evening.

The two singers, who sang a famous duet during the 1995 Live Aid show, fell out after John said Michael had a “deep-rooted unhappiness” and needed to get out more. Michael responded furiously, saying their friendship was over.

Supermodel Christie Brindley began divorce proceedings against her fourth husband, architect Peter Cook, his attorney said on Thursday. Brinkley served her husband with a summons, Cook's lawyer, David Aronson said. The announcement followed revelations Cook had an affair with a teenager whom he had hired to work in his firm. Brinkley, 52, was previously married to artist Jean-Francois Allaux, singer Billy Joel and real estate developer Richard Taubman.

Thousands of Robbie Williams fans will have to wait to see the British pop star perform in Asia after organizers said Friday that concerts in China and India had been cancelled due to “stress and exhaustion.” Promoters in Shanghai said that poor health was behind Williams' decision to forego part of the Asian leg of his Close Encounters World Tour, which was to include stops in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore and Mumbai. Williams, probably best known for his hit Angels, was to take to the stage in China's economic hub of Shanghai on Nov. 4. His concert in Shanghai would have put him on the same list as the Rolling Stones, who became the biggest Western rock act to hit China when they performed in April to a sold-out audience of mostly foreigners. -- Agencies
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