Rachel & Sky Sports

Keep a look out for the current series of Sky Sports TV ads – as Rachel stars in them!

Ms Stevens has contributed the theme song for Sky's coverage of the 2004-5 Premiership season in the form of her glittering cover of 70s disco classic, 'More More More'. So watch out for the ads – and don't forget that 'More More More' is included on Rachel's reissued Funky Dory – out on Monday 26th July.

Posted on July 25th 2004

Rachel at #2!

Congratulations to Rachel, who has hit the number 2 spot in the UK charts with her brand new single, 'Some Girls'!

Thank you to everyone who has bought a copy of the single so far, and if you haven't snapped yours up yet – get going! Not only is 'Some Girls' one of the sassiest tunes of the year, but it's also the official single for Sport Relief '04 – find out more here: www.sportrelief.com

And don't forget – the reloaded Funky Dory (now featuring 'Some Girls' and heaps more besides) is in stores from next Monday...

Posted on July 25th 2004

Tearful Tina fails her L-test

Poor Tina Barrett is staying in the L-Club for the time being.

The former S Club 7 singer took her examiner for a spin around West London yesterday in a red Vauxhall Corsa.

And she broke down in tears when they got back to base and he told her the three little words she didn't want to hear: "You've failed, love."

Don't worry Tina, the best drivers are those who have to take more than one test...

Posted on July 25th 2004

Stevens Dumped by Millionaire

British pop beauty Rachel Stevens has been ditched by her millionaire boyfriend Gavin Dein - because he was tired of playing second best to her career.

Dein, whose father is English soccer club Arsenal's vice chairman David Dein, is sick of having dates with the 26-year-old singer cancelled due to work commitments and accuses her of being obsessed with her career.

The final straw for Dein came when Stevens swapped numbers with Friends star David Schwimmer after meeting him on a flight from Marbella, Spain to London.

A source says: "Rachel kept talking about going to see him in Los Angeles so he could introduce her to people who could help her acting work.

"Going on like that about this handsome actor helped sow the seed of doubt in Gavin's mind that he was doing the right thing."

The Some Girls star is said to be upset about the split, but her spokesman says: "They were never really serious and only went out on a few dinner dates."

Posted on July 25th 2004

Lostprophets cover Rachel

The Lostprophets are to release their version of a Rachel Stevens song as part of their next single.

The Welsh nu-metal band's new single Last Summer will come out in two different versions as a CD, one of which will include their cover of Sweet Dreams My LA Ex.

The other version will include a cover of Phil Collins In the Air Tonight, as well as a live cover of The Strokes' Reptilia recorded at this year's Glastonbury. A vinyl version will include a cover of The Cure's Boys Don't Cry, says the NME.

The single is released on August 23, timed to coincide with the band's appearance at the Reading and Leeds festivals.

Posted on July 25th 2004

Rach's Order of the Bath

Gorgeous Rachel Stevens is turning her new home into a Sex And The City pad - with a saucy sunken stone bath.

The singer is splashing out on the bath after spending £500,000 buying her first house, a three-bedroom property in North London.

Rachel is currently having the home renovated. And the 26-year-old, is determined to make it a real girls' party pad. Rachel is having her very own private cinema installed and is also using gardeners to create an exotic Moroccan-style paradise.

Posted on July 25th 2004

Schwimmer dating Peet

Friends star David Schwimmer has shattered any hopes former S Club beauty Tina Barrett has of dating him - by turning his amorous attentions to actress Amanda Peet.

Last week it was reported the British singer was due to fly over to Los Angeles to spend quality time with the actor, but Schwimmer has since been spotted on an intimate dinner date at plush New York eaterie La Bortega with 'The Whole Ten Yards' beauty Peet.

A source says, "I'm sure Tina will be disappointed, but David has moved on."

Schwimmer and Barrett sparked up a romance after meeting at a fashion awards party in London last month, and the TV funnyman was reportedly so keen to develop their relationship, he invited her to stay with him.

Posted on July 16th 2004

Tina Rules Out S Club Reunion

Former S Club star Tina Barrett has rubbished reports the British chart-topping band will reform. The singer, 27, has dismissed stories she will reunite with bandmates Rachel Stevens, Hannah Spearritt, Jo O'Meara, Jon Lee and Bradley McIntosh following their split in April last year.

Barrett says, "It's just not going to happen. It was good for five years. But we're not going to ruin all that by trying to re-form. We're just going to leave it the way it was and keep the good memories that we have. S Club's over. But we'll always have a big love for it."

Posted on July 16th 2004

Rachel to re-release Funky Dory

British pop babe Rachel Stevens is re-releasing her flop debut album Funky Dory - in the hope the disc will spend longer than a few weeks in the charts second time round.

The former S Club singer had a hit with her debut solo single Sweet Dreams (My LA Ex) - but her subsequent track, also called Funky Dory, and the album failed to sell well.

As Stevens prepares another assault on the charts with charity single Some Girls - which doesn't feature on her disc - her record company have decided to add Some Girls to the album and give it a new cover in the hope of boosting the dismal sales.

A music industry source says, "Rachel's been after a great song for months now and Some girls really was her last chance.

"Funky Dory did really badly and the money invested in her by Polydor and 19 Recordings was nowhere near recouped. But the response to Some Girls has been so good, that some genius has decided to put in on the old album with a new cover and re-release it."

Posted on July 16th 2004

Tina heading for LA

Actor David Schwimmer has a summer of love to look forward to this year - former S Club beauty Tina Barrett is jetting to Los Angeles to spend quality time with him.

The unlikely couple sparked up a romance after meeting at a fashion awards party in London last month, and the ex-Friends favourite is so desperate to convert their mutual affection into a full-blown relationship, he's invited her to stay with him.

Insiders tell the Daily Star Schwimmer is more focused on his personal life now the ten-year hit sitcom has wrapped.

One says, "Tina and David just clicked so well. She'll be jetting out to California in August to spend time with him. He's got plenty more leisure time on his hands now and he wants to have fun.

"Fun with a sexy girl like Tina is a bonus. And she'd be mad to ignore the career prospects a city like LA can offer."

Posted on july 16th 2004

Tina's Schwimming Lessons

Friends star David Schwimmer and S Clubber Tina Barrett have enjoyed a weekend in the sun. The 37-year-old actor was seen frolicking with sexy Tina, 27, in the pool of his Spanish villa. And when the unlikely couple weren't cooling down with a dip, David was giving her more intimate Schwimming lessons indoors!

The stars - who first met just a few weeks ago at the Glamour mag awards in London - were spotted out clubbing once. But most of the time, they stayed inside David's rented £1,000-a-night pad in exclusive Marbella.

One source in the Costa del Sol resort said: "Even though they were fairly low profile, people were quite shocked to see them together so openly." David, 37, who recently split from actress Gina Lee, is notoriously secretive. But he is clearly enjoying his freedom again now Tina is on the scene.

The romance began with a spot of flirting at the Glamour awards party before she went back to his hotel. Clearly, he made an impression because Tina decided to fly out to Spain to rekindle the romance.

As well as the pool where they took late-night dips, the villa has a private drive which makes it well secluded. So no prying eyes could see into the master bedroom with its king-size bed plus ensuite shower and Jacuzzi.

A source at the Pangea club in nearby Puerto Banus said: "Tina looked absolutely chuffed that she was on David's arm as he wasn't exactly hiding the fact they were together. Oddly, they left separately at the end of the night - but they definitely ended up back at David's villa."

After the weekend, Tina flew back to London on the Monday - leaving David to stay on partying with friends. But lovestruck Schwimmer is thought to have caught a plane to Britain the following Friday to see her again. Which should tell anyone that they must be more than just good Friends!

Posted on July 16th 2004

Rach's Seeing Double

She moaned recently that men never chat her up - but it looks like the tide has turned for Rachel Stevens.

The stunning former S Clubber is being pursued by not one but two wealthy suitors. We can reveal that the handsome fella she was canoodling with in Marbella was not her minted new love interest Gavin Dein - son of Arsenal big-wig David - but old friend Mark Silver, 31.

Despite having known each other for years, sources close to Rachel, 26, say property developer Mark's interest in her is more than platonic - and he made his move at a pal's wedding where they were seen kissing and cuddling.

"They flew to Marbella last week to attend the wedding of a mutual friend," we're told. "Mark has liked Rachel for a long time but he's only recently come out of a long-term relationship." And the Spanish sun seems to have raised the temperature between them.

"They often see each other in the UK as pals but with Rachel's hectic schedule they rarely get much quality time together."

Onlookers say the romantic atmosphere at the wedding, held at the resort's plush Hotel Guadalmina, rubbed off on them. "It was a gorgeous ceremony and there was hardly a dry eye in the house," says our spy.

After the formalities the reception kicked off - the booze was flowing and everyone was having a fantastic time." Not least Mark and Rachel. "They were both drinking and laughing a lot," we're told.

And when the naff wedding tunes got slower, so did Mark and Rachel's moves. "By about 2am everyone was half-cut and unco-ordinated. But Rachel and Mark looked very much like a couple - their hands were all over each other," our spy continues.

"Mark was holding her very close and whispering in her ear. There was a lot of nuzzling and canoodling going on." The pair stayed at the function until 5am before leaving together.

"Mark made it clear he was interested in her and hopes their closeness wasn't just a one-off," confides a pal.

But if Mark wants Rachel, he has a fight on his hands. Gavin Dein, 27, is said to be "smitten" after meeting the singer at a party a few weeks ago and they have since been on a string of dates. Rachel's pals say she is "very keen" on golden Gavin - but now she has mega-rich Mark to consider.

Decisions, decisions...

Posted on July 16th 2004

It wasn't Gavin

There are perks to being Rachel Stevens' friend. A hunky pal got to kiss the singer's knee, despite the ex-S Club star being linked with Gavin Dein, son of Arsenal chairman David.

Rachel, her mystery man and some other friends are in Marbella for a pal's wedding. And they showed just how close they were at the poolside by holding hands.

A spokesperson said the man in the yellow shorts wasn't Gavin. Whoever he was, Rachel was lapping up the sunshine before the launch of her new single, Some Girls.

Posted on July 16th 2004

Tina Making Friends

Now that Friends star David Schwimmer has said goodbye to his pals, he appears to be on the look out for new ones. And it seems he has his eye on former S Club singer Tina Barrett.

After Tuesday's Glamour mag awards in London, Tina, 27, marched up to the actor - who was dumped by his girlfriend last month - and said: "I've wanted to meet you for ages." His response was a sickly: "And I've wanted to meet you for ages."

The unlikely couple chatted for half an hour, but it looked like a lost cause for Tina when David - who played Ross in the TV show - left the bash. But it seemed he simply wanted to slip into something a little more comfortable.

The 37-year-old American zoomed back to his hotel, changed into jeans and a T-shirt and stuck a cap on hoping not to be recognised. Tina, meanwhile, waited patiently at the Funky Buddha club.

"Tina was all over him in a booth. He was loving it. They left in separate cabs, but Tina was heading for the Dorchester, where David is staying" an onlooker said.

Posted on July 16th 2004

Rachel: I never get asked out

Any volunteers out there to help Rachel Stevens end her man drought? The pop crumpet - who's been single since splitting with businessman Simon Brodin in March - tells us that she's never asked out on dates.

"Nobody ever approaches me," the gorgeous 26-year-old sighed at the Glamour Women Of The Year awards. "I don't know what it is - it's hardly as if I have a big entourage around me." But the lack of man action hasn't dampened her optimism. "I know Mr Right's out there somewhere - it'll happen in the end!" Form an orderly queue.

Posted on July 16th 2004

Just called to say
I've found your phone...

She may be ex-directory, but it didn't stop a Grimsby woman getting hold of the phone of one of Britain's sexiest superstars.

Wendy Riley was even personally thanked by pop princess Rachel Stevens when she went out of her way to make sure she got her lost mobile phone back after she found it outside a London dance studio. Fortunately, everything turned out Funkydory as the 49-year-old made sure there were no security problems or leaks of celebrity gossip by contacting the former S Club 7 member's PA and handing over the most valuable of possessions.

Mrs Riley, of Church View, on the Church Meadows estate, picked up the state-of-the-art mobile phone outside Pineapple Dance Studios in Covent Garden. She had visited the capital with soon-to-be-married daughter Alison (24), when they popped into the studio.

"Alison is a dance teacher and gym manager in Hampshire, so we went in to get a few bits and when we came out, I found it on the floor. I rang a couple of the numbers in the phone book, but they said they didn't know whose number it was, so I left it and thought the owner was bound to ring it themselves."

But the minutes ticked by and the phone still hadn't rung, so Mrs Riley tried another number.

"This time a guy answered, and said he knew whose it was. I had seen one of the text messages and I asked him if it belonged to somebody called Rachel. He said it actually belonged to Rachel Stevens. I couldn't believe it."

Mrs Riley arranged to hand the phone over to Rachel's PA, who she discovered was still at the studio. "I didn't like to just give it to her, I wanted to check it was legitimate first," said Mrs Riley. So she found Rachel's mum's number and rang it and Mrs Stevens confirmed it was genuinely Rachel's and that it could be handed over.

The PA was so grateful, she invited Mrs Riley and her daughter to Will Young's private preview for his forthcoming tour at the Forum, which they enjoyed. Afterwards, Mrs Riley received a call herself, from Rachel, who was then reunited with her phone.

She said: "Rachel was really nice and said it was nice of me to have done what I did. She said it could have been extremely difficult if it had got into the wrong hands."

Mrs Riley added: "It was a very exciting day, it really made the trip."

And son Matthew (23) was understandably jealous that his mum had been talking to the woman voted as men's magazine FHM's sexiest British female.

Posted on July 16th 2004