The auction took place on the first anniversary of Jackson’s death

A crystal-studded glove belonging to the late pop star Michael Jackson has sold at a US auction for $190,000 (£126,000).

The glove, worn during the Jacksons’ 1984 Victory tour, was among over 200 items on offer, which sold for just under $1m (£664,055) in total.

The sale took place at Julien’s Auctions at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas at the weekend.

Some items fetched more than 10 times their estimated value.

“It just shows you Michael Jackson is the most sought after and most collectible celebrity of all time. It was just phenomenal,” Darren Julien, who ran the auction, told the Las Vegas Review Journal.

“People flew in from Asia, Russia, all over. Now that he’s gone, we now realise the true legend we lost,” he added.

The value of Jackson memorabilia appears to be rising. The first of his gloves to go on auction after his death went for $49,000 (£29,900), back in September 2009.

Elvis’s hair

A pair of Jackson’s loafers, which he wore on stage, were expected to fetch between $2,000 (£1,328) and $3,000 (£1,990) but went for $90,000 (£59,764).

One of his jackets fetched $120,000 (£79,686), even though its estimate was between $6,000 (£3,984) and $8,000 (£5,312).

A white fedora hat sold for $56,250 (£37,353).

Other memorabilia from the likes of Elvis Presley, Prince, Kurt Cobain and Jimi Hendrix was also up for grabs.

A lock of Presley’s hair was sold for $20,000 (£13,281), while Prince’s handwritten lyrics for Purple Rain fetched $67,650 (£44,900).

A Jimi Hendrix Fender guitar was sold for $180,000 (£119,500).

Fans across the globe paid tribute to Jackson on the first anniversary of his death on Friday.

Jackson’s father has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the doctor charged with giving his son a lethal overdose one year ago.

Simon Fuller is said to be working with an ex-Barclays Capital banker on the bid

Ex-Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller is leading a consortium bidding to buy the company that owns the rights to hit TV show American Idol.

A company owned by Mr Fuller created the Idol franchise but was sold to CKX Inc in 2005.

Now he is heading a group of investors reported to be offering $600m for CKX.

American Idol has run for nine years and produced stars including Kelly Clarkson, Kris Allen and Taylor Hicks.

Dwindling audience

Other assets held by CKX include the rights to the name, image and likeness of Elvis Presley and Muhammad Ali.

Earlier this month, CKX’s founder, chairman and chief executive Robert FX Sillerman resigned and said he was considering buying the company.

His 21% stake makes him its largest shareholder.

The Wall Street Journal said former Barclays Capital banker Roger Jenkins was one of the investors joining Mr Fuller in the CKX bid.

American Idol is the US’s most-watched TV series however viewing figures have been shrinking since its 2005 peak when it averaged more than 30 million weekly viewers.

In April last year, the show attracted 22.3 million viewers.

The latest series of finished recently and was the last to feature controversial judge Simon Cowell.

Mr Cowell is taking British show The X Factor to Fox TV.

Elvis Costello performed at the New Orleans Jazz Festival last month

Singer Elvis Costello has pulled out of two gigs in Israel due to concerns over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The musician, who was due to perform later this summer, said: “Having your name added to a concert schedule may be interpreted as a political act.”

Costello said his decision was “a matter of instinct and conscience” and “too grave and complex” to be addressed at a concert.

He apologised to ticket holders and event organisers.

The songwriter also said sorry to Israeli journalists who have interviewed him in advance of the concerts.

‘Keenly aware’

“They were of great value and help to me in gaining an appreciation of the cultural scene,” he said.

In a statement on his website, Costello explained: “I must believe that the audience for the coming concerts would have contained many people who question the policies of their government on settlement and deplore conditions that visit intimidation, humiliation or much worse on Palestinian civilians in the name of national security.

“I am also keenly aware of the sensitivity of these themes in the wake of so many despicable acts of violence perpetrated in the name of liberation.”

He added that his decision mean he would be unlikely to receive another invitation to play in Israel, and called it “a matter of regret”.

Costello concluded his statement “with the hope for peace and understanding”.

The 55-year-old, who is married to Canadian singer Diana Krall, has released more than 40 albums during his career.

Lennon and McCartney joke about the longevity of The Beatles on the tapes

A recording of a 1966 Beatles press conference at which John Lennon was quizzed over his controversial comments about Jesus is to be auctioned.

The reel-to-reel recording is estimated to fetch up to $25,000 (£16,800) at a Los Angeles sale on 13 June.

The tapes of the 17 August press conference in Toronto were stored in a drawer for more than 40 years, Bonhams and Butterfields said.

Lennon sparked outrage when he said the band were “more popular” than Jesus.

Jackson glove

The recording, made by a young photojournalist and Beatles fan at the King Edward Hotel, includes Lennon and Paul McCartney joking about the longevity of The Beatles.

“We’re obviously not gonna go around holding hands forever,” Lennon says.

“It would be a bit, you know, embarrassing at 35,” McCartney adds.

The owner of the tapes failed to sell them in 1966

Although comments from the press conference were widely reported, it is thought to be the only surviving recording.

“We do know what they said that day, we have just never heard it,” Margaret Barrett, director of entertainment memorabilia at Bonhams and Butterfields said.

The owner of the tapes had tried to sell them in 1966 but “no-one thought they were important”, she added.

The tapes form part of a sale which includes a rare watercolour from 1940 Walt Disney film Pinocchio, estimated to fetch up to $40,000 (£26,800).

One of Michael Jackson’s white rhinestone gloves – predicted to sell for between $14,000 and $16,000 (£9,400 and £10,700) – is also up for auction.

6 Music presenter Jarvis Cocker won the rising star award

6 Music, threatened with closure by the BBC, has won two prizes at the Sony Radio Academy Awards.

Jarvis Cocker, who began presenting a Sunday afternoon show this year, won the rising star award while the Adam and Joe Show won the best comedy title.

Radio 4 was the big winner with six prizes including a best breakfast show award for Today.

Radio 1’s Zane Lowe won two awards while the Capital FM breakfast show won best entertainment programme.

5 live was named national station of the year and forces radio network BFBS won the special award.

Singer Cocker said: “6 Music is never going to be the biggest station in the UK but it would be devastating if it was to close.

“6 Music isn’t going to change the world, it just wants to make it a bit nicer.”

Picking up the award for the Adam and Joe Show, comedian Adam Buxton said: “My children went to school and boasted about the fact that their dad was on Radio 1 and knew Chris Moyles.

“When the children found out that wasn’t true and, in fact, the station that dad was on was closing, it was very disappointing.”

The BBC has proposed scrapping both 6 Music and the Asian Network – whose presenter Nihal won best speech programme on Monday night – in its strategic review.

‘Really chuffed’

The Today programme took the best breakfast show for a station with a potential 10 million-plus audience.

Continue reading the main story

Television is easy – radio terrifies me

Sir David Attenborough

Other wins for Radio 4 included best music special for a poetic homage to Elvis by U2 singer Bono, best interview for Woman’s Hour, and speech broadcaster of the year for wildlife expert Sir David Attenborough.

“Television, ladies and gentleman, is a doddle,” said Sir David.

“If you have birds of paradise and gorillas, it’s a doddle.

“Television is easy – radio terrifies me. I think it is extraordinarily difficult so my congratulations to you all who work in it.”

In a strong night for the BBC, Radio 1’s Scott Mills won music radio personality of the year, Zane Lowe won both music broadcaster of the year and the best specialist music prize, and Trevor Nelson won the Sony gold award for his outstanding contribution to radio.

Nelson said he was “really chuffed and really surprised”.

“The music I’ve always championed has always been about R&B.

Radio 2’s The Dermot O’Leary Show won best music programme

“When I first went on Radio 1 in 96, I said the words R&B and we got loads of complaints – ‘that’s not rhythm and blues, rhythm and blues is old 60s music’.

“I knew we were onto something because you get rid of the old guard, you bring in the new.”

Radio 2’s The Dermot O’Leary Show won best music programme while 5 live film critic Mark Kermode was named best specialist contributor.

The BBC World Service’s Lyse Doucet won news journalist of the year.

Among the commercial station winners, Absolute scooped best competition, for The Christian O’Connell Breakfast Show, and live event coverage, for Blur at London’s Hyde Park.

London’s Kiss FM won the big local station of the year award while Planet Rock was named best digital station.

The Dixie and Gayle programme, on Real Radio Yorkshire, won the breakfast show prize for smaller stations.

Some waves which hit Cannes were up to six metres (18 ft) high

Cannes Film Festival organisers have said the French resort will be ready for the start of the event after it was hit by severe weather.

Freak waves caused millions of Euros of damage to waterfront cafes on the town’s landmark Croisette.

“We will need several days to clean up, but it should all be ready on time,” said city councillor David Lisnard.

The film festival runs from 12-23 May and will attract thousands of people to the south of France.

Some 10,000 film industry people and an additional 4,000 journalists are expected to attend the event.

Red carpet

Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood, starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett, will open this year’s festival with stars of the film expected on the red carpet.

Robin Hood will screen out of competition at the 12 day event

The film, about the birth of the Robin Hood legend, also stars William Hurt.

Alice in Wonderland director Tim Burton will head this year’s Palme d’Or jury.

A total of 16 directors will compete for this year’s top honour, including South Korea’s Lee Chang-dong and France’s Bertrand Tavernier and Xavier Beauvois.

The Croisette – Cannes’ beachside thoroughfare – is the focus for the festival’s action, with screens on the sand and numerous restaurants and cafes.

Mr Lisnard told the AFP agency that work to set up for the film industry had only just got under way when the bad weather struck.

He added that the festival’s infrastructure would be “safe, sound and clean” in time for its starting date.