I'll take New York, says Martine

Martin McCutcheon is planning an assault on the US stage.

The ex-Eastenders star - who was virtually unknown in the US until she was Liza Minnelli's bridesmaid at the weekend - has been in talks with New York show producers with a view to hiring out Radio City Music Hall to put on a run of big-band shows.

The idea came about after McCutcheon chatted with Minnelli during her wedding reception at the Wall Street Regent Hotel. Minnelli was overheard telling her about her own new run of big-band nights at the Royal Albert Hall which start next month.

One of McCutcheon's close friends said: "Martine, her manager and a producer met for lunch on Monday. They were going through costings for what Martine called a big-band 'swing-style' show."