Celebs

EACH week Van Insurance scours the country in search of van driving super stars. We are sorry to report; yet again we have drawn a blank!

But while our search has proven fruitless, Van Insurance can reveal the hottest celebrities behind the hottest wheels.

MADONNA
THE superstar has been quick to deny rumours that her 7-year marriage to Guy Ritchie is in trouble. "I am delighted to confirm that Mr. and Mrs. Guy Ritchie remain happily married says: Liz Rosenberg, Madonna's US spokeswoman "Though they were in different countries recently - Madonna in the US promoting her upcoming album 'Hard Candy' and Guy finishing up post-production on his new film 'RocknRolla' as well as completing a Nike commercial and working on several scripts in England - the family are joyfully back together at home in London. All is well and wonderful in the Ritchie household."

There has been mounting speculation that the couple’s marriage is on the rocks after they have not been seen together since a trip to India in January. "The marriage is hanging by a thread, says one source: "No one doubts they adore their three kids - but the children seem to be the only reason they are living this strange loveless existence."

Madonna is the world’s highest earning female performer, picking up a massive £36.2 million last year, she has a Mercedes Maybach, two Range Rovers, an Audi A8 and a Mini Cooper S parked in her garage at home.

AMY WINEHOUSE
The troubled star is set to pick up £500,000 to sing for George Clooney and Julia Roberts at a New York benefit gala. If Winehouse accepts the offer she will perform at the Costume Institute Gala Benefit at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art in May. "Amy was taken aback when she learned that George Clooney and Julia Roberts were after her, says an insider: “Their representatives have been phoning her offices and sending dozens of emails to convince her to take part. She's seriously considering their generous offer.

Friends say that the Rehab star, who travels around London in a blacked out Mercedes, has yet to take it all in and keeps saying “Life is getting more surreal by the second."

Fashion designer and honorary chair Giorgio Armani, who is a big fan of Winehouse, will host the super cool event. "Giorgio has made no secret to his friends that he would love to work with Amy, adds the source: “He sees this party as an ideal opportunity to sound her out about future projects together."

HALLE BERRY
The Bond beauty is celebrating giving birth to a baby girl last month with her model lover Gabriel Aubry. Halle is believed to have given birth at Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai Hospital after reportedly suffering dangerously high blood pressure.. "Halle had come to the hospital at 4am in the morning because she felt she was going into labour. It was a bit scary because her blood pressure was skyrocketing and everyone was a little tense, says a source: “She's a diabetic so that was complicating matters. The doctors checked the foetal heart rate and everything seemed OK.

: "Halle was overcome with emotion when she finally held her baby. The tears kept coming and Halle didn't even want the nurses to take her baby to be cleaned and measured. It was a beautiful scene." Meanwhile, the star has accused the paparazzi of forcing her off the road while she was driving in Hollywood - two days after announcing she was pregnant.

The actress believes she became a target after telling the world she was expecting her first child, but the army of photographers that started following her everywhere overstepped the mark when they caused her to crash into a wall.

BRITNEY SPEARS
Britney Spears has reportedly been wining and dining with Braveheart star Mel Gibson The troubled singer had a rendezvous with Gibson in Los Angeles' Romanov restaurant where they ate filet mignon steak and chatted for two hours.

"It was exciting to have both of them here together., says a source: “We heard they hit it off and that Britney seemed excited. " Britney, 26, wore jeans, a green top and boots for the dinner date in the restaurant's private dining room. She was accompanied by her close friend Victoria, while 52-year-old Mel bought along some of his own pals.

Mewanhile, not even a flat tyre prevented Spears from partying recently, the singer merely left her Mercedes to get towed while she and her PA got a lift home.

LEONA LEWIS
Simon Cowell has stepped into her Leona Lewis with her house buying problems. The X Factor winner, who went to No1 in the US this week with her single ‘Bleeding Love’ hasn't had time to spend any money, other than to buy her first car, a black Mini Cooper.

Now the X factor boss is reportedly buying her a $5million home in Los Angeles, because he believes it’s just the start of her career stateside. “Even though Simon is very rich, he’s careful with money and doesn’t like to waste it [but he] thinks she is absolutely amazing so he wanted to treat her, says a source:

“He’s so pleased with how hard she works and what a massive success she’s become.”
“Leona’s a homely girl and isn’t at all flash so Simon got the idea to buy her something practical she would use.”
“He sees a bright future for her. He thinks she can become a global star like Shirley Bassey or Whitney Houston.”

PAUL MCCARTNEY
The former Beatle has fuelled rumours that love is in the air with New York business woman Nancy Shevell after they were seen enjoying a relaxing break in the Caribbean.

The friends were first romantically linked in October last year when but Paul is said to have wanted to keep their relationship a secret until the details of his divorce from Heather Mills were finalised.

According to sources the holiday in Jumby Bay, Antigua a celebration of his divorce settlement:

“Sir Paul’s general feeling is that he was vindicated after the court case, says a source: “A lot of what was said about him was discounted by the judge. Now all he wants is peace and quiet.”

“They hired bikes and rode all around the island. They were laughing and looked like they were having a great time. But it is very early days [for the romance].”

“He is very close to Nancy, they have known each other a long time. Paul admires Nancy. She is beautiful, intelligent and has an inner strength that people warm to.”

Heather meanwhile is said to be livid about the new development and the luxury break. The former model drove a gas-guzzling Mercedes 4x4 to Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park to speak about ecological matters - and kept the engine running for part of the morning.

KATIE PRICE
Price and Andrew have enjoyed a romantic break in the Australian bush where they first met. The couple who met while making the reality show I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here in 2004, say they didn’t get up close and personal the first time round.

“We were in Australia visiting Pete’s family and we asked if we could go back to the camp and have a look at it again for our show. We’re the only people ever to be allowed back in, says Price, who drives a pink “Barbie” style Mercedes.

“It was so weird crossing that bridge again. We were standing there in the camp, which looks just the same, and we suddenly thought, ‘Ah, we can have a kiss now.’”

“We couldn’t do that at the time because we didn’t want to be snogging on camera.”

“It was so long ago and so much seems to have happened since then.”

“Not many couples stay together for four years in the showbiz world so it was nice to go back and remember how it all started.”

“We’re going to renew our wedding vows later this year, just to confirm how much we love each other.”

“It won’t be exactly like the wedding but it’ll still be huge. It’s got a theme but I can’t tell you what it is! Only I can get away with it, put it that way - very over-the-top.”

KATE MOSS
The supermodel has been seen driving around London in her new black cab after her mates reportedly clubbed together to buy it as a belated birthday present.

“Kate had been hankering after a taxi for ages but really wasn’t expecting to be given one, says a source.

“It was a supreme effort by close pals Sadie Frost, Fran and Charlotte Cutler and Jess Morris – Rhys Ifans ‘ ex - to pay Kate back for all the freebies she has given them over the years. They each contributed a quarter of the cost.”

“Both Kate and boyfriend Jamie Hince love the car and they have already lined up a few finishing touches - one of which is going to be utterly outrageous. Kate can’t wait.”

“He’s already arranged for the steering wheel to be personalised with her initials, and is getting the cab fitted with an iPod and six speakers, plus a hands-free mobile kit.”

“Kate has raised the possibility of leopard skin backseats and furry dice. No one’s sure if she’s joking or not.”

LEONA LEWIS
Superstar, Jamelia has reportedly bad-mouthed X-Factor winner Leona Lewis calling her a "poor man's Mariah Carey" and says she will "fade into obscurity eventually".

While the pop diva claims she did not make these comments, Leona refuses to bite back. "I don't know if she did say it. If she did, it's a shame, because the feeling's not mutual," says Lewis. "I think she's great. "It's quite hurtful to hear that. As female artists we shouldn't be bitching about each other, we should be supporting each other." "There are so many great young female artists - Kate Nash, Katie Melua, KT Tunstall.

"Amy Winehouse is a great performer and I know she's been through some difficult times, but people should focus on her music instead." Leona's mentor, X-Factor judge Simon Cowell is reportedly delighted with his protégé, he says: "The sales are incredible. I'm absolutely thrilled for Leona, she thoroughly deserves it.”

The X Factor winner, who recently hit the No1 slot in the US with her single ‘Bleeding Love’ hasn't had time to spend any money, other than to buy her first car, a black Mini Cooper.

WAYNE ROONEY
Image is all for the football ace, who has turned down the opportunity to appear in one of the world’s most downloaded music videos - because he thought it wasn't cool.

The Manchester United star, a big hip-hop fan, turned down a request from US rockers Nickelback to appear alongside Nelly Furtado and Gene Simmons from Kiss in their new video as he hates rock music. "It's the number one video download on iTunes and the album has shifted over seven million copies in the States, says a source.

"They wanted superstars from sport in the video too and as Ryan in the band supports Man U they approached Wayne to appear." “Rooney turned down the offer because he only listens to hip-hop and thought it would be bad for his street cred". It’s unlikely that Rooney will miss the money, a recent poll of premier league stars and their cars put Rooney at the top of the list with £750,000 worth of mega motors. Sitting in his garage at home are a Lamborghini Gallardo, Bentley Continental GT, BMW M6 and Aston Martin Vanquish.

KURT COBAIN
The troubled life of the late Kurt Cobain will soon hit the silver screens. Universal Pictures has bought the film rights to Heavier Than Heaven, Charles Cross' acclaimed biography on the Nirvana front man. Cobain carved out his iconic status at the forefront of the grunge movement in the Nineties with his astonishing mix of his guitar and disaffected lyrics.

The singer battled depression after heroin addiction, shooting himself dead in 1994, leaving behind wife Courtney Love and daughter Frances Bean.

Cobain is now the world's top-earning dead celebrity after beating Elvis Presley into second place. The estate of the former Nirvana frontman brought in an estimated £26 million last year. Cobain’s hit “Smells like Teen Spirit” also tops a poll of most popular music to listen to in your car.

JOHNNY DEPP
The Hollywood heartthrob has laughed off claims that he has been offered £5m to become the new face of American condom giant Trojan. It was rumoured that Trojan wanted Depp to front an anti-AIDS campaign to send free condoms to less economically developed countries. "There's no truth to this." Says Depp’s agent.

Meanwhile, The 'Pirates Of The Caribbean', star escaped unhurt when he ran his Mercedes up to the electric gates outside his home in Plan De La Tour on the Côte d'Azur - before smashing into them as he reversed.

TOM CRUISE
Tom Cruse and Nicole Kidman are delighted that their son Connor is to make his acting debut. The 13-year-old secured the role after impressing casting bosses at an audition for The Trial of the Chicago 7, which is to directed by Steven Spielberg

"Tom is thrilled because Connor went through the auditions like all the other children, and seems to have been given the job based on his talent, says a source: “Nicole's excited too, because Connor has wanted to act for a long time. Now he's getting his big break." Meanwhile, the car driven by Tom Cruise in action film Minority Report recently went under the hammer for £64,000. The super sleek red Lexus 2054 is just one of three models created for the movie and only has 38 miles on the odometer.

AMY WINEHOUSE
The troubled star was flash with her cash last week - treating photographers to a round of hot drinks after emerging from her Mercedes van. Winehouse reportedly handed members of the London paparazzi £20 to buy themselves a cup of coffee after waiting for the star in freezing conditions.

One of the photographers said Winehouse handed the group the money before ordering them to buy themselves "something nice".