Miley Cyrus to tour UK, not as "Hannah Montana"

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Teen pop sensation Miley Cyrus has announced dates for her first UK tour which will start in December, as she continues to build a pop music career in her own right rather than as her alter-ego Hannah Montana.
Cyrus, 16, who plays a schoolgirl with a secret identity as rock star Hannah Montana in the hit Disney series and movie, will perform two nights at London's O2 Arena on December 13 and 14.

She will then travel to Dublin, Birmingham and Manchester for a further six dates. Cyrus, the daughter of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, will be supported by Metro Station, the band of her older brother Chase.

The tour comes on the back of the release of "Breakout," her first album as herself and without featuring Hannah Montana.

Last week Cyrus announced 45 dates for a North American tour which starts in September.

Cyrus has become one of the biggest teen idols in the world since landing a role in 2006 in the Disney Channel's "Hannah Montana" sitcom.

The series has also led to a lucrative line in merchandise and Cyrus last week announced she was teaming up with designer Max Azria to create a budget-friendly clothing line that will be sold in the major U.S. retailer Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

Her movie, "Hannah Montana: The Movie" was released in May to strong box office sales and the teenager confirmed earlier this month that she had signed up for a fourth series of the TV show.