Opera superstar Luciano Pavarotti upset organisers at this week's (23NOV03) Royal Variety Performance in Scotland, after demanding two theatre dressing rooms and a fully fitted kitchen in his Edinburgh hotel suite.

The heavyweight tenor headlined Monday's event - which was watched by QUEEN ELIZABETH II - but only after organisers met his outrageous demands.

According to British newspaper The Sun, the 68-year-old turned up so late he didn't have time to use either of the dressing rooms set aside for him and also upset the event schedule by singing one instead of two songs.

Sources say he was also so uneasy while being introduced to The Queen after the performance, singer Gloria Estefan and comedian Dame Edna Everage had to prop up his colossal 158 kilogram (25 stone) frame.

Pavarotti's spokesperson has blamed his bad behaviour on a knee injury: "He hurt in before the show but was determined to appear."

26/11/2003 02:21