March 5, 2001 11:17

THAT'S THE (EAST) END OF THAT, THEN!

The buxom babe wants to concentrate on theatre work...

MARTINE McCUTCHEON has stunned the world of pop by announcing that she will be leaving behind her pop career in favour of theatre work, beginning tomorrow (March 6) with the LONDON opening night of 'MY FAIR LADY'.

McCutcheon, who plays Eliza Dolittle in the production at the National Theatre, is reported by today's (March 5) Sun to have quit pop after disappointing sales of 'Wishing', her 2000 comeback album that spawned the Number Two single 'I'm Over You' and recent Donna Summer cover 'On The Radio'.

Fortunately for Martines thousands of fans the starlet - who had a spell in mid-'90s girl trio Milan prior to finding fame in TV soap 'EastEnders' - will be staying in the public eye, with an insider suggesting that an album of theatre classics is being mooted.

The disappointing sales of 'Wishing' will have come as a blow to Virgin Records, whose past year in pop has seen comparatively poor sales from everyone from Billie Piper to the Spice Girls. But after a surprise Number One for Atomic Kitten, hopes are being pinned on this week's release of 'Just Another Day', the debut single from Robbie Williams' flatmate Jonathan Wilkes.