WHAT'S HOT

BOOMERANG: There is no doubt that pop princess Kylie has won the chart battle between herself and Posh Spice. In fact, the fight for the No 1 spot looks like it turned out to be more of a quick slap as DJ Otzi, Bob The Builder and Alien Ant Farm have all been outselling Victoria Beckham's solo debut Not Such An Innocent Girl. At one point we found Kylie's song - Can't Get You Out Of My Head - was outselling Beckham by eight to one and there were reports that the track had even sold out on its first day in some shops. HMV music expert Gennaro Castaldo told us: ''Kylie seems to becoming similar to Madonna. She is maintaining her popular appeal with fans and becoming more credible. The omens look good for her album, Fever, which is released in a couple of weeks' time.''

CHARITY RECORD: Michael Jackson is busy organising some of the biggest names in pop to record a charity record to help the victims of the US terrorist attack. Britney Spears, Destiny's Child, 'N Sync's Justin Timberlake and Backstreet Boy Nick Carter have agreed to appear on the track What More Can I Give. The music business is also considering plans for a series of Live Aid-style concerts to help raise money for people affected by the tragedy.

SOAP SUDS: The controversy over the new wanna-be show Soapstars is rumbling on. The stars of Emmerdale have claimed the show, which aims to find a new family to join the soap, is belittling their talent, and actors' unions are also concerned. But holding mass auditions for people who want to make it big seems a very sensible way of creating stars. There are hundreds of resting actors in the UK and they all had the opportunity to attend one of the country-wide auditions. The best have been put through a series of gruelling tasks which were probably a lot harder than normal auditions for a show like Emmerdale. After such a good test, the winners will have more than proved they can hold their own.

GET 'EM OFF: Stripping is the strange, new and fun way to keep fit. But the latest exercise-craze doesn't actually involve taking your clothes off. Stripping classes are being run in London by a lapdancer who believes her professional moves are the best way to lose pounds. Pupils are taught a lap dancing routine but more effort is put into the eye contact and hip-swinging than the actual steps. As well as keeping fit, the classes are good for raising women's self esteem and making them feel sexy, whatever their size. For those who can't make it to a stripping class, an American erotic aerobics expert has launched a video to teach people the basics of looking sexy in their own homes.

PANT SIZE: Big knickers may not be as sexy as a tiny thong, but according to US doctors they could be better for your health. Fears have been expressed about the hygiene of tiny pants and the fact that they could lead to embarrassing infections. According to the doctors, super-snug pants are a breeding ground for bacteria while big baggies which let the air flow are so much more healthy. This is all brilliant news for women whose bums and cellulite make thongs an impossible dream - not only can they enjoy the comfort of bigger knickers, but they'll probably suffer from less sickness to boot. Did Bridget Jones know something we didn't?

WHAT'S NOT

GINGER NUT: Mick Hucknall is simply not the pop star he used to be. At the height of his musical career he managed to make his flame red hair, jewelled tooth and gravel-like voice sexy but now he seems to have lost the plot. In recent weeks he has been photographed wearing scruffy clothes, unshaven and leering all over young girls. When he had star quality, he had relationships with some of the most beautiful women in the world but now he seems to have been reduced to a dirty old man. It's about time he smartened himself up, headed back to the recording studio and regained some of the self respect that made him a hit in the first place.

ALL ON SHOW: Forget about showing just your cleavage off - if the designers have their way we'll all be parading around with everything on show. Jasper Conran and Ronit Zikha were just two of the big names who sent their models down the catwalk with their breasts on show. Obviously the professionals looked gorgeous, but this is not a look for the High Street. Sadly this won't stop the chain stores churning out bad copies of see-through garments which will then be snapped up by gullible fashion victims. It's about time that designers realised that less is more, and that it's far more sexy to cover up and leave it all to the imagination.

FIRST LOVE: Poor Charlotte Church, not only is she about to embark on the most emotional and difficult period of her teenage years but she's doing it in public. Charlotte has found herself a boyfriend - a youngster called Max. The young couple are spending a lot of time together but at just 15 this is bound to be the first of many encounters for the girl with the angelic voice. Sadly, the petty rows, sulks and emotional upheavals that blight all teenager's lives are set to be magnified by Charlotte's fame. Hopefully Charlotte's second, third and fourth boyfriends won't get as much media attention - otherwise she may find herself alone as boys start to think she's not worth the bother.