Madonna bows out of movie career

Madonna has decided to give up on her aspirations to continue acting after overwhelming criticism of her efforts in the field.

The pop icon received acclaim for her role in the big screen version of Evita, but since then has been blasted by the press for appearing in a series of flops, the most famous example being her husband Guy Ritchie's project Swept Away.

Now the 47-year-old has resigned herself to giving up her movie career and focus on music.

She told WENN: "I hate to admit it, but I've decided to give that up. How can any film survive if everyone says it's going to be a flop from the very day the project is even conceived? It's already dead in the water."