Doherty to release solo album

Pete Doherty has finished recording his first solo album and hopes to release it later this year.

The 28-year-old star, who is about to enter the studio to tape a second disc with his band Babyshambles, hopes his record label will also allow him to release his solo debut - untouched.

"Well to be honest, I think it's pretty much done," he said. "It's just now trying to convince the record company that everything doesn't need to be highly polished."

However a record company source tells NME.com: "We're really keen to release Pete's acoustic record at some point in the future, but not until after the next Babyshambles album, that will come out first."