London: Charlotte Church revealed that she gave up a 100,000-pound fee in exchange for a favourable publicity, when she was asked to sing at Rupert Murdoch’s wedding at the age of 13.
The 25-year-old Welsh star told the Leveson Inquiry that she was asked to sing at Murdoch’s wedding to Wendi Deng in 1999.
The opera singer said in a statement that she was offered the six-figure fee, but was told if she waived it, she would be looked upon favourably by Murdoch’s papers.
The inquiry heard News International denied the offer was made.
“I remember being told that Rupert Murdoch had asked me to sing at his wedding to Wendi Deng and it would take place on his yacht in New York,” the Telegraph quoted Church as saying.
“I remember being told that the offer of money or the offer of the favour, in order to basically get good press, to be looked upon favourably.
“And I also remember being 13 and thinking, ‘why on earth would anybody take a favour over 100,000 pounds?’”
She said that she and her mother were both quite “resolute” about accepting the money, but were urged by her management and figures from the record company into taking the option of the favour from a “powerful man” like Murdoch.
ANI
