How to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Mariah Carey will get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame next week.

That's not too much of a shock. If anything we were a bit surprised she didn't have one already - she did sing All I Want For Christmas after all.

She's also had 18 US number ones, sold millions of albums and won five Grammys.

But as Mariah becomes the 2,556th celebrity to get a star, here's how you could become number 2,557. Well, in theory - we can't promise anything.

Technically, anyone can apply for a star - you just have to send an application to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

But hold fire, they won't even look at it if you haven't accomplished anything big. You need to have been famous, or at least noteworthy in your field, for a minimum of five years.

Ana Martinez, from the organisation which hands out the stars, told Time Magazine: "We want the tourists to come to Hollywood to see their favourite stars."

Once a year, a select group meets to mull over the applications, which also need to include biographies submitted by a star's manager.

It's useful if they can say you've won a couple of awards or sold a shed load of records.

Sounds a bit obvious but every application has to include a statement from the candidate confirming that they want a star and that they'll go to the ceremony if their application is accepted.

Yes, you need to be able to raise the $30,000 (£19,260) sponsorship fee that will go with your application.

Half of that goes to the Hollywood Historic Trust, which looks after the Walk of Fame, with the rest funding the creation of the star itself.

Having told the committee you'll turn up, you need to arrive in style.

Stars are unveiled in a grand ceremony where you can expect a good couple of hundred fans to turn up - you don't want people going away disappointed.

Jennifer Lopez had more than 1,000 people turning up to the unveiling of her star and the Backstreet Boys had people camped out overnight. No pressure then.

Just bring a couple of your A-list pals to talk about how amazing you are and it will all be fine.

Stars' applications are good for two years, but they can reapply as many times as they want.

There are two Harrison Fords. No, the Star Wars actor is not being greedy, there was another Harrison Ford quite a few years earlier in the silent movie era.

The first Ford is no relation to the man we know as Han Solo and his film titles were rather different too, such as 1918's A Pair of Silk Stockings and 1919's You Never Saw Such a Girl.

Likewise there are two stars for "Michael Jackson" - one for the icon of pop, the other the US talk radio host.

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali is one of only a handful of sports stars with a plaque because it was decided boxing could be classed as a "live performance".

The Apollo 11 astronauts have a "circular" star. Neil Armstrong and co are recognised by Hollywood not for being the first humans on the moon, but for their "contributions to the television industry".

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