Thursday 29 October 2009

Alexandra Burke enjoys life at the top,

Alexandra Burke is on the top of the world at the meoment, a No 1. Single , a No 1. album, fame, adulation and a bright future. She talks to the London Evening Standard on how all this feels.

She talks about her time on the X-Factor


"I mean, they do advise you not to be too professional. They say, whatever emotion you feel, just let it out. If you're acting too professional, that will be your biggest downfall.

"It's like, people on that stage are crying for their dreams. All that anger or sadness or anxiety that you might feel in the week builds up, and builds up, and then it's just that one moment on a Saturday night. On live TV. [The producers] do say: don't repress it. Otherwise you don't look human."


Her relationship with Simon Cowell

'If I don't like something you're saying, you will know about it. I'm not one to beat around the bush, I don't even let my mum and dad tell me what to do.' And Simon said: 'Alex, if I am ever wrong - which I never am - I will apologise to you. But if you're wrong, you need to learn to apologise to me.' Which is fair enough, isn't it?"


Her rejection before X-Factor

"I was told by a specific person in a management company that he wouldn't take me on because he had 'way too many' black people on his books. Like, huh? Why do you have to talk about me in terms of my skin colour?


Her fears after the attack on Leona

"I mean, I don't ring management for a security guard to go down the road but I tend not to go out very much by myself. It can take an hour or more to go round the corner for a pint of milk, so generally I get someone else to do it.

"The Leona attack is obviously going to freak out any artist. It was at a book signing, it couldn't have been prevented. It does make you nervous."


and much more.

Wednesday 28 October 2009

Babara Windsor: The Queen leaves the Vic

Babara Windsor has sent shockwaves through the Soap Opera fan-dom with her shock announcement that she is quitting EastEnders.

Babara has played the part of Peggy Mitchell the landlady of the Queen Vic for 15 years and has been a central character in the soap.

She say she want to leave the soap to spend time where her Husband Scott Mitchell who is 26 years her junior.



"I'll be so sad to leave Peggy behind. EastEnders has been wonderful to me and it's no secret that it changed my life all of those years ago," she said.

She added that Peggy has been a "wonderful character to play", and singled out showing the Queen around the set of EastEnders as "something that will stay with me forever".

"I'm looking forward to the future and I suppose when all's said and done, I should spend a bit more time with my old man, as he's not getting any younger."

Windsor's agent Barry Burnett told BBC News that the star had no intention of retiring from showbusiness.

"Oh no, absolutely not, can you imagine that? Anyone who knows Barbara knows what she's like," he said.

EastEnders executive producer Diederick Santer described Windsor's character as "truly iconic".

"Barbara has contributed so much to EastEnders over the last 15 years, plus countless episodes, and countless amazing storylines.

"She has made the Mitchells the premiere family of British soap," he added.

"I so much enjoy working with her - catching up with the gossip, listening to her stories, talking about the show, benefiting from her advice, and most importantly revelling in her powerful, funny, passionate performances.

"All of us at EastEnders - and our audience - are going to miss her hugely."

Monday 26 October 2009

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Footballer Frank Lampard and Christine Bleakey an item?

Newspaper reports are speculating the Chelsea star and multi-millionaire Frank Lampard and One-Show co-host Chrisitne Bleakley may be an item. Both have recently split from their long term partners.

Frank Lampard called it quits from his long term relationship with Elen Rives early this year while Christine Bleakey split from fiance Mark Beirne.

London evening paper, London Lite reports the Chelsea midfielder was spotted getting “very close” to Christine Bleakley of BBC's The One Show at Amika nightclub in Kensington.

A club source said: “Frank and Christine arrived with a group of people from Strictly Come Dancing, including Zoe Lucker and Joe Calzaghe and the dancers Aliona Vilani and Nicole Cutler.

They all sat together at a table in the VIP area, with Frank next to Christine.

“He looked smitten. I didn't see them kissing, but they were flirting and looked really into each other.”

Earlier that day Lampard, 31, scored two goals in Chelsea's 5-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers, before going on to join the audience for Strictly Come Dancing — where Christine was a contestant last year. The source added: “Frank was being the man in the club — he bought at least three bottles of champagne for the group, even though he was barely drinking himself.

“There were some outrageous dance moves being pulled, and Frank looked on as Christine showed off the moves she learnt on last year's show, but didn't get too involved himself.

“Most of the group stayed for a lock-in until 4.30am, but I'm not sure if Frank and Christine left in the same car.”

Bleakley, 29, was reportedly first wooed by Lampard last month at the Pride Of Britain awards.

She broke off her engagement to leisure entrepreneur Mark Beirne, 35, in January and Mr Beirne reportedly blamed Adrian Chiles, 42, Bleakley's co-host on The One Show, for the split. Both Bleakley and Chiles have denied any romantic involvement.

Sunday 25 October 2009

Alexandra Burke beats Bublé, Houston to top album chart

Last year's X-Factor winner Alexandra Burke has scored a remarkable double. Having topped the Singles chart last week with 'Bad Boys' has now has beaten Michael Bublé and Whitney Houston to top the UK albums chart this week.

Her debut album Overcome sold 132,065 copies in its first week of release to debut at number one. Her first single 'Bad Boys' which is also from the album was knocked off the top of the singles chart this week by Cheryl Cole's 'Fight For This Love'.

Crazy Love, the fourth studio album from Canadian singer Michael Bublé, was at two on the albums chart with sales of 78,006.

While Whitney Houston sold 51,632 copies of I Look To You, her first collection of new material since 2002, to debut at three.


The top three albums in the UK this week are

1. Alexandra Burke: 'Overcome'
2. Michael Bublé: 'Crazy Love'
3. Whitney Houston: 'I Look To You'

Robbie Williams gives free concert in Berlin

It looks like Robbie is back on form after his somewhat bizarre appearance two weeks ago at the TV talent show the X-Factor.

First he had a well received appearance at his first concert in three years for the opening night of the Electric Proms season at the Round House, Chalk Farm, London.

He has gone on from there to Berlin where he gave a live perofrmance in front of thousands of screaming fans in Berlin today for a free concert.

The open air gig in front of the Max Schmeling Halle in Prenzlauer Berg, Berin delighted the Berliners who flocked to the event. Robbie thrilled the crowds with new songs like "Bodies", "Reality Killed the Video Star", "Starstruck" and "You Know Me" before delighting fans by finishing with his old hit "Angels". As an encore he performed "Come Undone".
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Saturday 24 October 2009

Cheryl Cole "I would snog Dannii"

Cheryl Cole handed her drooling male fan base an XXX-tra special fantasy last night after confessing she would snog fellow X-Factor beauty Dannii Minogue.

The Girls Aloud star made her confession during a live web chat on MySpace where she played a game of 'snog, marry and avoid', choosing between Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and Minogue.

The singer, 26, then stunned her fans when she picked the Australian stunner as her fantasy kiss writing "We would have to go snog Dannii" she wrote. "I'd kind of like to avoid the other two..."

"I'd kind of like to avoid the other two but I could not bear the thought of being married to Simon Cowell" she continued. "Because one, you would not get a word in edgeways, two he is always right, and three because it's enough just sitting next to him on the weekend"

She declared, leaving her no choice but to 'Marry' Louis.

Friday 23 October 2009

New Hip Hop Albums for October 2009

In the run up to Christmas expect a flurry of album releases in what is the most profitable season for record sales.

While we still await much promised albums from the likes of 50 Cents, Dr Dre and Snoop they have been some notable releases this month.


Mack 10 - Soft White - Mack 10's ninth album. Features collaborations with Lil Wayne, Rick Ross and Akon. The album debuted at #141 on the Billboard 200.

Ghostface Killah - Ghostdini Wizard Of Poetry In Emerald City [Explicit] - Ghostdini: Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City is the eighth studio album by American rapper Ghostface Killah, released on September 29, 2009. Ghost first announced the album in a May 2008 interview, describing it as an R&B-inspired album, similar to songs he's done before with such artists as Ne-Yo and Jodeci.

Playaz Circle - Flight 360: The Takeoff - Signed to Ludacris' label the duo, Tity Boi (Tauheed Epps) and Dolla Boy (Earl Conyers) are hoping for good things from their third album. Not surprisingly the album features a guest appearance by Luda.


Warren G - The G-Files - Will this album achieve the highs of Regulate?

Skyzoo - Salvation - official debut album of Brooklyn rapper Skyzoo. The album was released on September 29, 2009, via Jamla Records, founded by Grammy-Award winning producer 9th Wonder, which is a sub-label of Duck Down Records.[2]. Carlitta Durand, an underground R&B singer, is the sole featured artist on the album.

Tuesday 13 October 2009

X-Factor is back !

X-FACTOR 2009 is on

The biggest event in British TV is back and is set to dominate TV ratings between now and when the eventual winner is crowned just before christmas.

Any self respecting blogger of celebrity and popular culture would definitely not miss commenting and following the show and we are no different.

We are even going one step further setting up dedicated blogs for each of the contestants.

Danyl Johnson

Lloyd Daniels

Rikki Loney

John and Edward Grimes

Jamie "Afro" Archer

Joseph Joe McElderry

Stacey Solomon

Rachel Adedeji

Lucie Jones

Olly Murs

Miss Frank

Kandy Rain

and we are still adding more

Sunday 11 October 2009

Stephen Gately star of Boyzone found dead

Stephen Gately on of the stars of the long running Irish Boy Band Boyzone has been found dead in Majorca, Spain. A terse announcement on the Boyzone website says



Stephen tragically died yesterday whilst on holiday in Majorca with his partner Andrew.

We have no more details at the moment.

The rest of the band are traveling to Majorca this morning.



The News of the World's show business editor Dan Wootton told BBC News Gately had gone out for drinks, returned to his accommodation and gone to sleep, but never woke up.

Boyzone manager Louis Walsh, who is due to appear as a judge on The X Factor results show on Sunday, told the newspaper: "We're all absolutely devastated."

He said: "I'm in complete shock. I was only with him on Monday at an awards ceremony. We don't know much about what's happened yet.
Boyzone


"I only heard after The X Factor and we will rally around each other this week. He was a great man."

Friday 9 October 2009

I've been away but I'm back

Been away for a while... but I am back now. Back to blogging....