Is Jedward's "15 minutes of fame" finally over

We were told they were the new face of the entertainment industry, that they would make millions, that their fame was set to go global, but today X-Factor twins Jedward were brought back to earth with a bump as their recording contract was cancelled.

John and Edward Grimes, 18, were signed to Sony after surviving several weeks on the X Factor, despite being ridiculed for their performances.

The record deal was announced in January with the teenagers saying they were delighted to be ''like our idols... living our dream''.

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But their first song, Under Pressure, a duet with Vanilla Ice, was beaten to number one last month by US band Owl City and dropped out of the top 10 a week later.

Jedward failed to top the charts despite benefiting from huge exposure performing the track with the 90s rapper at the National Television Awards.

Louis Walsh, who decided to manage Jedward after they were voted out of the X-Factor, confirmed they had been dropped by Sony and said he is talking to other labels.

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Read more about Is Jedward's "15 minutes of fame" finally over...

Rage Against The Machine storm to Xmas No.1

It is probably the biggest chart upset in recent times.Tonight it has been announced that US rock group has topped the UK charts to grab the Christmas No.1

Over the last few years the best selling single at Christmas has always been held by the winner of the X-Factor competition. Shayne Ward (2005), Leona Lewis (2006), Leon Jackson(2007) and Alexandra Burke (2008) all won the X-Factor and went on to have Xmas No.1's

2009 X-Factor winner Joe McElderry was expected to repeat the formula with his début single 'The Climb', however it was not to be. A Facebook based campaign that had started in protest of The X Factor's dominance of the Christmas Number 1 title and pushed Rage Against the Machine's "Killing in the Name" as an alternative, proved a formidable competitor.

In a sign of how times have changed the upset was achieved on the back of Facebook and Twitter campaigns, and the song being available as an internet download only. Rage of the Machine sold 500,000 to beat McElderry's 450,000 which was sold as both an Internet download and physical CDs.

Interestingly both labels are signed to Sony records so the competition which boosted sales for both artistes would not have been unwelcome.

Can American Idol survive without Simon Cowell?

Love him or loath him it is indisputable that the real star of American Idol is a certain Mr Simon Cowell, the nastiest Judge to hit America since Isaac Parker in the 19th century.

Well it looks like Simon is tired of being Mr Nasty in some else's show, despite being paid over $35 million to do so, and wants to be Mr Nasty in his own show. Press reports suggest that he is preparing to bring his his mega-successful show X-Factor from the UK to the USA.

Cowell, whose "Idol" contract expires in May and who has been in talks with Fox since last summer, is preparing to announce the new arrangement with Fox early next year which will see him leaving AI in 2011 to front a US version of the X-Factor.

"There are discussions going on with 'American Idol' and also about the possibility of bringing 'X Factor' to the United States, but no decisions have been made, and nothing has been finalized," Cowell's spokesman Max Clifford said.

"The X Factor" is a British phenomenon produced by Cowell, who's also a judge on the show. Unlike on "Idol," Cowell and two other judges mentor the "X Factor" contestants, adding competition as the judges -- as well as the musicians -- are competing against one another.

"X Factor" also allows groups to compete in addition to solo singers; "Idol" does not. But just like on "Idol," viewers vote on which singers stay or go.

Since its debut four years ago, "The X Factor" has been one of the most popular shows in Britain. More than 19 million people, the show's biggest audience ever, tuned in Sunday night to watch singer Joe McElderry win in the finale. The winner of the show's third season, Leona Lewis, has become an international recording star.

Will AI survive the loss of Cowell, it could possibly if the right panel is found, however the likely hood is that FOX current home of "Idol" and future home of the American version of the X-Factor is likely to support both and that ultimately would prove the death knell for AI.

As Simon would say "I am sorry...it is a no from me!

Peter Dickinson : The Voice of X-Factor

If you ever watched TV on Saturday night for any length of time, you would have definitely heard his voice.

X-Factor, Britain's Got Talent and Family Fortunes, one thing they all have in common are the deep dulcet tones of ITV's Saturday night "voice over man" Peter Dickinson.

Such has been Peter's fame that he is now becoming a star in his own right and is stepping out from inside the sound booth, as he appears in this BBC comedy clip.

So come Saturday night and the X-Factor and you hear the phrase "THE JUDGES! CHERYL! DANNII! LOUIS! AND SIMON!" you will be able to put a name to the voice that is Peter Dickinson's

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.

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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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.

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

Holly Willoughby to front "This Morning"

Housewives (or should that be home makers), students, shift workers, Job seekers and slackers across UK are today breathing a sigh of the relief as the clarity returns to their lives. The question that haunted them for ages has been resolved as Holly Willoughby has been confirmed as the new co-host of ITV1's flagship daytime show This Morning.


Holly Willoughby who also present the Xtra Factor (X Factor's twin programme) on ITV2 was reportedly offered a £250,000 contract to replace Fern Britton on the programme, could she really say no to that kind of cahs no she couldn't saying that she would "never pass up the opportunity" to work with present host Phillip Schofield.


Britton announced her departure from This Morning in March after ten years on the famous sofa, saying she wanted to work on new projects. Her resignation coincided with revelations that she was earning a lot less than what ITV paid to her co-host Phil Schofield


Speculation over who would replace the 51-year-old has been rife since she announced she was to quit, with names including Myleene Klass, Melanie Sykes and Kate Garraway all mentioned.

Leona Lewis says "no" to Obama

How can a recent winner of a reality TV show tell when they've made it ? When you are too busy to to have dinner with the President of the United States that's when.

Leona Lewis winner of ITV reality program X-Factor in 2006 has turned down an invitation to have dinner with President Obama, according to a report in the Daily Mirror.

The 24-year-old singer was flattered by the offer but is currently too busy recording her second album in Los Angeles.

A source told the newspaper: "Leona was thrilled to be invited to dinner by Obama. She really wanted to meet him and his wife Michelle - who is a big fan and has her Spirit album.

"They both think she is a strong, inspirational and talented young woman who is a fantastic role model for children. They would love her to get involved in some of their charity projects. But it was really unfortunate that it clashed with her tight schedule to get her second album done."

The insider added: "Leona has had studio sessions in L.A. booked for months and has been working day and night getting things perfect. So there was no way she could make the trip to the White House as it would have put back recording by a week and she's desperate to get it all finished."

Eoghan "Eggnog" Quigg's album slammed as worst ever...

The X-Factor is ofter touted as a talent factory, designed to scour the country finding and giving a break to the cream of young British talent. Sadly and possibly in too many cases, it doesn't always work this way as Eoghan Quigg seems to be finding out.

After the unbelievable highs Eoghan, known as "Eggnog" to his many admirers, enjoyed coming third in last year's X-Factor finals he seems to have come tumbling down to earth with a bump. His much awaited album has been pilloried by critics.



Writing in the Daily Mail, Showbiz reporter Lizzie Smith posed the question Is it fair to describe X Factor Eoghan Quigg's debut album as 'the worst ever made'?

In the article she quotes a music critic from the Guardian newspaper who said

'It's an objectively bad album, so bad that it would count as a new low for popular culture, were it possible to class it as either culture (its producers barely even approached it as music) or popular,'

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She herself does not help matters when she compares it to such musical icons as "Crazy Frog Presents Crazy Hits". The album self-titled "Eoghan Quigg" is on sale at Amazon from £4.99.

The ruthless truth behind the X-Factor

Times Journalist Caroline Scott digs behind the shimmering feel-good veneer of Britain's most popular entertainment programme - The X-Factor and it is not pleasant. If we are honest with ourselves we all know the entertainment industry is ruthless, and more so because it attracts a significant share of naive and delusional folk, which makes it almost brutally ruthless, and X-Factor it seems behind the scenes is no different.

Caroline's article What happens to The X Factor runners up? talks to runners up over the years and unveils a litany of duplicity, delusion and ultimately despite their best efforts a sad gradual decline into obscurity for most of those interviewed.

It is hard to get the full story on all who have gone through the X-Factor conveyor belt as a combination of restrictive contracts and the fear of being permanently black-listed by the industry leaves many contestants fearful of speaking out about their time on the show, but some do:


Steve Brookenstein (Winner 2004)

“Simon kept saying, ‘I know what I’m doing,’ by which he meant, ‘I know what sells.’ But it sounded like karaoke to me. I was offered £12,500 to go away quietly, and when I didn’t take it, life got very difficult. My website came down, there was a lot of negative publicity…”

Niki Evans (fourth, 2007)

"I kept trying to tell Leon [Jackson, winner, 2007], ‘Yes it’s great you’ve got a £150,000 advance and they’re sending cars to Manchester to come and get you, but what you don’t realise, sweetheart, is that you’re paying for them."

Andy Abrahams (runner-up, 2005)

“Well, actually, I wasn’t really a binman, I just helped a mate out for a couple of months” — had been playing pubs and clubs for years.

Ben Mills (third, 2006)

“Every time someone buys my album I get 0.2p. The manager got 20% of my advance and 20% of every gig I did, and the record company took another 12.5%. Still, all I’ve ever wanted is to make a living out of music, and I’m doing that, but there was a point when I certainly felt I’d lost control of my life.”

Sharon [Osbourne, then a judge] wanted me to stage a walkout one week to generate a huge tabloid story and get me votes. When I refused, she didn’t speak to me again. Simon always pre-warned me if he was going to spice up the show a bit by slagging me off, but I’ve never forgiven Ray [Quinn, second, 2006, now playing Danny in Grease in the West End] for crying during the semi. I offered him 50 quid not to, but he’d made up his mind. You could almost hear the old ladies at home reaching for their phones.”

Leona performs at million pound concert

Leona Lewis has bagged a million pound pay day after performing at the Birthday party of the daughter of one of the UK's richest men, phone entrepreneur John Caudwell.

Leona performed the seven song set (£143,000 per song) at the billionaire's daughter's 21st birthday party in front of 200 guests .

She broke her off from working on her second album to do the performance. She had been up to then been on strict orders from X-Factor supremo Simon Cowell to cut down on all outside engagements and focus on the album, clearly a million for seven songs was too much to resist.

Shock ! Alex Burka and Ruth Lorenzo are no longer BFFL

This is news that is going to rock the entertainment industry, Best Friends For Life (BFFL), fraternal soul mates and fellow contestants on the X-Factor Ruth Lorenzo and Alexandra Burke have had a major bust up and it looks like their friendship may be over for good.

Despite living , partying, shopping and vacationing together over the last few months it looks like the strain of fame finally caught up with the relationship.


The Sun reports

“Ruth claims they fell out because she pulled a dancer Alex had her eye on. She reckons Alex bullied her but the old green-eyed monster has been creeping in.

“Meanwhile Alex feels she is being singled out by Ruth and the others on tour because of her success.

“She insists she was never after any dancer — she doesn’t think that would be very cool. She thinks Ruth is just using it as a excuse to pick on her.

“But either way their friendship is well and truly over. They can barely look at each other.

“Both have threatened to leave unless the other is booted off the tour.”

A shame as they seemed to share a genuine friendship...


UPDATE:

What do you know thanks to one of our readers, It looks like the story in the Sun might not be true.

Our reader met both Alexandra and Ruth during the X-Factor tour and you can judge yourself from the picture below if they've really fallen out.

Click on picture for the story on Alexandra's forum.

Hallelujah!...Alexandra Burke gets £3.5m US deal

Alexandra Burke winner of last years X-Factor is following in the footsteps of her predecessor Leona Lewis as she's just signed a five album US deal worth $3.5m deal with Epic records.

All stops are being pulled out to mirror the success Leona has had stateside. Producers and writers that have guided the likes of Beyonce and Rihanna to success are being lined up to work with Alexandra.


Predictably Alexandra is excited by the prospect and gushed in her blog

Oh my God!!! I cannot believe I have been given a deal in the US!!!

It’s just so exciting and I can’t even explain how it feels. I’m just so happy, and of course so emotional!!!

Cracking America will be another one of my lifelong dreams that is coming true and I just can’t wait to get in that studio!

Good luck to Alex, it going to be tough cos the US produces truckloads of seriously talented singers witness how American Idol puts X-Factor in the shade with its sheer quantity of talent. Anyway enjoy the best of Alexandra Burke duetting with her hero Beyonce.

Are Girls Aloud becoming Girls Apart ?

Love them or hate them Girls Aloud have been one of the UK Reality TV phenomenons of the last decade with three UK No 1's, four platinum albums and a double platinum album.

Like most UK artistes real success means making it big in the US of A. Ok group member Nadine Coyle's is involved with a chain of successful Irish Pubs around Los Angeles and the love of her live is NFL cornerback Jason Bell, good going girl, but that's not the sort of success we are talking about.

Cherly Cole had a top 4 UK hit Hearbreaker with Black Eyed Peas frontman will.I.am, closer but still not there although it looks like Cheryl isn't resting on her oars.

On the back of her high profile as a judge on the ITV reality show X-Factor Cheryl is looking to make a determined push into the US Market. She was reported as being seen having 'talks' with US TV executives in London at a Knightsbridge restaurant.

A US career plus her X-Factor commitments will certainly put a big question mark over her Girls Aloud future and maybe the future of the group. We are going to have to watch this space.