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MADONNA has broken her silence about her split from GUY RITCHIE - revealing her gruelling tour schedule is helping her through her personal troubles.
The couple, which announced its separation last month (Oct08), made its marriage break-up official on Friday (21Nov08), when a judge at London’s High Court approved Madonna’s petition for divorce on the grounds of Ritchie’s "unreasonable behaviour".
Their seven-and-a-half year union will be officially dissolved in six weeks time, when they will be granted a decree absolute.
But Madonna is refusing to let the turmoil in her love life effect her hugely successful pop career.
In an interview with the Associated Press, she says her intense schedule "provides a distraction that keeps me going", adding, "I’m sad about my personal life, but I feel very blessed and very lucky that I have the opportunity to do what I do in my professional life. It would be horrible if I was just thinking about getting a divorce and had nothing to do." In addition to wrapping up her worldwide Sticky & Sweet tour, the star is currently promoting her documentary I Am Because We Are, about the poverty stricken African nation of Malawi.
Madonna and Ritchie were rumoured to have split as early as this summer (08), but have kept quiet about details of their divorce despite relentless media attention.
They have agreed to share custody of son Rocco, eight, and adopted David, three, while Madonna’s 12-year-old daughter Lourdes, from a previous relationship, will live with her mother.

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Actor LEONARDO DiCAPRIO has vowed to boycott the paparazzi, dubbing them "disrespectful and dangerous".
The 34-year-old became an international heartthrob at the age of 23 after landing the lead role in the 1997 film Titanic alongside Kate Winslet.
But DiCaprio admits he’s been fighting to stay away from the limelight since turning into a major Hollywood star overnight - and he’s keen to keep his name out of the press.
He says, "Actually I’m not in the tabloids anymore. I am sometimes, but I’ve watched the culture change. I’m old hat. And I love it. You know what it is with me? This is something I’d like to clarify. I’ve heard people say, ‘Because you hide, it makes you seem ungrateful.’ "The mere fact that these - I’ll use the word piles - are earning money from exploiting my image is the only reason I hide myself or am not a photo-friendly person. I do not like the way they conduct themselves. I think they’re disrespectful and dangerous. The reason I don’t pose or smile or that I seem mad is that I don’t want them to make a living off my private life."

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ALMOST FAMOUS star JASON LEE secretly wed the mother of his second child this summer (08).
Lee and Ceren Alkac exchanged vows in California in July (08), but swore family and friends to secrecy, according to Life & Style magazine.
The actor let the news slip during an interview with Australian newspaper the Sydney Sun-Herald, when he referred to former model Alkac as "my wife" and then stated, "You can report that." The couple became parents to a baby daughter a month later (Aug08).
This is the second marriage for Lee, who also has a son, Pilot Inspektor, three, with ex-fiancee Beth Riesgraf.
He divorced Carmen Llywelyn in 2001, ending a six-year marriage.

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THE HILLS stars HEIDI MONTAG and SPENCER PRATT have married in a secret ceremony.
The couple - which began dating in 2006 - exchanged vows while on vacation.
A source says, "They got married in Mexico." And reality TV star Montag has now confirmed the reports, telling PerezHilton.com, "The minute we said our vows, I couldn’t stop crying." Montag spoke of her plans to wed Pratt in August (08), when she told reporters, "I’m just waiting for that big ring!"

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A man wielding two samurai swords was shot and killed outside the Los Angeles headquarters of TOM CRUISE and JOHN TRAVOLTA’s Church of Scientology on Sunday (23Nov08).
A security guard, who has not been named, shot and killed the man as he charged towards him and his colleagues.
Police questioned the guard but have determined he acted in self-defence.
Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief Terry S. Hara tells the Los Angeles Times, "The evidence is very clear the security officers were defending their safety." Reports suggest the dead man was a former member of the church.

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Hollywood actor/director KEVIN SPACEY has been hailed for his work in London’s West End at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards.
The American Beauty star, who has served as artistic director at the capital’s Old Vic Theatre for the last five years, was praised for his part in reviving Alan Ayckbourn’s The Norman Conquests.
Speaking of his pride at being involved with the theatre, he said: "I can’t quite believe what has happened to the Old Vic." He recalled how, at the beginning of his tenure, some critics were "asking me to pack my bags and get the hell out of town" - but he refused and told his staff that "if we kept our heads down, kept focused on the vision, we would eventually emerge and establish ourselves".
And English theatre director Sir Peter Hall was also full of compliments for Spacey: "(He’s a) great actor, great director, and I think, now, great theatre runner." Spacey was also applauded for his performance alongside Jeff Goldbum in David Mamet’s Speed-the-Plow - but he lost out on the Best Actor prize to Chiwetel Ejiofor, for his role in Othello at the Donmar Warehouse.
The Best Actress category was also a hard-fought affair - in the end, Margaret Tyzack shared the accolade with Penelope Wilton for their roles in The Chalk Garden.
The Donmar’s Michael Grandage was named Best Director for overseeing both Othello and The Chalk Garden, in addition to Ivanov.
The ceremony took place at London’s Royal Opera House on Monday (24Nov08).

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NOTORIOUS B.I.G.’s son CHRISTOPHER WALLACE JR. will play his own father in a forthcoming movie about the rap legend.
The 12 year old, whose mother is singer Faith Evans, plays his dad as a child in some scenes in Notorious, alongside actor Jamal Woolard. Rapper Woolard, also known as Gravy, portrays Biggie in his 20s.
And Wallace Jr. - who was just four months old when his dad was gunned down in 1997, aged just 24 - found the experience helped him learn more about his late father.
During a chat with his grandmother Violetta Wallace, in the December (08) issue of Interview magazine, the young actor says, "My mum told me some of the stuff he used to do. Like how he rubbed his nose sometimes. And then I got some of my character’s scenes six or seven months before we actually shot the film, so I went over that stuff a lot." He was even told to tap into his own feelings for the father he never knew, to help him get emotional in scenes: "My acting coach said I should think about if he was alive, how I miss him, and I really got into it." And Wallace Jr. has definite plans to follow his father’s footsteps, once he has finished his education. He adds, "(I’ll) probably (go into rap). But I want to go to college. And I want to graduate and study film."

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A Hollywood movie based on the life of late THIN LIZZY frontman PHIL LYNOTT has been shelved - after surviving bandmembers accused filmmakers of sensationalising the star’s drug abuse.
Lynott died of heart failure and pneumonia on 4 January, 1986 at the age of 36, after years of alcohol and drug abuse.
A biopic of the Irishman, starring CSI actor Gary Dourdan in the lead role, was set to be shot - but the project has now been halted after Thin Lizzy’s remaining members expressed their concerns.
And guitarist Scott Gorham insists the movie’s directors will not win their approval until the script is completely rewritten.
He says, "It’s an ongoing saga because when we looked at the script, it was full of truths and half-truths and Hollywood’s take on Phil’s life was all about drugs.
"Of course there were drugs - that’s the sensational side of Thin Lizzy - but when the movie absolutely centred on that it became a problem.
"We want to veer people towards the music of Phillo and Thin Lizzy because he was a remarkable songwriter, musician and performer.
"There was a lot more to Phil and the band than just taking drugs. It irritates me that the personal stuff overshadows the musical legacy. You only get one shot at getting a movie right. We won’t give it the green light until everyone is happy."

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Veteran crooner TOM JONES has mixed feelings about reading his own obituary after he was killed off online last month (Oct08) by a sick Internet prankster.
The Delilah singer, 68, was fast asleep in his Los Angeles home when his daughter-in-law and manager Donna heard the seemingly tragic news, and she phoned in to check on his status.
Hours later, Jones sat for a TV interview with news broadcasters CNN - and had a chance to read the obituary editors had prepared in case the death rumours were true.
But Jones admits he was rather proud of the achievements the article detailed.
He recalls, "It’s a strange thing because there was a rumour going around about a month ago saying that I’d passed away. Somebody put it on the internet… and Fox news got a hold of it in Los Angeles and called my agent asking if I was all right. So my agent called my daughter-in-law, who is one of my managers, and my son, who is my other manager, was flying from London to L.A. so he was in the air.
"There’s a fellow who works for me in Los Angeles and Donna, my daughter-in-law, says to him, ‘Can you check on Tom to see if he’s all right?’ And so he came in the bedroom and he said, ‘Well he’s snoring, and I don’t think people snore when they’re dead!’ "Then I did an interview with somebody from CNN later that day and she said do you want to read your obituary? Honestly, they had it all printed out! So I read it, and there was some nice things in it, I must admit!"

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R. KELLY’s teenage nephew has been charged with attempted murder following an incident in a Chicago, Illinois barbershop earlier this month (Nov08) which resulted in his hospitalisation.
Brayel Kelly, the 16-year-old son of the R&B hitmaker’s brother Carey Kelly, was shot twice in the back after allegedly attempting to rob the store.
Authorities claim he entered the shop with the intention of stealing cash and jewellery from the barbershop owner. Cops allege he brandished a gun and forced the victim to hand over his valuables.
But, as he turned to leave, the victim pulled out his own gun and a number of shots were exchanged - with two bullets hitting Kelly in the liver and his lung.
The teen is still in intensive care at Advocate Christ Medical Center - but Calumet City police officers have now charged him with attempted murder, attempted armed robbery and aggravated discharge of a firearm.
His bond has been set at $200,000 (£134,230) and a preliminary hearing has been set for 3 December (08).
Brayel’s older brother Brandon, who is accused of acting as his lookout, has yet to be charged with any offence, reports MTV.com.

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AMY WINEHOUSE’s husband BLAKE FIELDER-CIVIL has lost an appeal against his 27-month prison sentence - despite gaining early release this month (Nov08).
Fielder-Civil was freed from prison earlier this month (Nov08) after serving almost a year behind bars in relation to an attack on a pub landlord in 2006.
As part of his early release deal, he checked into a rehabilitation facility in Surrey, south east England.
Fielder-Civil’s hearing was held at London’s Court Of Appeal on Monday (24Nov08), where a judge turned down the request.
He was originally due to be released next month (Dec08).

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Hollywood actor KURT RUSSELL was left with a bruised ego on Sunday (23Nov08) night - when a paparazzo accidentally hit him in the head with a video camera.
The star, who had just arrived at LAX airport in Los Angeles with longterm partner Goldie Hawn, was trying to get into his waiting car when the clumsy videographer turned around and smacked Russell on the head with his equipment.
Russell brushed off the injury and jumped into the car before making a speedy escape.

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Movie legend ROBERT DE NIRO is to launch a new film festival in Doha, Qatar.
The Goodfellas star previously co-founded the Tribeca Film Festival in 2002, held annually in New York, in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.
And now De Niro has signed an agreement to launch a sister event in Doha, starting in November next year (09), which he hopes will help build up understanding between Arabs and the rest of the international community.
He says, "We hope that film will not only be used as a form of entertainment at Tribeca Film Festival Doha but play a role in bridging cultures closer together.
"By learning each other’s stories, we can see how much we share in common as well as explore and better understand our differences."

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New BOND movie QUANTUM OF SOLACE is keeping its stranglehold on the international box office chart, taking $40.6 million (£27 million) in 72 markets.
The action thriller, starring Daniel Craig, easily fights off competition from Body of Lies, which is at two with takings of $10 million (£6.6 million).
Animated sequel Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa brought in $9 million (£6 million) to claim third place, while vampire film Twilight - which had a limited global release - opens in fourth place with $8.1 million (£5.4 million) in five markets
. This figure pales considerably compared to its $70.6 million (£47.1 million) haul from its opening weekend in the U.S., which is already breaking records.
The international box office chart is rounded out by High School Musical 3: Senior Year, which is in fifth place with profits of $4.5 million (£3 million).

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MEL BROOKS musical YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN is the latest victim of falling ticket sales on Broadway - it will wave goodbye to New York in January (09).
Brooks’ adaptation of the 1974 movie he wrote with Gene Wilder has been one of the top draws in Manhattan’s theatre district over the past year - but sales have slumped in recent months, as cash-strapped New Yorkers abandon the theatre.
A host of shows are scheduled to close in January, including Spamalot, Hairspray and Spring Awakening.

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Hollywood producer JON PETERS has sparked reports he’s at the centre of a new police investigation - weeks after reportedly violating his parole from a driving under the influence (DUI) charge in 2006.
The Superman Returns moviemaker faced a possible prison stint earlier this month (Nov08) for the violations, after pleading no contest to the DUI charge in February 2006.
In addition to the probation, he was ordered to complete community service with Homeboy Industries, an organisation which helps former gang members clean up their act after prison.
But a recent visit from an officer from the Santa Barbara sheriff’s department has sparked reports he’s in more legal trouble.
A source tells the New York Post, "Facing the likelihood that he might go to jail for violating his probation, Peters invited a dozen youths from Father Greg Boyle’s nationally acclaimed Homeboy Industries to spend the weekend at his Santa Barbara-area ranch.
"For reasons unknown, Santa Barbara sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to Peters’ ranch on a recent weekend afternoon." The Sheriff’s Office confirmed officers received a "miscellaneous call" regarding Peters’ El Capitan Horse Ranch but no incident was reported in the records.
Peters also faces two sexual harassment suits filed by female former employees.
Christine Nicholson, the manager of his ranch, said, "I really can’t give you any information." Peters is scheduled to return to court on 16 January (09) to address his alleged parole violations - including failure to complete an alcohol education program, not reporting to his probation officer, and failure to complete 40 hours of community service.

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Italian tenor MARCELLO GIORDANI has completed a rare feat in the history of New York’s Metropolitan Opera - by performing the leads in two separate shows in one day.
The opera star took to the stage on Saturday (22Nov08) for a matinee performance as the title role in Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust.
Just a few hours later, Giordani returned to star as Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly after a colleague called in sick.
The tenor, who has been hailed as the "Iron Man of tenors" by the Metropolitan’s general manager Peter Gelb, joins only a handful of other stars who have taken on the challenging task - most singers only perform two or three times a week.

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Heavy metal band DARK FUNERAL have won the rights to their back catalogue of songs after a bitter seven year legal battle.
The Swedish rockers had been locked in a dispute with their previous record label, MNW/No Fashion Records, for the rights to their previous releases.
But now guitarist Lord Ahriman, real name Micke Svanberg, and vocalist Emperor Magus Caligula, also known as Masse Broberg, have been awarded the exclusive rights to albums The Secrets Of The Black Arts, Vobiscum Satanas, Teach Children To Worship Satan and Diabolis Interium.
Lord Ahriman is relieved to finally put an end to the issue, and has blasted his former record label bosses for pursuing legal action, reports Blabbermouth.net.
He says, "One may believe I/we would be totally thrilled about this, be running around in pentagrams, throwing bibles in a fire and whatnot, but I honestly feel pretty empty.
"Guess it’ll take a while to let it all sunk (sic) in to realise that this battle finally is over, after seven f**king years! I’m sure I’ll get it all eventually…and celebrate it one way or another. But right now I feel nothing.
"Anyway, somehow I feel that this is already old news, an old chapter in our dark saga. And I won’t spend any more of my valuable time to ever put ‘their’ name in my mouth again."

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