August 11, 2000 9:00

DAPHNE & CELESTE READING-BOUND AFTER ALL

Time to breathe a sigh of relief, pop fans...

A UK spokesperson for Daphne & Celeste has branded the duo's claims that they are to pull out of this year's CARLING WEEKEND FESTIVALS "a load of old rubbish", nme.com can reveal.

Celeste told a regional magazine journalist yesterday (August 10) that the pop duo were going to pull out of the festival when it was disclosed to them their favourite rapper, Eminem, had been forced to pull out of the festival due to ongoing legal problems in the US.

She said; "I'm not doing it. I'm not joking with you. It's a good thing we haven't practised because it would have been a waste of time. You can make it official that I'm not doing it at all. I'm not going if I can't meet him. It was the only thing I've been looking forward to."

However, a UK spokesperson for the duo's record label Universal/Island told nme.com that although genuinely upset at Eminem's cancellation, she had been winding the journalist up. The spokesperson said: "She's being a drama queen as usual. It's all a big joke - her attempt at trying to be funny. She didn't know Eminem wasn't playing and she's his number one fan. They won't be pulling out though, that is a load of rubbish!"

Daphne and Celeste still join Stereophonics, Placebo, Slipknot, Rage Against The Machine, and Blink 182 on the main stage at this year's Carling Weekend, which calls at Leeds Temple Newsam (August 26) and Reading Richfield Avenue (27).