Charlotte Church announces pregnancy

03/01/2007 1:47 PM, AP
The Associated Press

Welsh singer Charlotte Church, who has performed for President Clinton and Pope John Paul II, announced Thursday that she is pregnant. According to her Web site, Church and rugby star-boyfriend Gavin Henson are "delighted."

"In an ideal world, we would not have made this announcement so early in the pregnancy," the Web site said. "However, due to recent speculation and persistent questions from the media about this most private of matters, Charlotte felt she had no choice other than to go public and she was keen to ensure that her fans had the opportunity to read the truth here first."

Speculation began about Church's pregnancy when she was seen avoiding alcohol at her 21st-birthday party.

Church, who sang at the closing ceremonies of the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, hosts her own show on British television. She was named GQ's Woman of the Year in 2005.

Spotted performing on a TV talent show at ll, Church released her first album, "Voice of an Angel," in 1998. The collection of listener-friendly songs, including "Danny Boy," "Amazing Grace" and Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Pie Jesu" — Church's signature tune — sold more than 600,000 copies in Britain and topped the classical album chart.

___

On the Net:

Charlotte Church:

http://www.charlottechurch.com/