TIME TO CELEBRATE: 'I WANT MY AUDIENCE TO FEEL FULL OF JOY'

Showbiz legend Lulu, 75, looks ahead to her forthcoming tour and reveals her life recipe after more than 60 years in the business

-  LESLEY JONES

She may have turned 75 last month, but the low-key celebration Lulu had at home with her close family is not a sign she's slowing down. She tells OK! she was merely "saving herself for one hell of a party", as she's lined up a string of spectacular live performances next year to mark both her milestone birthday and an incredible 60 years since she first found fame with Shout.

"It's going to be really special," she tells us. "The way I celebrate best is when I'm on stage."

The Champagne For Lulu tour starts in her hometown of Glasgow, its name inspired by a line from her cameo appearance on comedy show Ab Fab. Lulu calls this "the greatest gift Jennifer Saunders could ever have given me", adding, "No matter where I go in the world - walking down the street in Sydney or Los Angeles or Spain, people shout 'champagne for Lulu' at me."

Talking about her upcoming tour, she says, "We are throwing everything we've got at it, pulling out all the stops. I want everyone to party with me. I'm going to have special guests - people I have met along the way - to come and celebrate."

And considering the famous faces Lulu has shared a stage with and recorded with over the years, that could mean audiences are in for some very special performances.

"Obviously I've travelled the world and I've worked with so many legends in my lifetime," she says.

So who could we expect? Sir Elton John, Sir Paul McCartney, Sting, Neil Diamond, not to mention Westlife and Atomic Kitten - there's an impressive list for Lulu to call on when she fancies a duet. Fans will also be banking on her reuniting with her great friends Take That to perform their number one hit Relight My Fire, especially since she was guest of honour at their Hyde Park British Summer Time show back in July.