Hit & Run: Here come the girls

Who could forget the Oasis and Blur battle to top the singles chart in 1995? Or Victoria Beckham versus Sophie Ellis Bextor in 2000? OK, perhaps not that one. But the race to No 1 was once the epitome of pop excitement. In these days of downloads we witness fewer showdowns for top of the pops.

Until now. Step forward four of the biggest female pop artists in the world – and cue those cat-fight clichés. Next week, Britney Spears, Leona Lewis, Christina Aguilera and Beyoncé will release singles and albums in an almighty battle for the top of the UK charts.

It might seem strange for these artists to put out music at the same time. But Radio 1 DJ Greg James says the November releases are to cash in on US Thanksgiving holiday, while also leading into the worldwide Christmas market.

Britney Spears, whose career many wrote off after spells in hospital, is the favourite to win the singles battle. Not that she needs any more publicity. Her new single, "Womanizer", has garnered notice for its racy video displaying Spears in various states of undress. But what of her song? It sounds like everything she has done recently: a danceable beat, driving ultra-slick electro pop with some forgettable words.

However, don't rule out an upset from Lewis. The success of her debut album was built on big ballads, but her new single, "Forgive Me", is more upbeat. With warbling vocals, jaunty R&B tinged pop and a video featuring a girls-versus-boys dance-off, it's the sort of product Christina Aguilera made her own in the Nineties. Greg James suggests, however, there is little buzz around Lewis's effort, with limited play on Radio 1.

Now to contender number three. Back in the game after a quiet couple of years, Aguilera's "Keeps Getting Better" is an unremarkable slice of dance pop, and without the freshness of Lewis and car-crash appeal of Britney, she is going to struggle.

Finally, for her new album, I Am...Sasha Fierce, Beyoncé has taken the route of the prog-rock-style double-sided concept album, complete with an alter-ego, "Sasha Fierce". The first single, "If I Were a Boy" is a ballad stuck in second gear, but according to James, it's the song receiving the most airplay. "Overall, Beyoncé will win the battle," he tips. "She's got a massive new album, with a broader pop appeal and a great new single." Shorter term, Spears the publicity dynamo is likely to top the singles chart.

"Never underestimate the power of Britney. People are fascinated by her, but Beyoncé is a pop machine," says James.

Despite the merits of the songs, you can raise a cheer for a few stars trying to revive the long-neglected charts with a bit of competitive releasing. "You used to get a lot of this sort of thing in the Nineties, with tabloid-friendly bands such as Take That and Spice Girls releasing singles at the same time," says HMV's spokesman. "But you don't normally get a four-way battle." Larry Ryan

A lobster lunch that's fit for the crunch

Though Jane Grigson described lobster as "one of the best things to eat in the world", it is unlikely that she would have approved of the frozen Canadian crustaceans that went on sale yesterday at Lidl for a fiver apiece. "It should only be eaten at its best and in the peak of condition," declared the great food writer. "Deep-frozen lobster is a kind of denial, a bringing-down of excellence."

On the other hand, £4.99 for a 375-gram lobster is an irresistible bargain for poverty-stricken gourmets. Of the 200 delivered to our local Lidl yesterday, just two were left when I scuttled round at 3pm. "People were buying them three or four at a time," said an assistant. This is not surprising when the price of fresh Scottish lobster at Harrods is £45 per kilo.

The Lidl version looked impressive in its scarlet suit of armour. The flesh was not as creamy as its fresh European cousin, but it tasted OK. It is probably better cooked than eaten fresh.

You might be tempted to serve this handsome beast in its shell. Grilled lobster with butter was a favourite of James Bond; unfortunately, frozen lobster can turn dry under the grill. One of the best ways to cook it is in a sauce with pasta (see below) or bread.

Lobster with tagliatelle

Remove all lobster meat from the shell (discard the stomach) and roughly chop into cubes. Gently fry 1 finely chopped garlic clove in 40g of unsalted butter until tender. Add four skinned, chopped tomatoes and sauté for five minutes. Add teaspoon dried chilli flakes, 12 black olives and splash of white wine. Cook for 3 minutes. Add lobster and 12 torn-up basil leaves. Stir until lobster is warmed through. Mix with 250g boiled tagliatelle and serve. Christopher Hirst

Who wants to look like a City boy?

Forget stockbrokers' two-toned cuff-and-collar affairs: the plain white shirt has returned in a backlash against Flash Dan-machismo in the City. Dispiriting news for males who have relied on vibrant hues and custard-coloured socks as substitutes for a personality – or to mask the effectos of a late night. My crisp white shirts have nothing to do with the credit crunch. They postdate research into how preening, egotistical men mimic our simian cousins: "As monkeys flaunt brightly coloured body parts, male managers often team a dark suit with a pink shirt or tie." Sounds like monkey business. Oliver Duff

Why Elle prefers real men

Credit-crunch packed lunches make perfect sense, but a discount bloke? Surely it's time to be trading up, Elle Macpherson, not hanging out with a removal man.

Reports say the supermodel has swapped her usual gazillionaire lovers for 56-year-old Brian Burgess, who helped her move with his Aussie Man & Van firm. Maybe Elle wanted a reality check – although Burgess's conviction for drug trafficking, plus the wife and children he left in Oz following his deportation to the UK, would be enough "reality" for most.... Sophie Morris