Singer Church demands privacy law

Church's personal life has been in the media spotlight

Singer Charlotte Church, whose family rows became headline news, has called for a privacy law for the under-18s.

Church, the youngest person to speak to the Oxford Union, said she regretted being "too honest" with the media.

"There must be some way of balancing freedom of the press with the need for a child, even a famous child, to have more privacy," the 17-year-old said.

When asked to name her least favourite singer, the soprano replied: "Ms Beckham hasn't got the best of voices."

But Church spent most of her 30-minute speech to the venerable institution criticising the way the media treated her, her boyfriend and her family.

I hope that people other than me will have the privacy they deserve Charlotte Church

There have been numerous press reports over the last two years about her boyfriend, Steven Johnson, who has been depicted as a bad-boy DJ.

But she told the union her he was stereotyped by the media because he was "mixed race, from the wrong side of Cardiff, a hip-hop dude".

He was really a shy, sensitive music producer, she said.

That has also led to speculation about her relationship with her mother.

Standing ovation

"I think the UK is in dire need of a privacy law, if not for everyone then at least for the under-18s," Church said.

Approaching her 18th birthday, she said she would soon be too old to benefit.

"But I hope that people other than me will have the privacy they deserve."

Church got a standing ovation from the 450-strong audience after giving an impromptu rendition of Summertime.