British newspaper The Times is reporting that Madonna has hired attorney Fiona Shackelton, who helped Paul McCartney come out on top of his bitter divorce from Heather Mills.

The singer, whose worth is estimated at $590 million, is said to be seeking advice from Shackelton about a rumored split from her husband, director Guy Ritchie.

A spokesman for the singer refused to comment on the matter, but a lawyer not connected with the case told The Times rumors in the legal community say Madonna went to Shackelton after approaching another firm and Ritchie has been seeking legal counsel of his own.

Speculation about the health of the couple’s relationship first surfaced earlier this month. The pair, who many believe do not have a prenuptial agreement, were married at a high profile ceremony in December of 2000 at Skibo Castle in Scotland. 

LOVE DON’T LIVE HERE ANYMORE!

It looks like it just might be touch and go as to whether Amy Winehouse will indeed make it to her scheduled appearance at Friday’s Nelson Mandela’s concert because for some reason she did not turn up at today’s photo call.

Amy did confirmed that she will sing at Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday concert despite being diagnosed with early stages of emphysema.

On Monday Amy was released from hospital after doctors confirmed she has scarring of the lungs which can cause emphysema, but it is treatable. Yesterday, Amy pledged to honour her live commitments at both Glastonbury and the Mandela concert. So what has happened today?

Instead she visited her husband Blake Fielder-Civil at London’s Pentonville Prison, before stopping off at an off licence for some Jack Daniels whisky and vodka and a packet of sweets. 

Nelson posed with Will Smith, Annie Lennox, The Sugababes and Leona Lewis at today’s photo call, following last night’s big charity dinner in his honour. So the big question is will Amy disappoint her fans and not turn up at Nelson Mandela’s concert on Friday and the other question is will she be well enough to take part in the Glastonbury event on Saturday?

Her father, Mitch Winehouse, said his 24-year-old daughter’s lungs were “all gunked up” and revealed doctors painted a “very vivid picture of her sitting there with a mask on her face struggling to breathe”. He said she has been warned “if she goes back to smoking drugs it won’t just ruin her voice, it will kill her.”

According to reports if she plays for Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday concert and Glastonbury this weekend, she will play through the pain barrier with a special St John’s Ambulance crew on standby back stage. 

OH! AMY! 

In a post on Paris’s blog, she says, “I wanted to let you know that I’ve been getting messages and reading stories about an incident that supposedly happened with me and a pet store: I was catching up on news last week only to read a story about me walking by some puppies for sale, and demanding that I be given a Yorkie puppy to be an accessory for a photo shoot. These stories have gotten out of control and I want to clear some things up.

“I wasn’t looking for a new pet, I wasn’t even at a photo shoot that day, (I was down the street at Benji’s DCMA clothing store) and I actually have a Yorkie puppy. I love animals and the cruel things people say are not acceptable. Puppies are not accessories or toys and I love my own pets dearly — I treat them as if they were my children.. .. So it is sad that someone felt the need to invent a story about me throwing a fit for a dog that would ‘go with my outfit.’

“I have no idea where people come up with these stories and they are spreading to so many news outlets that I just have to speak my mind and clear things up, especially with my fans.”

WHO DO YOU BELIEVE THE PARIS OR THE RUMORS!

Julio Iglesias has heart problems during concert in Yekaterinburg

Julio Iglesias had to cancel his concert in Yekaterinburg Russia in the middle of the show due to some heart problems. This is the first time in his career that the singer had to stop in mid-concert and leave the stage.

The concert started right in time at 7 PM. After Julio Iglesias sang two songs, he addressed the audience in English. The concert coordinators translated his words.

‘I don’t feel good, I don’t look good and I’m having some problems with my voice. This is the first time I have to stop my own concert. I will try to perform for you tomorrow. I love you very much,’ the singer said.

People sitting in the first rows report they noticed there was something wrong with the great singer almost immediately.

The tickets to the concert cost between 2,000 RUR and 15,000 RUR. The concert coordinators suggested that people return their tickets, but some of the singer’s admirers preferred to come to the next concert that Julio Iglesias promised to give. Most likely, the singer will perform in Yekaterinburg as soon as tomorrow. 

Iglesias started his Russian tour in Moscow last week. He has some 20 concerts scheduled for the summer in countries including Syria, Romania, Finland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Belgium and the United States.

Iglesias is one of the world’s best-selling singers, with more than 2,600 gold and platinum records to his credit. He has fathered eight children, including singer Enrique Iglesias.

GET WELL SOON JULIO!

Tim Russert was the face of political news for NBC as well as cable sibling MSNBC, serving as chief political analyst, a frequent correspondent and an election-night fixture, besides his off-camera duties as NBC News’ Washington bureau chief.

All that changed with Russert’s death from a heart attack Friday. He was stricken while preparing for the broadcast at his network’s Washington bureau. 

He had become almost synonymous with the top-rated “Meet the Press,” the TV institution he reinvented while becoming an institution himself. He had been its host since 1991 when the show, the longest-running on television, already was in its 45th year. 

NBC aired a prime-time tribute Friday night, then devoted Saturday’s “Today” show to his life and career. His passing dominated rival cable-news networks and news-talk shows.To read more on his tribute click here.

REST IN PEACE TIM! 

FELIZ CUMPLEANOS!  Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. The twins, celebrated their 22 birthday on Friday the 13th.

According to local news reports in Nashville, Tennessee, the twins were spotted on their way to the Bonnaroo music festival in Manchester, Tennessee. The lineup for the four-day festival includes performances by Metallica, Kanye West and Willie Nelson. 

We have nothing but respect for these girls, though they take their fashion styles to extreme, they always stay out of trouble. Not to mention how cute they were on this video.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIRLS! 

The headline rumor is that Cyndi Lauper is the hardest working-woman in gay showbiz. And she’s not even gay. But when things don’t go well, she’ll let it be know! 

Lauper was on the CBS Early Morning Show on Friday the 13th performing a mini concert, when she was plagued with technical difficulty bringing her performance into an abrupt stop. Her decision based on frustration lead her to not go on with the show & walk away. 

The 56-year-old  is spending her summer on “True Colors,” a queer touring version of Woodstock, repeating last summer’s successful tour. Lauper has a full schedule.  Besides the tour, she’s also releasing “Bring Ya to the Brink” (Epic), a dance-obsessed album that shows she’s as innovative and relevant as ever. The word is: Lauper’s schedule is tighter than a pair of black denim jeans.  To read her interview with the “Dallas Voice” click here.

CBS GET YOUR  SH*T  TOGETHER! 

Tori & Dean have become proud parents for the second time on Monday, June 9th. The couple, who welcomed the baby girl at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, have named their daughter Stella Doreen McDermott.

According to reports, at 3:13 p.m. Spelling underwent a C-section at Cedars-Sinai. Baby Stella weighed in at 6 pounds, 8 ounces and measured 19 and 3/4 inches long. The couple were seen checking in the hospital that same afternoon. Stella’s middle name ‘Doreen’  was chosen to honour McDermott’s late mother.

Stella is the baby sister to the couple’s 15-month-old boy Liam Aaron McDermott ”I’ve always wanted a little girl since I’m such a girlie girlie,” Spelling told People.com. “I immediately started crying. I couldn’t believe it.”

CONGRATULATIONS! 

As we all know eariier this year, the Ghost & Dirty Dancing star Patrick Swayze was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Patrick who went public with it  & took some time off & is now headed back to work.

Swayze got the ok from his Doctor’s after responding well to his treatments. Swayze is thrilled that production will be rolling! His new show TV show, The Beast  has been picked up by A&E.

“We’re very excited to begin series production on ‘The Beast’ and even more thrilled to have Patrick on board reprising the role he played so powerfully in the pilot opposite Travis, who is certainly an emerging talent in his own right,” Bob DiBitetto, executive VP and general manager of A&E Network, said in a statement.

THEY SAY IF YOU KEEP BUSY WITH SOMETHING YOU LOVE’ YOULL LIVE LONGER! GREAT MEDICINE!

George “Sulu” Takei has revealed his plans to wed his longtime companion — but his former “Star Trek” co-star, William Shatner, will not be a part of it.

Takei told AP Radio that when he weds Brad Altman on Sept. 14, Walter Koenig, who played Chekhov in “Star Trek,” will be the best man and Nichelle Nichols, who played Uhura, will be the matron of honor. Leonard “Spock” Nimoy is also invited, but Shatner, who played Captain Kirk, is not.

Takei said that he was working out at a running club more than two decades ago when he spotted the man he now plans to marry.

In his first joint radio interview with his husband-to-be, Takei told AP Radio that Altman was the best looking guy in the club with a “lean, tightly muscled” body. Takei says he had his “eyes on him.”

The pair, who have been living together for 21 years, will marry in Los Angeles. Altman said that he proposed by getting down on one knee in their kitchen after hearing that the California Supreme Court had legalized gay marriage.

After the ceremony, Takei and Altman plan to honeymoon for a month in South America.

“Brad and I have shared our lives together for over 21 years. We’ve worked in partnership; he manages the business side of my career and I do the performing,” Takei wrote on his blog. “We’ve traveled the world together from Europe to Asia to Australia. We’ve shared the good times as well as struggled through the bad. He helped me care for my ailing mother who lived with us for the last years of her life. He is my love and I can’t imagine life without him.”

 Takei, 71, played Sulu in the original “Star Trek” television series and in several “Star Trek” movies. He has also voiced a role for the animated hit film “Mulan” and most recently, has guest-starred in a recurring role on the hit television drama “Heroes.”

“We have only 200 seats” Brad Altman, told AP radio. Our contact list has, 3,500 names, so we have to whittle it down and I don’t know if William Shatner is going to make the cut.”

Despite the problems with Shatner in the past, Takei, called him a “wonderful actor.”

“No one could have created the character Capt. Kirk the way he brought his singular metabolism to the character,” he said.

Takei said he was often annoyed with Shatner for pressuring directors to do close-ups of Capt. Kirk, even when the dialogues focused on other characters. 

“One or two times, you know, is fine,” said Takei. “But when it happens almost regularly, it gets to be a little irritating.”