MTV News Round-Up 16/02/2004

*** Red Hot Chili Peppers have added two more dates to their UK jaunt. The band will play their first ever Welsh date at Cardiff Millennium Stadium on June 23 as well as another show at London's Hyde Park on June 25 in addition to previously announced dates. Tickets for the new dates go on sale on February 21 at 9am.

*** Britney Spears has added another Irish date to her for forthcoming tour. The pop princess will now call at Royal Dublin Showgrounds on June 6 in addition to previously announced Dublin dates at The Point on June 2 and 3 - tickets for which sold-out in less than an hour. Tickets for the new date go on sale on February 19.

*** Sir Paul McCartney has reportedly contacted The Sun newspaper, asking the tabloid to stop giving his wife Heather Mills a hard time. "Heather's a good person who does amazing things to help people," the Beatles legend is quoted as saying. "We are a normal family, trying to do normal things. I'm not some stupid old man who fell for someone who looks good."

*** OutKast and The White Stripes are planning a collaboration. Andre 3000 from the lauded hip-hop outfit says that himself and Jack White got talking at last year's MTV Europe Music Awards. "I told him, 'Man, respect, we are most definitely going to have to sit down and do something.' He was like, 'Yeah, most definitely.' I talked to his manager the other day and we're supposed to be hooking up on something.

*** Elton John has spoken of David Beckham's anger at Jordan's claims that she slept with him. "Ive spoken to David and he is really ****ed off," Elton told The Sun. "He doesnt usually let things like this get to him but hes furious. The whole idea that David Beckham would have anything to do with someone like Jordan is a ridiculous joke. Its all lies."

*** Rik Waller is said to have caused producers of new reality show 'Back To Reality' a problem due to being too big for his bed. "We were told he was 28 stone," said a spokesperson for the show. "But then we found out he had put on weight. He is now between 30 and 31 stone. We had to get structural engineers in to see if the bed could hold the load, so to speak. It was a last-minute panic situation."

DL