Cohen's singing dumped from Sweeney Todd

Sacha Baron Cohen's singing has reportedly been cut from Tim Burton's forthcoming Sweeney Todd movie, because it's so bad.

The Borat and Ali G creator plays Signor Adolfo Pirelli - the arch-rival of Johnny Depp's Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street - in the big screen version of the hit musical.

British newspaper The Sun reports Burton has given Cohen permission to rap his songs, because his singing voice isn't good enough.

A film insider says: "Pirelli is a notoriously demanding role with some difficult songs.

"Any professional singer would struggle. So Sacha has been told to go for a rap style. It will be a bit like Jim Broadbent's performance in Moulin Rouge!. That won him a BAFTA.

"Sacha is going to do a fantastic job but he couldn't cut it with the singing. His voice was too low."