MADONNA - MADONNA STILL A MATERIAL GIRL

Pop goddess MADONNA is expanding her empire with a classy new Beverly Hills, California mansion.

Only a few weeks ago the singer listed her previous Beverly Hills home - a 2,100 square metre (7,000 square foot) Spanish-style hacienda which she bought from actress DIANE KEATON in 2000 - for $10.9 million (GBP7.3 million).

The sale sparked reports that Madonna and her film director husband GUY RITCHIE were set to abandon America entirely to make their permanent home in London.

But the AMERICAN LIFE superstar has put the speculation to rest with the purchase of a $13 million (GBP8.6 million) spread.

The 3,535 square metre (11,600 square foot) French Norman-style mansion that THE FUGITIVE star SELA WARD put on the market a few days ago boasts seven bedrooms, 15 bathrooms, a screening room, a library, a gym, a sauna, two guesthouses, a tennis court, a steam room and a swimming pool.

Madonna is in Los Angeles preparing to shoot the video for her next single HOLLYWOOD, in which she goes glam in an assortment of multi-hued wigs.