STICKY IT TO 'EM

THEY call her the Queen Of Pop and it was in regal style that Madonna kicked off her Sticky & Sweet tour last night-arriving on stage on a black and gold THRONE.

CLICK HERE FOR PICS OF MADONNA'S OPENING NIGHT

More than 40,000 fans in Cardiff's Millennium Stadium gasped as the superstar singer emerged wearing sexy black Givenchy bodice, black hotpants, fishnet stockings and knee-high lace-up boots.

Surrounded by four male dancers in top hats and suits, she shouted: "All right, Cardiff? That's what I'm talking about!"

The pop icon had kept her fans waiting, kicking off the Sticky & Sweet show more than half an hour late at 9.05pm with a video playing on four giant screens across the stage.

The film of a pink and white candy production line accompanied her opening track, Candy Store. Next up was Beat Goes On, with Madonna standing in a white convertible car which drove 60ft out into the crowd on a runway.

Then she whipped off her bodice, twirling it round her head before launching it into the crowd and revealing a see-through black top.

Madonna then showed her versatility, picking up a guitar for third number of the night, Human Nature.

Old favourites such as Into The Groove, La Isla Bonita and Like A Prayer were scheduled for later in the show, which was split into four parts with video interludes to allow for costume changes.

The sexy fishnet tights which figure in many of those costumes are all bought second-hand by her staff after scouring eBay and dance shops.

Madonna's team have snapped up 100 pairs, including her famous net leggings and old-style weave pantyhose. They will take 30 wardrobe trunks to each venue after work on costumes from 36 different designers.

But the most staggering statistics from the tour surround the fortune it is generating.

Madonna is raking in a jaw-dropping £153.45MILLION from the Sticky & Sweet tour. The Material Girl will be making £3,568,023 for each of the 43 two-hour gigs-that's £29,733 every MINUTE she's on stage.

It was thought her hubby-Lock, Stock director Guy Ritchie-was in the stadium to watch his wife in action last night, despite rumours their eight-year marriage is on the rocks.

In July, Madonna denied planning to divorce Guy after being linked with American baseball idol Alex Rodriguez.

It had been claimed Madge had even introduced separated 'A-Rod' to her mystical Jewish religion Kabbalah.

But Madonna said: "My husband and I are not planning on getting a divorce.

"I know Alex Rodriguez through Guy Oseary, who manages both of us. I am not romantically involved with him."