Paolo Nutini gets first big royalty cheque and blows it on car for his mum

Sep 7 2008 By Billy Sloan

PAOLO NUTINI has splashed out on a TVR Chimaera sports car - but cannot drive it out of his garage.

The Scots singer snapped it up after finally receiving the first big royalty cheques for million-selling 2006 debut album, These Streets.

But the 21-year-old cannot drive and has gifted the car to his mum Linda as a thank you for supporting him.

Paolo said: "It's a beautiful TVR Chimaera four-litre - a burgundy soft-top with a cream leather interior.

"All the power in the car is at the back so it feels like the Batmobile when it takes off.

"My mum and dad always supported me so it was a nice feeling to buy her the car."

Paolo - who scored hits with Last Request and New Shoes - hopes to pass his driving test so he can get behind the wheel.

He has been learning in an old banger which his parents use at their Paisley chip shop.

He said: "It's an old Renault Clio they use for deliveries so it stinks of fish and chips."

Paolo is set to join an elite club of Scots pop millionaires which includes Annie Lennox, Jim Kerr of Simple Minds and KT Tunstall.

He said: "A few big royalty cheques have come in.

"I put them into my bank account and didn't even look at them. It felt good.

"I probably have the means to be a millionaire but I'm not quite there yet."

Adding to his fortune is a £400,000 deal with Puma sportswear, who are using his hit New Shoes in a campaign.

To launch it, he performed at the Beijing Olympics and sung a surprise duet - Bob Marley classic One Love - with the world's fastest man, Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt.

The honour is the latest highlight in an incredible 18 months for the star.

He has also opened for the reformed Led Zeppelin, had a coast-to-coast tour of America and seen his songs used on hit TV shows Grey's Anatomy and CSI: Miami.

Paolo is enjoying fame and fortune - even if it sometimes has a down side.

He said: "I like going to movie premieres.

"I went to the opening of the new Batman film, The Dark Knight, in London and it was good seeing Christian Bale. But with that comes all the other stuff.

"Sometimes you'll get a real a******* come up and say, 'You can't sing for s***.' "Most people think you're cool but there are always others who want to have a go just to see how you'll react."

Despite his heavy schedule, Paolo has found time for longterm girlfriend Teri Brogan.

So does he have any plans to follow in the footsteps of Scots singerAmy MacDonald, who has just got engaged to footballer Steve Lovell?

"Am I getting engaged too? What, to Stevie Lovell? I don't want to break Amy and him up just yet," joked Paolo.

"I've no plans to get engaged. But am I still madly in love? Yes, I'd say so."

I'm learning to drive in an old Clio that stinks of fish and chips

Paolo Nutini

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