MORRISSEY - MAGAZINE ISSUES APOLOGY TO MORRISSEY

British singer MORRISSEY has won the first step in the battle to clear his name after a U.K. magazine ran an interview featuring alleged "racist" remarks from the star. The former Smiths frontman launched a libel lawsuit against NME magazine, accusing the publication of damaging his reputation and "labelling him a racist in order to boost their diminishing circulation". Morrissey subsequently sued The Word magazine, claiming it repeated the NME's "defamatory statements". And the You Have Killed Me hitmaker has now won apology from The Word after a court hearing in London earlier this week (beg31Mar08). The star is pleased to have secured the retraction and is now focusing on his ongoing court battle with the NME. He says, "I am obviously delighted with this victory and the clearing of my name in public where it is loud and clear for all to hear. The NME have calculatedly tried to damage my integrity and to label me as a racist. Word Magazine made the mistake of repeating those allegations, which they now accept are false and, as a result, have apologised in Open Court. "I will now continue to pursue my legal action against the NME and its editor until they do the same."