Noel Gallagher has revealed that one of the most infamous splits in rock 'n' roll stemmed from a row about an ad in an Oasis tour programme.

The guitarist, who launched his solo album this morning, finally revealed the reason behind his departure from the Britpop band Oasis. 

He explained that it all came about after a row about brother Liam's demands for a free plug for his clothing range.

Noel quit the group in 2009 after years due to increased tension between the brothers.

[See also: Robbie Williams confirms Take That exit]

He said that on the night of his departure, Liam stormed into the dressing room wielding a guitar like "an axe".

"He nearly took my face off with it," he said.

Noel said he regretted the way the band ended, splitting with just two shows left to play. He added that if the group had finished the tour and had time to reflect, "we'd never have split up".

The revelation was announced during a press conference promoting his brand new album ‘Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds' - the first of two albums which have recently been completed. They will be released through his own label, Sour Mash Records, with ‘Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds' arriving in stores on 17 October 2011.

Two Noel Gallagher albums confirmed

Posted Wed 6 Jul 2011 14:46 BST by Edward Bovingdon in Behind The Music

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It appears that Robbie Williams really is set to quit Take That once again after he confirms plans for a solo tour.

He let slip news of his departure on his official website following a question from a fan asking what he wanted to say to critics of his solo performances during the Take That live shows.

"I must say I am aware that there is a perception in certain quarters and I'm enjoying throwing that perception down people's throats when I jump through the wall in L.M.E.Y (Let Me Entertain You)...I've never felt more on my game ..and it's thanks in part to the nay sayers....they have put a fire in my belly and in turn a smile on my face," (sic) he wrote on his blog.

[See also: Robbie Williams injects testosterone to ‘boost sex drive']

"I'm blessed to have them... and when the tickets go on sale for my next tour I think we'll see what 'dwindling' looks like ;)" (sic).

The group has recently been reunited with Williams after he famously fell out with band mate Gary Barlow at the peak of their fame almost 15 years ago.

The news that Take That were back with their original line-up sparked unprecedented demand for tickets to their huge UK tour and their latest album as a five-piece, ‘Progress', was the biggest-selling album of last year in the UK.

However, the 37 year-old singer has been getting a lot of stick for his 40 minute solo sections during the live shows. 

One fan, gercia82, wrote on YouTube that Gary Barlow, Mark Owen, Jason Orange and Howard Donald were "better" without the singer while another user wrote: "OMG.. Robbie's performance was terrifying"

We take a look at three of the world's most famous cooks to find out what their empires are worth. 'Screaming chefs'

Lewis Humphries,  Wednesday 6 July 2011

The most trusted and renowned chefs of our time aren't necessarily the best at their trade.

There is always someone's grandmother who bakes up a better pie than Delia Smith and French pastry chefs were mastering rich butter-based recipes centuries before Michael Roux Junior created his range of artistic desserts. And stressed out chefs have been cursing up anger-inspired offerings at your local Harvesters long before Gordon Ramsey made a reality show that seemingly relies on profanity.

Becoming one of these elite-level chefs may not always require official culinary training, but it does require a marketable personality, an obvious passion for food and the ability to get people excited about what's for dinner.

Top celebrity chefs have amassed legions of devoted apprentices who consume nearly anything the chef is attached to, allowing a select few 'Super Chefs' to build multi-million-pound empires beyond the kitchen.

Here's a look at the fame and fortunes amassed by three of the UK's favourite celebrity chefs:

Jamie Oliver - £106 million

A British chef who has taken an unusual route to prosperity, Jamie Oliver is now synonymous in the UK with revolutionising school meals to create a healthier and more nutritional menu.

Of course this has made him far more popular with adults than it has with children, and also driven the London-born chef to further feats of social entrepreneurship and attempts to unify and reform youngsters through cooking.

After leaving school at 16, he embarked on a career in cooking. Spotted while ad-libbing to the camera in a documentary about the River Café, Oliver was offered the chance of his own show — 'The Naked Chef'.

His ideas were not always well-received but his books, television appearances ('The Naked Chef' and 'Jamie's School Dinners' most prominent) and long-term role as an ambassador for UK food retailer, Sainsbury's have allowed him to build a steady portfolio and earn an estimated millions of pounds a year.

With his popular restaurant, 'Fifteen' also establishing a reputation for good quality and healthy food, Jamie Oliver and his cheeky persona have  provided a welcome tonic to the hordes of screaming, swearing chefs who littered our screens at the turn of the century.

Coupled with the books, television work and advertising deals — Oliver has also opened a chain of franchise restaurants, 'Jamie's Italian Kitchen' — worth up to £100 million — as well as lending his name to merchandise such as the 'Flavour Shaker.'

All of that has seen him become the UK's richest TV chef, with an estimated fortune of £106 million, according to the Sunday Times Rich List.

[See also: The UK's richest people]

Gordon Ramsay - £40 million
This Scottish chef was trained in Oxford and he refined his skills as a chef in restaurants throughout Europe. But anyone who's worked in a restaurant knows that the greatest proof of Gordon Ramsay's ability as a chef lies in his incredible proficiency in swearing as a motivational tool.

Truckers and sailors swap stories of the appalling language they've heard from cooks, and Ramsay's knack for inspiring, shaming and  intimidating his underlings with curses has made him legendary among his peers.

With an astonishing 27 restaurants around the globe and 12 Michelin Stars, it is strange that he is not best known for his ability as a chef. His UK rise to wider prominence came with the documentary, 'Boiling Point' which helped create his reputation as a no-nonsense and hard-hitting individual.

When you consider his subsequent success here and over the pond with 'Kitchen Nightmares', revenue from his 17 cookbooks and numerous endorsements, then you have an estimated salary of £3.5 million a year.

At one point the Scottish chef was the UK's richest cook, with a fortune estimated at £67 million in 2006, but with various litigations pending against him — including a labour suit filed by his mother-in-law — and some of his restaurants losing money and mired in debt, Ramsay's wealth has fallen.

The Scottish chef's overall worth was estimated at about £40 million by ThisIsMoney.com earlier this year.

[See also: People who went from bust to billionaire]

Nigella Lawson - £15 million

As every adolescent male and a fair few middle-aged men will testify, Nigella Lawson is one of the most popular celebrity chefs based in the UK. However, as someone who is renowned more for her appearance and flirtatious method of presenting than the quality or daring nature of her cuisine, she also remains as one of the more controversial celebrity cooking personalities across the globe.

Despite this, and the fact that she has never trained as a chef or cook, she has managed to earn a substantial living through her freelance food journalism, serialised cookery books and a highly profitable range of kitchenware items.

Her 'Living Kitchen' range of accessories and appliances best exemplifies Lawson's earning potential, as its sales afforded her revenue of more than £7 million in 2008-2009 alone. This proves both her appeal and business acumen, and these features have served her well during her 13-year career as a celebrity chef.

She has even turned her lack of classical training into a benefit, and focused instead on home style cooking and methods for making affordable and convenient meals for working professionals.

Nicknamed the "queen of food porn" by her detractors, her unique and risqué style has led to UK and US television hits like 'Nigella Bites', 'Nigella's Christmas Kitchen' and 'Nigella Express,' as well as helping her to sell more than 3 million cookbooks worldwide.

As a result of all this, her personal wealth is estimated at £15 million.

[See also: Britain's richest women]

The Bottom Line
This exposure to new cooking styles and ingredients, as well as the money-saving appeal of cooking at home has helped to propel TV chefs into the ranks of British celebrity and on a par with rock stars.

And in the same way that the most popular actors and musicians aren't necessarily the most talented, not every celebrity chef has achieved fame purely for their skills over the stove. The right "recipe" of charisma, skill and passion makes for an influential chef who can become a marketable brand that is the base for an empire of can't-miss restaurants, TV shows, books, cookware, gadgets and whatever else they can dream up.

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