Susan Boyle lands TV special as album tops charts
Last Updated: Friday, December 4, 2009 | 10:40 AM ET
CBC News
British singer and reality-TV sensation Susan Boyle, who released her first album on Nov. 23 in the U.K. and Nov. 24 in North America, has landed a holiday TV special. (Brendan McDermid/Reuters) Reality TV singing star Susan Boyle has landed her own TV special, the same week her debut album rocketed to the No. 1 spot in a half-dozen international markets.
British network ITV has landed Boyle for the hour-long Christmas special, to be titled — I Dreamed A Dream — the name of her album as well as the Les Misérables tune with which she stunned the world while a competitor on Britain's Got Talent in April.
The holiday season program is set to feature the 48-year-old Scottish singer performing. She will be joined by special guest stars as well as her friends and family.
Boyle set a U.K. first-day sales record for 2009, with more than 130,000 copies of her album sold. It hit No. 1 in England.
This week, she also topped the charts in the U.S., Canada, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, while her album broke into the top five in countries like the Netherlands, Argentina and Switzerland.
According to industry estimates, sales of I Dreamed a Dream topped two million in its first week.
Boyle has returned to her Scottish home in Blackburn after having promoted her album with appearances in the U.S. She postponed her sole Canadian appearance, originally slated for Nov. 26 in Toronto, until Dec. 21.
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