Series nine will see the 16 new candidates fight it out to receive a £250,000 investment and the chance to go into business partnership with Lord Sugar.

Sugar’s aides, Karren Brady and Nick Hewer will return to keep an eye on this year’s candidates as they compete in 12 tasks, each hoping to be crowned the Apprentice winner for 2013.

Catch the first episode of series nice of the Apprentice 7th May at 9pm on BBC One.

Meet the candidates…

Images: BBC/Boundless

Image: H&M

Beyoncé has been confirmed as the new face of H&M.

The high street brand has announced that the Single Ladies singer has signed on to promote their summer 2013 line.

The first images from the shoot have also been released and show 31-year-old Bey lounging on a sunbed, dressed in a white top and checked shorts.

The ads will run worldwide with the tagline ‘Beyoncé as Mrs Carter in H&M’, keeping in line with her Mrs Carter world tour branding.

The pictures were reportedly shot in the Bahamas back in January by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin.

The star said of her latest career move:

“I’ve always liked H&M’s focus on fun and affordable fashion. I really loved the concept we collaborated on to explore the different emotions of women represented by the four elements – fire, water, earth and wind.

“It was a beautiful shoot on a tropical island. It felt more like making a video than a commercial.’

Beyoncé has also recorded a track to go with the campaign, Standing on the Sun, which will feature on the adverts.

This is the latest in a series of moves which marks the singer’s comeback following the birth of her daughter, Blue Ivy, in January 2012.

She performed at the Super Bowl XLVII in February, announced her world tour, the Mrs Carter Show, and caused controversy earlier this week with her new track, Bow Down.

The singer has been criticised for the use of the word ‘b***h’ in the song, which lyrics include:

“I know when you were little girls you dreamt of being in my world. Don’t forget it. Respect that. Bow Down b****es.”

Beyoncé embarks on her Mrs Carter Show world tour on 15 April and will play 11 dates in the UK, three in Manchester, two in Birmingham and six at the O2 in London.

She is also said to be working on her fifth studio album.

Related: New Destiny’s Child track announced

‘The Female Boss’ gets the boot?

Tulisa has been axed from the X Factor judging panel, according to reports.

In a show shake up, X Factor boss Simon Cowell has apparently sacked the 24-year-old singer, after a two-year stint on the show.

A ‘source’ reportedly told The Sun:

“To say Tulisa is gutted is an understatement. She’s a bit embarrassed to be on the scrapheap when she delivered with Little Mix.

“She’s thrown away one of the most high-profile jobs in the industry as well as one of the best paid.

“But she simply wasn’t up to scratch last year and Simon Cowell had no real option.”

Among those already tipped to replace the self-styled Female Boss are judge Gary Barlow’s former bandmate, Robbie Williams, and Mel B, who appeared on the reality show as a guest judge last year.

Mel has also recently signed up to take Sharon Osbourne’s place on the America’s Got Talent judging panel, but a source told The Mirror that her schedule could be arranged around the X Factor.

Tulisa joined Barlow, Louis Walsh and Kelly Rowland on the panel in 2011 and mentored winning act Little Mix. Rowland departed after just one series and was replaced by former Pussycat Doll, Nicole Scherzinger.

X Factor will return to our screens for its tenth season this autumn.

Adele discusses Vegas move?

Superstar singer Adele is reportedly considering a Las Vegas residency.

According to the Daily Star Sunday, the new mum wants to settle in one place for the moment, rather than touring the world. And that place is Vegas.

An ‘insider’ apparently told the newspaper that she’d been taking advice from Sir Elton John on the matter:

“Adele is top of the Vegas hit-list and she’s seriously considering it as an option. She wants to get back to performing but doesn’t want to go on the road so soon after becoming a mum.

“A Vegas residency would mean she could settle with her family and record her third album all at once. She’s been asking for advice from Elton, who has spent years performing at Caesars Palace.

“Adele has been chatting to Elton about her fears of singing live again. Elton’s been like a godfather to her recently, helping her settle into life as a superstar and the challenges of being a parent.

“He eased her mind about returning to the stage, the significance of the Oscars and how she should return to playing live as she has such a great gift.”

Adele has recently returned to the spotlight, following the birth of her son. Already this year, she has won a Grammy Award for Best Solo Pop Performance and bagged a Golden Globe for Best Original Song for Bond Theme, Skyfall.

Related: Adele ‘ecstatic’ about new arrival

Born This Way Ball ends here

Lady Gaga has cancelled the rest of her Born This Way Ball world tour due to injury, it has been announced.

The singer, who originally cancelled just four US gigs, has been forced to end the tour completely after her injuries were revealed to be more serious than previously thought.

Tour promoter, Live Nation confirmed the news in a statement, which read:

“After additional tests to review the severity of the issue, it has been determined that Lady Gaga has a labral tear of the right hip.

“She will need surgery to repair the problem, followed by strict downtime to recover. This, unfortunately, will force her to cancel the [Born This Way Ball] tour so she can heal.”

The 26-year-old star also commented on the news directly through her Twitter account, posting a series of tweets to her ‘little monsters’:

“There’s an unfortunate announcement coming out right now, concerning myself and the Born This Ball. I’m so sorry. I barely know what to say.

“I’ve been hiding a show injury and chronic pain for sometime now, over the past month it has worsened. I’ve been praying it would heal.

“I hid it from my staff, I didn’t want to disappoint my amazing fans. However after last night’s performance I could not walk and still can’t.”

Live Nation has said that fans who have tickets for the cancelled dates will be able to receive a refund.

The Born This Way Ball kicked off on 27 April 2012 in South Korea. It was set to run until 20 March 2013, with the final dates to take place in the US and Canada.

Shakira welcomes baby boy, Milan

Shakira and Barcelona footballer Gerard Piqué have welcomed their first child together.

The Colombian singer gave birth to baby Milan on 22 January at 9.26pm in Barcelona, Spain.

Both mother and baby are said to be “excellent health”.

The birth was confirmed via a statement on the 35-year-old star’s official website which read:

“We are happy to announce the birth of Milan Piqué Mebarak, son of Shakira Mebarak and Gerard Piqué.

“The name Milan (pronounced MEE-lahn), means dear, loving and gracious in Slavic; in Ancient Roman, eager and laborious; and in Sanskrit, unification.

“Just like his father, baby Milan became a member of FC Barcelona at birth.”

The couple got together in 2010, with Shakira announcing her pregnancy in September 2012.

Related: Baby girl for Lily and Sam
Related: West, Kardashian expecting child

Britney and Jason break things off

Britney Spears has split from her fiancé and manager, Jason Trawick.

The Gimme More singer, who has been engaged since December 2011, confirmed the news in a statement which read:

“Jason and I have decided to call off our engagement. I’ll always adore him and we will remain great friends.”

Forty-one-year-old Jason added:

“As this chapter ends for us a new one begins. I love and cherish her and her boys and we will be close forever.”

Mother-of-two Britney has also changed management companies, severing both her business and personal ties with Trawick.

News of the pair’s split broke on the same day that Spears, 31, confirmed her departure from the US X Factor, with Britney announcing her resignation from the panel in an official statement on 11 January:

“I had an incredible time doing the show and I love the other judges and I am so proud of my teens but it’s time for me to get back in the studio [to record my eighth album].

“Watching them all do their thing up on that stage every week made me miss performing so much! I can’t wait to get back out there and do what I love most.”

Britney and Jason confirmed that they were dating in May 2010, with Trawick proposing in Las Vegas 19 months later. She has two sons from her relationship with Kevin Federline, Sean Preston and Jayden James.

The couple welcome baby Marnie Rose

Lily Cooper has given birth to her second child, a baby girl called Marnie Rose.

Lily and husband Sam, 34, who tied the knot in 2011, become parents for the second time on 8 January, with a source reportedly telling The Sun:

“Marnie is a real cutie. Sam and Lily are ecstatic about adding another girl to the family.”

The 27-year-old singer choose to thank fans for their support via her Twitter account on Thursday, posting:

“Quite overwhelmed by all the well wishing going on. THANKYOU everybody x x x”

The pair already have one daughter together, 14-month-old Ethel.

The couple revealed on their wedding day that they were expecting their first child together, while Lily’s father, Keith Allen, put an end to speculation surrounding her second pregnancy by confirming the news on This Morning in July of last year.

Related: Lily expecting second child

It may not have a catchy or descriptive title, but the film itself looks pretty good from the 2 minute 32 seconds I’ve seen of it via the trailer; which is a feat in itself when you think about oh, say, The Oranges’ trailer, which was supposed to actually make people want to spend £8 on going to see it but in reality was painful.

They’re billing Movie 43 as the ‘”most outrageous comedy ever made”, starring “some of the biggest names in Hollywood”, which I don’t disagree with at all.

It has about a million [25-ish] of these “biggest names in Hollywood” in it, including Emma Stone, Hugh Jackman, Chloe Moretz, Kate Winslet, Gerard Butler, Halle Berry, Kate Bosworth, Richard Gere, Kristen Bell and Justin Long and the guy from Saturday Night Live and Stifler and….. well, a lot of people. Stephen Merchant also pops up which is a pleasant surprise. But don’t be put off by all the ‘big names’; it looks nothing like Valentine’s Day and I can’t see Rachel Berry anywhere near the thing.

The only issue I have with the film so far is that I couldn’t spot Uma in the trailer, but maybe I wasn’t concentrating. That’s it. Really. Let’s hope Gerard Butler doesn’t feature in it too much and ruin it with his cray accent.

Want to see what I’m on about? Well you’ll have to visit the official trailer page for Movie 43 as it’s been kicked off YouTube by The Man.

Image: Beyonce.com

Destiny’s Child are releasing brand new material for the first time in eight years, it has been confirmed.

The news broke via a short statement which appeared on both Beyoncé’s website and the band’s official Facebook page on 10 January:

“We are so proud to announce the first original Destiny’s Child music in eight years!”

Love Songs will be released on 29 January, however fans of the girl group can pre-order the new album from today.

Destiny’s Child, made up of Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, were one of the most successful pop and R&B girl bands in the world, with hits such as Survivor, Lose My Breath and Independent Women Part 1.

After going their separate ways in 2006, each member embarked on success as a solo artist, with Beyoncé releasing four hit albums and carving out a movie career. She also became a mother to baby Blue Ivy in 2012.

Kelly is continuing to enjoy a successful solo run and also appeared as a judge on the X Factor, while Michelle has focussed on theatre and television, appearing as a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing in 2010 and playing the role of Roxie Hart in Chicago on Broadway.

Pre-order Destiny’s Child Love Songs on Amazon from 10 January.