Clay Aiken welcomes baby boy

Clay Aiken has become the father of a baby boy.

The American Idol runner-up welcomed son Parker Foster Aiken with close friend and record producer Jaymes Foster in North Carolina yesterday morning.

Aiken's mum Faye told local radio station WRAL that the new arrival weighed in at 6 lbs 2 oz, and that mother and baby were "doing fine". She added that Aiken, 29, was "smiling from ear to ear".

Aiken met Foster, who is thought to be around 50 years old, while he was a contestant on the talent search in 2003. She has since worked on several of his albums.

The platonic friends conceived Parker through artificial insemination and will raise him together.