Obamamania met Beatlemania Thursday, as Liverpool hosted an MTV Europe Music Awards show energized by the city’s musical heritage and the U.S. presidential election.

Pink and Kanye West took home prizes — Britney Spears won two — and stars on the stage included Beyonce, Kid Rock and former Beatle Paul McCartney.

But the absent president-elect was given star status, too.

Singer Katy Perry, who hosted the show and also was named best new act, appeared in a dress emblazoned with Obama’s face and quipped that “maybe Europeans will love us again now.”

Her co-host, 30 Seconds to Mars singer Jared Leto, wore an Obama T-shirt and urged the 10,000-strong crowd at Liverpool’s Echo Arena to yell “Congrats, Barack.”

Hometown pride was also on display in the Beatles’ birthplace, with McCartney receiving an “ultimate legend” award from U2 singer Bono.

Bono hailed the ex-Beatle as “St. Paul McCartney” and the “one person in this hall tonight whose work is immortal.”

McCartney’s acceptance speech was more modest, saying: “I want to thank my mum and dad,” going on to pay tribute to his bandmates in The Beatles, the people of Liverpool and Americans, “for voting in Senator Obama.”

Backstage, McCartney said he had a song he thought the new U.S. leader would like for his wife, Michelle Obama — the Beatles ballad “Michelle.”

Host Perry emerged at the start of the ceremony in a U.S. football uniform and straddling a giant tube of Chapstick — a reference to her song “I Kissed a Girl” that set the tone for a slick, lightly sassy show with plenty of star power.

Beyonce, The Killers, Pink and Kanye West all performed, West alongside British singer Estelle on their hit “American Boy.”

It was West’s second onstage appearance at the European awards — but the first time by invitation. The rapper stormed the stage at the 2006 show in Copenhagen after he failed to win the Best Video prize, telling the crowd that “if I don’t win, the awards show loses credibility.”

This year West was a perfect gentleman, accepting his prize for “ultimate urban” act with a polite “this is for my fans.”

The winners of the awards, which are presented in a different European country each year, are selected by fans across the continent. They are broadcast on 21 channels in 40 European countries.

Comeback kid Britney Spears was not on hand to collect her two awards — best act of 2008 and best album, for “Blackout.”

Pink’s “So What” was named most addictive track, German band Tokio Hotel were named headliners of the year, and 30 Seconds to Mars took home two prizes — the “rock out” award and the trophy for best video.

The “best act ever” prize went to ’80s crooner Rick Astley, who is enjoying a career renaissance thanks to the “Rickrolling” phenomenon, in which seemingly unrelated Internet links lead to a video of Astley’s 1987 hit “Never Gonna Give You Up.”

The ceremony was a source of pride for Liverpool, a gritty, historically rich port city that has been designated European Capital of Culture for 2008.

Sir Paul McCartney and his estranged wife Heather Mills had a furious argument yesterday over claims that she cheated on him.

The former couple was thought to be close to finalizing their divorce in the High Court this week, but sources say Heather Mills is worried that the revelations will jeopardize her £55million settlement.

A Sunday newspaper alleged that she cheated on 65-year-old musician for six months near the start of their relationship.

The affair ended before the couple was married in 2002.

According to a claim, Miss Mills, 40, is said to have “romped” with film editor Tim Steel the night before joining Sir Paul on a romantic holiday in 2000.

Tim Steel revealed, “I didn’t mind, I suppose I was flattered that Heather still wanted to have sex with me despite being pursued by this musical demi-god. I would be with her when he called or texted her. She’d even show me the texts.”

The film editor also added even consulted him about marrying Paul, but she was only interested in marrying him because of the opportunities it would bring her, saying, “Marriage to him opened lots of doors for her – and that’s the only reason she did it. …I guess I hung around because I really didn’t think Heather and Paul would last. He was an old bloke and I knew what Heather was like. She was only in love with what Paul could do for her. She loved the idea of being Lady MCCartney.”

The revelations from Mr. Steel came the day before Sir Paul and Heather were due to face each other in court to finalize their divorce.

Heather Mills was set to walk away with £55million – a £20million lump sum and £2.5million a year until their daughter Beatrice turns 18.

However, the cheating speculation prompted a furious phone call last night.

A source said, “Heather called Paul to see if everything was set. The conversation quickly turned the weekend’s papers and in particular the story about Heather’s alleged infidelity.”

The source added, “Heather played it down, calling it ‘just the tabloids’. Paul was less impressed. He said: ‘I’ll see you in court’.”

Renee Zellweger, who played the role of Bridget Jones, strode onto the red carpet for the premiere of latest movie “Bee Movie” in London.

A gust of wind carried the actress’ dress away revealing a rather severe split up her thigh, which you could see here.

When she posed for photographers, she again unintentionally flashed when she bent down to rearrange the polka dot creation as it wound uncomfortably around her leg. You could see her photo here.

The 38-year-old actress joked, “It is soaking wet. I am like a sponge. My dress weighs another six stones.”

But she appeared to get offended when it was suggested her curves had disappeared, saying, “Are you telling me my curves are absent? I think I am doing very well, thank you very much. I don’t have a fitness regime as such, it is more of a lifestyle thing. It is about keeping my sanity.”

When asked whether she was dating Sir Paul McCartney after they were spotted enjoying dinner together recently, she answered, “I have not seen him since I have been in London.”

Sir Paul McCartney has slammed rumors that his former band mate John Lennon was secretly gay.

There are claims that John Lennon have had affairs with men as well as women, before and during his marriages to Cynthia Lennon and Yoko Ono – but Paul McCartney only saw him with women.

In an interview for British newspaper, Sir Paul McCartney revealed, “What I spotted was the opposite. It was just chicks, chicks, chicks.”

A gig of Sir Paul McCartney on the same street overshadowed the first interview of Paris Hilton since her release from jail.

Paris Hilton served 23 days of a 45-day sentence after being found guilty of violating her probation from a drink-driving arrest last year.

The “Stars Are Blind” singer was interviewed on Cnn’s Larry King Live last Wednesday. But unlike the majority of interviews, her one-on-one with King was pre-recorded because of a nearby concert featuring McCartney.

The former Beatle performed a special in-store gig on Wednesday at Sunset Boulevard record store Amoeba Music – the same street as the Cnn building. And the large crowds eager to see the music legend meant Hilton’s interview was filmed earlier, reports Access Hollywood.

Simon Cowell, the “American Idol” judge, has increased his rank in the Britain’s Rich List after amassing a $200 million fortune.

Simon is currently the 700th richest person in Britain, shooting up an incredible 244 places from 944th in the annual poll conducted by Britain’s Sunday Times newspaper.

The “American Idol” judge increased his assets by 80 million dollars in the past 12 months, almost doubling his bank balance, due to the success of the U.S. television talent show and several hit programs made by his U.K. production company SYCO, including “X Factor.” He also signed a staggering $40 million deal with British TV network ITV.

An industry source revealed, “Simon Cowell is the man with the Midas touch. Not only for him but for ITV, too. He’s simply the hottest and most important showbiz talent around right now.”
Simon, 46, has now superseded singer Robbie Williams, whom Simon recently told to “get a grip” when the singer entered rehab for addiction to painkillers.

The troubled star only increased his wealth last year by $10 million to $190 million after his album “Rudebox” flopped.

Sir Paul McCartney, who recently hit the headlines with divorce, is the richest man in pop with $1.5 billion, which secured him in 102nd place of the list.

Lakshmi Mittal, a steel tycoon, holds the number one spot, 56, who has amassed an amazing $38 billion.

It was a good thing that Sir Paul McCartney, 64-year-old former Beatle, was not at home when an intruder tried to break into his British mansion last Friday. He was having lunch locally with friends when the terrifying incident happened.

The man drove into Sir Paul’s Peasmarsh estate, in Sussex. It was reported that the intruder was screaming, “I must get to him.” Security guards tried to stop the man reaching Paul’s home by activating an emergency gate, but it was only after he had managed to get within yards of Paul’s house.

A source revealed, “It was terrifying. This guy put the fear of God into everyone because they thought he wanted to kill Paul. This was the most frightening incident they’ve ever had at Peasmarsh.” The source added, “Everyone was terrified that the guy could turn nasty. No one knew if he was armed.”

The intruder, who fled on the scene, was arrested after a three-mile chase. He has detained under the Mental Health Act in a local psychiatric hospital. He is not facing criminal charges.

A police spokesman revealed, “We received a call from a security officer at Peasmarsh and later arrested a man at his home address. He was initially arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and failing to stop when challenged by police.”

Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills McCartney are very busy with their current divorce case. The celebrity couple attended a hearing with their legal teams on Wednesday. Sir Paul, a former Beatle and singer was accompanied by his legal counsel Fiona Shackleton, while Heather Mills, a model turned anti-land mine campaigner, attended with her solicitor Anthony Julius, who won a £17 million divorce settlement for Princess Diana.

Neither of the celebrity couple was called to the stand during the hearing, they let their legal counsels do the talking. The divorce will determine a custody agreement over the couple’s three-year-old daughter Beatrice and a financial settlement. Heather Mills McCartney would not be using her title of ‘Lady’ or ‘McCartney’ as her surname. She said that she would use her former name of Heather Mills.