Divorce payout forced Cher to tour

Cher had to embark on a monster tour after leaving ex-husband Sonny Bono - because a judge forced her to pay him $2m (€1.3m).

Her decision to end her partnership and marriage with Bono in 1975 cost the pair a fortune in lost contracts, and Cher was obliged to compensate her ex-husband.

She stuck to her decision however, and preferred to work off her debt, than stick in a loveless marriage.

Speaking during an 'Oprah Winfrey Show' special, which aired on yesterday, Cher said: "Sonny and I had all these contracts, that amounted to $6-7m (€3.9-4.5m). The judge said if you pull out, you have to pay him the amount he would have earned.

"I owed him $2m (€1.3m). It was hard for me. I just kept working. I stayed on the road until it was paid off."