IT is so easy to be irritated by the world of celebrity - and the trend for signing up "stars" to appear on stage with scant regard for their actual talent is a major bug bear.

Apparently Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber was "devastated" when actress Scarlett Johansson turned down the lead role in the Sound Of Music.

But when there are so many dedicated musical actresses out there, why did he feel the need to approach the Hollywood starlet in the first place?

Johansson's singing voice in Lost In Translation hardly seemed up to the strain of being Maria, and the news that she has recorded an album of Tom Waits covers doesn't really recommend her for trilling "the hills are alive..."

And meanwhile, there are those who would much rather grace the West End than Hollywood Boulevard - why not let them do their job and let Scarlett get on with hers?