CHRISTIE HEADS CHEESE OFFENSIVE

A British company has capitalised on crooner TONY CHRISTIE's recent reemergence in the spotlight by making him the face of their cheese.

The popular 1970s singer has scored a surprise number one hit with his "cheesy" song (IS THIS THE WAY TO) AMARILLO after it was chosen as a theme tune for British charity COMIC RELIEF's 2005 TV campaign.

And the money is continuing to roll in for Christie - he's landed a $95,000 (GBP50,000) deal to appear in a TV advert for Stilton cheese.

NIGEL WHITE from the STILTON CHEESE MAKERS ASSOCIATION says, "His success has really turned British music lovers on to easy listening - cheesy music is now the hottest thing in the charts."

Christie originally topped the chart with (Is This The Way To) Amarillo in 1971.