Friends of Sir Elton John congratulated him today after he became a father to a baby boy born on Christmas Day.

Actress Elizabeth Hurley was among the first to offer her best wishes to the singer and his civil partner David Furnish, whose son Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John was born in California to a surrogate.

Writing on Twitter, she said: "Massive congratulations to David and Elton on having their beautiful son. Can't wait for my first cuddle."

Zachary, who weighed 7lb 15oz, is Sir Elton's first child with Furnish. The couple's civil partnership was formalised in 2005.

The news that they had become parents was first reported by USMagazine.com and confirmed by Sir Elton's Los Angeles-based publicist.

In a joint statement, the couple told the magazine that "Zachary is healthy and doing well" and declared themselves "overwhelmed with happiness and joy at this very special moment".

The identity of their son's surrogate mother is being protected by the new parents.

Sir Elton had spoken previously of his desire to become a father, announcing last autumn that he wanted to adopt a 14-month-old boy from an orphanage in Ukraine. But his plans to adopt were reportedly thwarted by Ukrainian laws.

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Canadian-born singer songwriter Alanis Morissette got a very special yuletide gift with the birth of her first child, a baby boy, on Christmas Day, her agent told People magazine yesterday.

"Alanis Morissette and Mario 'Souleye' Treadway welcomed the newborn Ever Imre Morissette-Treadway, on December 25," the agent was quoted as saying. "All are healthy and happy."

The seven-time Grammy Award winner Morissette, 36, married rapper Treadway, 30, earlier this year at their Los Angeles home, and announced she was pregnant in August. She has reportedly sold more than 40 million albums worldwide.

Previously, she was romantically linked to fellow Canadian, the actor Ryan Reynolds, who is currently divorcing US actress Scarlett Johansson after two years of marriage.