Christine Bleakley wins top presenter gong at Cosmo Awards

christine-bleakley

Christine Bleakley was crowned Ultimate TV presenter at this week’s Cosmopolitan Awards despite dwindling viewing figures for her new ITV project.

The Northern Irish host has repeatedly hit the headlines over the last few weeks as the ratings for her new show Daybreak, which she co-presents alongside The One Show colleague Adrian Chiles, have continued to nose dive. At their worst, the morning show was achieved an audience of 530,000 viewers, just a third of the number tuning in BBC Breakfast.

Although the switch from BBC to ITV might not being going as smoothly as she hoped, the 31-year-old was voted TV presenter of the year by the judging panel at Cosmo.

Other famous faces who walked away with a gong at the glitzy awards bash in London included X-Factor winner Alexandra Burke who was named Ultimate UK Music Star, and Sheridan Smith who picked up a trophy for her role in the West End Show, Legally Blonde.

Doctor Who actress Karen Gillan won Ultimate TV Actress, while Girls Aloud singer Nicola Roberts picked up the Ultimate Fashionista Award after bringing out a make-up range earlier this year for pale skin.

In the Real Life Winners category, acid burns victim Katie Piper won the Editor’s Choice Award for her work setting up a charity, The Katie Piper Foundation, to help other victims of acid attacks.

The winner of Limo Broker’s limousine ride giveaway is revealed

alexandra-burke-limo

The winner of the free limo giveaway will take a ride in the same car used to transport Alexandra Burke during the X-Factor Final

Limo Broker announced at the end of last month that they were giving away a ride in a luxury limousine to one of their Facebook fans to celebrate reaching 10,000 members on the social networking site. Now the competition is closed and we can reveal the identity of the lucky winner…

Samantha Read nominated her young son Samuel-Lee Read to win the free limo trip and the 10-year-old successfully beat off thousands of other entrants to claim the fantastic prize.

The school boy from Lewes in East Sussex has been through a heart-breaking ordeal since he was diagnosed with a malignant brain tutor in October of last year. Over the last 6 months the brave youngster has endured two brain surgery operations, both of which he underwent in the week of his 10th birthday, and received 6 weeks worth of radiotherapy and continues to undergo chemotherapy treatment.

Samuel-Lee’s mother wanted to give her son a special treat to show him, as she says, “how proud I am of his bravery and strength.”

Although Samuel-Lee is still very weak from the months of the treatment he has received, the 10-year-old is very excited about his surprise limo trip and is looking forward to sharing it with his closes pals next week.

The very worthy winner will be treated to a ride in a luxury stretch black Lincoln Town Car, the very same limo which was used to transport pop star Alexandra Burke during the X-Factor Final 2008.

X-Factor final looms for the 3 remaining contestants

X-Factor winner 2009 to be unveiled this weekend
X-Factor winner 2009 to be unveiled this weekend

X-Factor winner 2009 to be unveiled this weekend

After months of tabloid headlines, dramas, diva performances, controversy, and hours and hours of must-watch TV, the X-Factor is finally drawing to a close this weekend. The final 3 were unveiled last week as Olly Murs, Stacey Solomon, and Joe McElderry, as Danyl Johnson lost out on the viewer and left the competition at the semi-final stage.

The winner of this series will be announced live on Sunday after the final show takes place on Saturday night. The winner will receive a lucrative recording contract which will all but ensure a fast-track to fame and fortune and at least one hit record. Last years winner, Alexandra Burke, has already racked up two consecutive number one singles and a number one album is just under a year.

However the runner-up shouldn’t despair, as boy band JLS who came second last year and have also had a fantastic run, gaining two number one hits and a number one selling album as well.

All 3 contestants have their own merits and have attracted fans for different reasons. Stacey has been a firm favourite for her dippy and endearing personality coupled with her beautiful voice, whereas Olly has won a legion of female fans from his good looks and charm as well as his funky dance moves. Joe McElderry has been one of the most consistent contestants in the competition, churning out pitch perfect performances week after week. So in short, the competition is closer than ever this year.

As part of the coveted prize, the winner will be given the opportunity to release their first solo single. The new track will be revealed, along with the winner, on the show this weekend so make sure you tune in!

Simon Cowell hires a fleet of limos to transport guests to his 50th birthday bash

Simon Cowell hires limos for guests at 50th bash

Simon Cowell’s birthday bash certainly didn’t disappoint. The well connected X-Factor judge invited an army of 400 celebrity friends along to Wrotham Park, Hertfordshire, to celebrate his big 50 in style. The star studded event was a tongue-in-cheek ego fest which featured table cloths with Simon’s silhouette, waiters wearing Cowell masks, and inside each toilet cubicle was a framed picture of the birthday boy whilst a DVD of various celebrities speaking in glowing terms about Simon played on a loop in the back ground.

Simon Cowell hires limos for guests at 50th bash

Simon Cowell hires limos for guests at 50th bash

However the music mogul didn’t forget to treat his guests on his big day. A fleet of top of the range limousines complete with suited chauffeurs were hired to transport guests from central London to the luxurious marquee in Hertfordshire. The revelry carried on until the wee small hours with the birthday boy finally calling it a night just before 5am. He was chauffeured home in his favourite vehicle, a black Rolls Royce Phantom.

Amongst the glittering guest list which read like a bumper issue of heat magazine, were several of Simon’s old flames including Terri Seymour, Sinitta and Jackie St Claire. His mother Julie Cowell had pride of place next to her son at the top table whilst fellow X-Factor judge Cheryl Cole, minus husband Ashley, sat on his other side. Other notable celebs who attended included Danni Minogue and Louis Walsh, Katie Price (who arrived late) David Hasslehoff, Gordon Ramsey, Kevin Spacey, Kate Moss and retail billionaire and Top Shop owner Sir Philip Green whose wife, Tina, organised the whole event.

Not surprisingly for someone who made millions out of the music industry, the entertainment was suitably spectacular. Leona Lewis and Alexandra Burke performed as well as retro band Earth Wind and Fire plus a tribute Frank Sinatra act. The whole party reportedly set the Cowell back a cool £1 million; let’s hope the straight talking judge who admits to not liking parties much managed to enjoy himself.

Michael Jackson honoured at MOBO Awards whilst JLS pick up 2 gongs

JLS pick up 2 MOBO's
JLS pick up 2 MOBO's

JLS pick up 2 MOBO's

This time last year JLS were just another bunch of hopefuls battling it out on our screens as part of the X-Factor talent search, now they’re winning up awards for their music. The boy band picked up not one, but now less than two awards at last night’s MOBO (Music of Black Origin) ceremony in Glasgow.

The late King of Pop, Michael Jackson was also honoured with a posthumous award. His siblings, La Toya and Jermaine collected the trophy whilst Jermaine went on to perform Michael’s favourite song, Smile, by Charlie Chaplin for the brother he describe as being “everything to me. He was a wonderful artist and a wonderful human being.” Jermaine dedicated his performance to Michael saying he felt it was his duty to “continue his legacy” through singing.

New kids on the block JLS were one of the big winners of the night. They collected the award for best song for their smash hit, number one selling track, Beat Again. JLS also beat of fierce competition from the eventual X-Factor winner, Alexandra Burke, to pick up the coveted Best Newcomer gong.

A shock loser of the night was Dizzee Rascal who despite riding high in the charts of late, failed to win a single gong although he was nominated in 3 categories.

Reality show success stories were everywhere at the glittering event last night. As well as JLS and Alexandra Burke, Britain’s Got Talent singer, Shaheen Jafargholi, performed a Jackson 5 song, I’ll be there. The show’s winners, dance troupe Diversity also took to the stage to wow the crowds.

Simon Cowell advises X-Factor winner Alexandra Burke to lay off Twitter

X-Factor winner Alexandra Burke reveals Simon Cowell isn't a fan of Twitter
X-Factor winner Alexandra Burke reveals Simon Cowell isn't a fan of <a href=Twitter” width=”215″ height=”300″ />

X-Factor winner Alexandra Burke

Alexandra Burke shot to fame last year as she became the winner of the X-Factor 2008 and today she was in London to unveil her brand new single. However the down to earth star revealed in an interview to Chris Moles that her boss, Simon Cowell, doesn’t share her passion for micro blogging site Twitter, and has advised her to lay off it.

The singer from Islington was on the Chris Moyles radio show this morning to hear the first airing of her forthcoming single. The track, entitled Bad Boys, also features guest vocals from U.S rapper Flo Rida. The new single is a definite departure from her debut release which was a cover of Hallelujah. This upbeat floor filler is guaranteed to get fans up and dancing, plus many pundits are tipping it to hit the number one spot.

During the interview on the Radio one breakfast show Alexandra admitted to being “addicted” to Twitter and revealed she even followed the show’s host, Chris Moyles. Other celebs followed by the X-factor winner via the social networking site include Lady GaGa and Tyra Banks. Alexandra puts Simon Cowell’s dislike of Twitter down to the fact that he doesn’t “really get it.”

Maybe Simon, whose record label Syco signed the star, is right to advise a Twitter boycott as the 21 year old revealed she hasn’t finished her album yet. One of the biggest problems in finalising the album is choosing which songs to keep and which to ditch. Alexandra said she pushed Simon to let her have a double sided album but his response was “no way.” The new single is released on October 12th with her debut album to follow, um…sometime.

Simon Cowell calls in authorities after Leona’s new single is leaked

Leona Lewis was hit by a fan yesterday afternoon
Leona Lewis whose new single has been leaked on the internet

Leona Lewis whose new single has been leaked on the internet

An investigation has been launched by anti-piracy body IFPI after a hotly anticipated single from Leona Lewis’s forthcoming album was leaked over the internet. The yet to be released single was said to feature a collaboration with global superstar, Justin Timberlake. Entitled “Don’t let me down” the track was expected to be the first release from the X-Factor winner’s new album due out this November.

The record industry body is probing computers from Syco, Cowell’s record label, which are believed to have been hacked into. It is thought the leak was caused by an online hacker and not by an employee of the label passing the single on.

Head of anti-piracy at IFPI Jeremy Banks said he and his team were “actively monitoring and removing illegal copies of this track from the internet to minimise the disruption caused by the leak.” Simon Cowell fully intends to take the matter further as this kind of attack can be “highly damaging” for his business and artiste. A spokesperson for his record label said “We will certainly look to bring charges against those who are responsible.”

Leona Lewis isn’t the only X-Factor star to suffer at the hands of the hacker. Only two weeks ago last year’s winner of the hit ITV show, Alexandra Burke, revealed that several unfinished tracks from her debut album had been leaked across the internet.

Fans of the London singer will have to wait patiently till November when her new album is officially revealed. It’s hoped her latest offering will follow in the success of her debut album, Spirit, which was the number one album of 2007.

Cheryl Cole’s nerves at solo X-Factor performance

Cheryl Cole will debut her first solo single on the X-Factor
Cheryl Cole will debut her first solo single on the X-Factor

Cheryl Cole will debut her first solo single on the X-Factor

Cheryl Cole will be putting herself directly in the firing line during the next series of X-Factor as she makes her first solo performance on the live Saturday night show. Fellow judge, Simon Cowell, has agreed to let the Girls Aloud singer debut her first solo single on the hit ITV show.

Reports suggest that the rest of the judging panel, made up of Simon, Louis Walsh and Dannii Minogue, are all right behind the 26 year old singer. However a source did add “there is always the fear that Simon will say something a bit catty.” Although this is unlikely as Cheryl is a big hit with the music mogul.

Whether Cheryl can rely on Louis Walsh’s support is another matter entirely. The Irish manager recently moaned in a national newspaper that his female colleagues, Dannii and Cheryl, were turning the programme into a fashion show. During his long whinge he said “Cheryl has different hair all the time – new hair, high hair, different clothes. They come in like little peacocks in their high heels every day.”

Despite the fact Cheryl performed on the last series of X-Factor with Girls Aloud, this performance will be a whole new experience for the Geordie singer as she won’t have her band mates around to support her. Although the circumstances are not completely alien to the Cheryl as she won her place in the chart-topping girl band through her performance on the talent show Pop Stars, The Rivals in 2002.

Cheryl only joined the X-Factor last year but managed to successfully mentor the winning act, Alexandra Burke, who is also scheduled to perform on this year’s show. In a twist of fate the two female singers will battle it out in the charts as their two solo albums are released next month. The coming months are sure to bring plenty of drama and excitement as the X-Factor machine swings into action, bring it on!