The chequered flags were out in London for the thirteenth Gumball 3000 Rally. The Gumball Rally 3000 crosses 10 countries in 7 days including a glamorous pit stop for the Monaco F1.

This year’s competitors included Ruff Ryders first Lady Eve. Back on the grid for  the second time, the Billboard busting rapper whose hits include Let There Be Eve and her 2001 follow-up album, Scorpion, featuring the single  ‘Whose That Girl’ will be hopping to replicate the No.1 spot with her co-partner and founder Maximillion Cooper.

Competing for poll position include NFL All stars, Reggie Bush and Ndamukong Suh. Also hoping to put a dent in the oppositions chances of success will be American Rapper BunB.

MTV’s Dirty Sanchez aka Matt Pritchard and Lee Denton were lucky to make it to the starting line following some crazy pranks which ended in a fight in the back of a black cab which left one of them floored.

   The day after the night before

The night before was a raucous affair and come to think of it, it was a wonder anyone actually made it to the start. Eve arrived looking quite serene; she dropped her guard four hours later revealing her pink thong.

Guests Rnb talent  Royston, Aisha Mckenzie  Model agent and  choreographer, Mason Smillie, Publicist  Emmanuel, Dynamo, Vanessa White  (Saturdays) and the gorgeous Melody Thornton (Pussycat Dolls) were rocking at the Playboy club in Mayfair.

The following morning fresh faced and ready to rock Eve and her co/partner were ready to face the world and were the first to leave. Wearing less jewels than the previous year Eve was keeping a low profile. ‘It was an emotional send off.’ said an observer.

The roads now clear of Obama blockades the rally set off from Covent Garden, next stop Paris.

To keep up-to date with drivers progress which include video footage you can subscribe to Sparkle. Sparkle is a new subscription based mobile video service. Sparkle brings you video messages from the stars direct and unedited.

www.m.globalsparkle.com or in the UK text Go Sparkle Gum to 60064 and see the whole of Gumball 3000 Rally for just £3

   Celebs around town

Alexandra Burke rocks  at Mahike.

Hard working Alexandra Burke rocked  in her collaborative JLS  clothing line, 2kx at Mahike night  club.  They were previously dinning out at Kayaci.

Fantastic  breakthrough artist Jodie Connor was also spotted at Mahike in Mayfair.

   Riding the Reggae riddim

South of the river we’ve already heard rave reviews of a new dancehall riddim, Underdog which has been hailed as this summer dancehall anthem.  

Introduced by Bacpay Records the  compilation includes artists such as Future Star and Savana.

    Celebrities  spotted around town

Top comedian and entrepreneur Richard Blackwood was spotted in Covent Garden.

    Why paparazzi ‘called time’ on Thriller?

Thriller Live celebrated its  thousand performance however not everything went according to plan wit regards  to the press.

Shortly after these pictures were taken paparazzi walked out on the job leaving the show with the liklihood of limited exposure in the press.

Despite  so many events taking place on the same day the fact that at least eight photographers attended the event was a good result. However following what has to be the statement of  the year photographers downed tools and  walked.

“We simply had to call  time on Thriller Live following the comments made by  the front-desk .” said a  snapper.

“We were told aggresively that celebrities were  here to  see the play and not to do pictures so we all left, most of  us didn’t even bother to send in our pictures to the agencies.

“We can only conclude that Thriller Live does not need any  extra exposure in the press.”

Another photographer  said: “Why bother to  inform media agencies on which  celebrities were coming if they don’t want press.”

Patrick Allan from the Drifters who attended the after party at Planet  Hollywood said: “When I came to the  show last year there were so  many  photographers. Those comments should not  have been made, it does not make sense.”

Thriller Live had to compete on the day with events such as JLS video launch, Rebbecca Furguson at the Grosvenor, Paul Smith fragrance launch and Alexandra Burke at Mahike.

“Photographers will only go to events in which there is a strong likelihood that they can sell  in pictures. In reality Thriller is classified as niche market.” said Mark Weir from  Flyer Newspaper.

The Gumball Rally rumbled into London for the first leg of the inter-continental journey. Stretching over 3000 miles and taking eight days to complete, the stars were seen revving up their engines in Piccadilly, London today.

Stars from the celebrity world taking part this year included; Xzibit, Eve, Jodie Kidd, Caprice, Michael Madsen, DJ Muggs, Jade Jagger, Idris Elba, Tony Hawk.

The rally departed from London today, May 1 before visiting Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Boston, Quebec City, and Toronto and will end in New York on May 7.

The pre party event was held in The Crypt in St Martins Lane, Covent Garden. Rapper Eve and Xzibit arrived at 10.30pm and left early. However Eve confided that she was feeling a little worse-for wear and refused to take off her sunglasses the next day.

Xzibit however nearly missed the photo-cal as he was spotted signing autographs several miles away from the start.

Suffering from a sprained ankle from playing football Idris Elba (Striger Bell The Wire) arrived at the event on crutches. It took Idris several minutes to get into his car.

Wearing African print leggings, Egyptian bangles and chequered finger nails, Eve added a touch of star quality to this event.

Donning a pair of wedged Cubans complete with gold crusted sovereigns on her fingers, Eve formed part of an all-female line-up of drivers.

Driving a Bentley convertible GT, Eve made sure that at today’s event the Car was most definitely NOT the biggest star on show today.

The firt leg of the Gumball Rally 2010 departed from London at 14.30pm GMT