Comic Kay to be father

Comedian Peter Kay is to become a father for the first time - and has said he is "over the moon" at the prospect.

Kay, 30, who hit the big time with his Phoenix Nights series for Channel 4, is expecting the child with his wife, Susan, in January.

Kay has also recently been seen in TV adverts in which he tells a fictional daughter, Britney, not to be afraid of "wardrobe monsters" - but to be worried about burglars.

"Susan has had a very good pregnancy without any problems, so we are very lucky," said the comic. "I'm looking forward to being at the birth and becoming a dad."

---

Timberlake voted sexiest man

Justin Timberlake has beaten football star David Beckham to win a sexiest man poll on Monday.

The pop star, a former member of 'NSync and ex-boyfriend of singer Britney Spears, topped Company magazine's annual 100 Sexiest Men, climbing 46 places compared to last year.

Beckham was in second place, with actor Brad Pitt in third.

The highest new entry was Irish actor Colin Farrell, at number six. Pop star Robbie Williams was fifth - but also ranked seventh in the least sexy male category.

---

Spanish Joe Strummer tribute

A tribute concert for late Clash frontman Joe Strummer is to be held in Spain later in August.

The concert in Granada will feature members of all the bands Strummer played in, including Mick Jones from the Clash, Tymon Dogg from the Mescaleros and Jem Finer of the Pogues.

A host of Spanish musicians will also appear.

The concert on 20 August, will mark Strummer's long association with Granada, which included him producing an album by local band 091.

---

Soap stars do Shakespeare

Two former stars from Britain's biggest soaps are playing opposite each other in a forthcoming Shakespeare play.

Nichola McAuliffe - who played Ken Barlow's lover in Coronation Street - will play Katherine, and former EastEnders star Ross Kemp will play Petruchio in a new version of The Taming of the Shrew.

The play opens in Plymouth in October, before travelling to Guildford, Norwich, Brighton, Bradford, Malvern and Nottingham.

McAuliffe has also based the plot of her debut novel, The Crime Tsar, on Shakespeare's famous tragedy Macbeth.

---

Blue beats Robbie to top

R&B star Blu Cantrell's single Breathe has gone straight in at number one in the UK charts.

Her collaboration with DJ Sean Paul was followed by fellow new urban music talent Lumidee, who entered at two with the song Never Leave You.

Robbie Williams, despite three sell-out Knebworth shows over the weekend, only managed number three with his release Something Beautiful.

Last week's number one, Daniel Bedingfield's Never Gonna Leave Your Side, dropped to four, while previous number two, Crazy In Love by Beyonce, dropped to fifth.

Beyonce's album was also knocked from the top spot by Magic and Medicine, a new entry from rock band The Coral.