Rihanna has won her battle with exhaustion after completing work on a new album as she tours.

The R&B star was forced to cancel shows in Sweden at the end of last month (Oct11) after falling ill when the pressures of late-night studio sessions and concerts took their toll on her health.

She says, "I'm just doing a lot, touring and trying to finish a record all at the same time. (There were) all these deadlines... and my immune system kinda got a little weak and I got sick.

"I'm a lot better now. The album's done, so I get to sleep at night instead of (going to the) studio. That helps a lot."

But the Umbrella singer won't conclude her current Loud tour until 23 December (11).

She says, "I don't see America officially until next year (12)... I will be on tour until the day before Christmas Eve."

And she already knows what she wants for Christmas: "I'm thinking about sleep with a big bow on it."

Folk icon James Taylor is to make his theatre debut next month (Dec11) as Bob Cratchit in a Massachusetts production of CHARLES DICKENS' A CHRISTMAS CAROL.

Taylor's wife Kim will play Mrs. Cratchit in the Berkshire Theatre Company play and the couple's twins will also be a part of the show, which begins at the Colonial Theatre in Pittfield, Massachusetts on 17 December (11).

Director Eric Hill, who will play Scrooge in the play, tells the Berskhire Eagle that You've Got a Friend singer Taylor makes the perfect Cratchit: "There are a lot of direct parallels between James and Bob Cratchit... Cratchit is a natural, self-effacing character, humble, very unassuming and gentle, trying to find the right path through difficult challenges. James seems to have a natural instinct for such situations."

It won't be Taylor's first acting role - he played The Driver in cult 1971 movie Two-Lane Blacktop.

The original members of Black Sabbath have confirmed they're heading back into the studio to record an album of new material with top producer Rick Rubin.

Ozzy Osbourne, Bill Ward, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler reunited for a press conference at the Whiskey A-Go-Go in Los Angeles on Friday morning (11Nov11) - the 41st anniversary of their first concert at the fabled venue - to announce big plans for 2012.

As well as recording their first studio album together since 1978, the group will tour the world and headline Britain's Download Festival in June (12).

Earlier this month (Nov11), guitarist Iommi revealed the band had secretly regrouped and rehearsed at Osbourne's home in California.

He told Billboard.com, "It was for a bit of fun, and to see if we could all play. It was good, but it was just purely, 'Let's have a go and see what happens.'"

The four original members of the group reunited on and off between 1997 and 2006 for live events, but a feud over the band's name drove a wedge between Iommi and Osbourne and led to a brief legal battle which has since been dropped.

James Franco is planning to contact dead playwright Tennessee Williams through an Ouija board in New York on Sunday (13.11.11).

James Franco is planning to contact dead playwright Tennessee Williams through an Ouija board.

The '127 Hours' actor will try and connect with the spirit of the 'A Streetcar Named Desire' writer, who died in 1983, as part of a piece of performance art in New York on Sunday (13.11.11).

James will use the Ouija board – decorated with numbers and letters and traditionally used to contact the dead - alongside artist Laurel Nakadate in the city's Elysee Hotel, in the room in which Tennessee died.

When asked why he chose the playwright as the subject of the piece – entitled 'Three Performances in Search of Tennessee' - James told New York magazine: "Tennessee is a wonderful example of someone who's taken their own experiences and transformed them into art

"When I create work solely from myself I get bored with it, I don't work as hard, I don't give my ideas as much patience or respect.

"Using other people's work as a source pulls me out of myself."

For the second and third parts of the work, James and Laurel will hold open auditions for Williams' play 'The Glass Menagerie', one to find the female part of Laura, and one to find the male part of Tom.

Any passing member of the public will be able to step up to the microphone and audition, but James and Laurel will intervene as 'Directors'.

The Saturdays singer Una Healy has revealed her friend Zara Phillips - the granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth - is ''brilliant fun'' to hang out with.

Una Healy has "so much fun" with Zara Phillips.

The Saturdays singer has become friends with the British royal through their England rugby player partners, Ben Foden and Mike Tindall, and she has revealed Zara - who is Queen Elizabeth's granddaughter - is great to hang out with.

However, pregnant Una admits she was disappointed not to be able to have any alcohol at Zara and Mike's wedding in July.

Una - who is expecting her first child with Ben - said: "Zara is brilliant, so much fun. I was disappointed I couldn't have a few drinks and have fun with her, because she knows that's what I'd normally be like.

"It was such a beautiful wedding - the setting, ceremony and weather - everything was perfect."

At the time of Zara and Mike's wedding, Una had not announced her pregnancy so claimed she had been stricken with tonsillitis in order to avoid questions about why she wasn't drinking alcohol.

She said: "I was quite nervous because I knew there'd be a few drinks going down and it would be noticed I wasn't touching alcohol. I had to lie and say I had tonsillitis, which was clearly untrue as I was chatting away. I felt awful about that."

Ricky Gervais doesn't think he will ever retire from showbusiness because he's always got so many ideas for TV shows and other projects.

Ricky Gervais could never retire.

The 50-year-old star - who has written and appeared in sitcoms such as 'The Office' and 'Extras' - says it would be hard for him not to work as he's always coming up with new ideas.

Ricky - who is about to launch his latest comedy TV series 'Life's Too Short' - said: "I couldn't retire. When I have a day off I think of three new ideas that I want to do."

The actor also says he is now dealing with fame a lot better than he did when he first found major success.

He said: "I'm coping with it better now. At first I dreaded it - I didn't want to be lumped into the same category as those people who just want fame.

"You can't sell every salacious detail of your life and then complain about things - particularly the people who do it with their kids. They'll do anything for a column inch."

Ricky turned 50 earlier this year but insists reaching the landmark date didn't bother him, because he is really enjoying life at the moment.

He said: "People talk about it because it's got a zero on the end but the past 10 years have been the best."

Kasabian singer Tom Meighan has hinted the band is set to headline the Hard Rock Calling festival at London's Hyde Park next year.

Kasabian have hinted they are headlining next year's Hard Rock Calling festival.

The group plan to do some massive open-air concerts in the UK next year, including one in their hometown of Leicester, and frontman Tom Meighan has suggested they will perform at the annual event in London's Hyde Park.

He said: "We still really want to do a big show in Leicester some time.

"We want to do four big gigs next summer - one in the Midlands, one in Scotland, one in the north of England and one in London. Hyde Park's calling."

Asked if he was suggesting Kasabian would be playing the festival, he added: "It's calling us. I think it needs to be done."

The 'Days Are Forgotten' hitmakers are set to headline The O2 arena in London on New Year's Eve (31.12.11) and Tom can't wait to play their new album 'Velociraptor!' at the incredible venue.

He said: "It's gonna be mega, empire. It's going to be a big party, a big great music event.

"To play 'Velociraptor!' live in an arena will be pounding, it'll be f***ing pounding."