TV choir winners sign record deal

8:43pm Tuesday 30th September 2008

Only Men Aloud, who triumphed in BBC1's Last Choir Standing, have signed a multi-million pound record deal.

Universal Music, home to Girls Aloud and U2, said the five-album deal follows a "bidding war".

It said their debut album will hit the shops on November 17.

The official contract signing took place amid the rain at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

The choir sang Don't Rain On My Parade to celebrate.

Universal said that they only had 24 hours to seal the deal, with the choir requesting the contract was written in Welsh as well as English.

The choir was formed in May 2000 by choir master and musical director Tim Rhys-Evans, who aimed to re-invent the Welsh male voice choir tradition.

They were supported in the competition by fellow Welsh performers including Katherine Jenkins, Charlotte Church, Bryn Terfel, Aled Jones and Cerys Matthews.