Name: Cher; Occupation: Rock chick, pink pound diva and movie queen

Full name: Cherilyn Sarkasian LaPierre (or LaPier or Lapiere; each pop history book differs)

Born: May 21 1946, El Centro, California

Why is she in the news?: Announcing her Farewell Tour in Britain, her first and last UK shows for five years

Didn't she say farewell last year in the USA?: Yes, when the North American leg of the Farwell Tour spanned 202 shows, including six sold-out nights at New York's Madison Square Garden. She played to 2.2 million fans in what became the biggest ever American tour by a female pop artiste and said goodbye with The Farewell Tour DVD recorded in Las Vegas

So how come Cher is heading for Britain?: "I toured so long in America I wasn't sure I would make it overseas but I'm very proud of this show. I think I'm going out on a high and I wanted to share it with all my UK fans"

Where will she play in Yorkshire?: Sheffield Hallam FM Arena, May 19 2004, where she last performed on the Believe Tour five years ago

Biggest Sonny and Cher hits: I Got You Babe, number one in UK and USA, 1965; Baby Don't Go, number 11, 1965; Little Man, number four, 1966; All I Ever Need Is You, number eight, 1972

Peachiest solo hits: All I Really Want To Do, number nine, 1965; Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down), number three, 1966; Gypsies Tramps And Thieves, number four, 1971; I Found Someone, number five, 1987; If I Could Turn Back Time, number six, 1989; Just Like Jesse James, number 11, 1990; The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss), number one, 1991; Love And Understanding, number ten, 1991; Love Can Build A Bridge, number one, 1995; Walking In Memphis, number 11, 1995; One By One, number seven, 1996; Believe, number one, 1998

Meat Loaf moment: Boosted by unforgettable promotional video, duet Dead Ringer For Love reached number five in 1981. Cher's contribution was not credited on record

Last British hit: The Music's No Good Without You, 2003

Celluloid Cher: Good Times, 1968; Come Back To The Five And Dime , Jimmy Dean, 1983; Silkwood, 1983; Mask, 1985; The Witches Of Eastwick, 1987; Moonstruck (Oscar-winning performance), 1987; Suspect, 1987; Mermaids, 1990; The Player, 1992; Pret-a-Porter, 1994; Faithful, 1996; Tea With Mussolini, 1999

Tickets for Sheffield: £45, £35; ring Arena box office on 0114 256 5656.

Updated: 15:52 Thursday, February 19, 2004