Iggy Azalea: Find love via Twitter

Iggy Azalea has said there’s nothing desperate about using Twitter to find a lover – after admitting that she snared her basketball star boyfriend online.

The Aussie, who has been dating NBA hunk Nick Young since November, told Metro: ‘We tweeted a couple of times and then we met up. It’s not desperate, it’s about admiring.’

And the star advised her fans that being forward is the short route to finding love.

‘Put it out into the world to find somebody you like and make it be known,’ she told singletons.

‘If it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out – but it doesn’t matter.

‘If you fancy someone, let them know in your own way – be it on Twitter or personally or on SMS or whatever. Just go from there.’

Blonde bombshell Azalea, 23, insisted there’s everything to be gained by braving a knock-back. ‘Embarrassment is overrated,’ she said. ‘There is no point in being embarrassed. You need to get it out there.’

Despite dating a super-fit sportsman, the rapper claims her own impressive physique is down to good genes – which infuriates her 28-year-old LA Lakers lover.

‘He has this thing that he thinks I do secret exercise – where I do crunches and exercise when he’s out but I don’t. So that makes me laugh. It’s just genetics. I don’t do any exercise,

‘It may all go t*** up in time but right now it does look like I do crunches.’

The rapper, who has released debut album The New Classic, said her finest natural asset is her derrière.

‘A lot of people talk about my butt and I love that too,’ she laughed, admitting she admires the bums of both men and women. ‘What do I think about butt jobs? Each to their own – but they’re not for me,’ she added.

[Originally published Metro, Guilty Pleasures, on Friday 25 April 2014]

The Vamps hotel fan nudity horror

The Vamps will be making sure they lock their hotel rooms from now on… after fans burst in to find two of them naked.

The band’s lead singer Brad Simpson revealed all about the late-night encounter – but it was guitarist James McVey and bassist Connor Ball who were exposed to the excited followers.

‘We were in a hotel in Manchester and because we’re always used to staying in hotels and going back and forth between each other’s rooms, we leave the doors on a latch so we can just come in and out,’ 18-year-old Simpson explained.

‘We didn’t realise that some fans had got into the hotel and Connor and James were in bed and about five fans just walked into their rooms.’

‘We were naked,’ McVey, 19 confirmed, adding the visitors had seemed less interested in their bodies than in trying to recruit them to their Twitter followings. ‘We said please can you leave. And we can’t follow them on Twitter because they didn’t give their twitters to us,’ he laughed.

Ball, 18, added: ‘We got them out very quickly. We were a bit scared.’

[Originally published Metro, Guilty Pleasures, 15 April 2014]

The Vamps reveal celebrity crushes

While it is no secret James McVey of The Vamps is a Taylor Swift obsessive (he tweets her ALL the time), apparently she’s not the only one he has his eyes on.

And his bandmates Connor Ball, 20; Tristan Evans, 19 and Brad Simpson, 18, also want to meet some famous women.

In a break between gigs to promote their debut album, Meet The Vamps, the lads revealed who their dream dates would be.

James, are you still obsessing over Taylor Swift?

JM: I actually have many crushes at the moment. I feel a bit naughty. I am sort of cheating on Taylor with a few other babes. There are a few actresses that tickle my fancy. I like a Coronation Street actress – Georgia May Foote. But I’m not confident at all when it comes to talking to girls. I just abuse them on Twitter and send them loads of tweets.

What about the rest of you?

TE: I like Iggy Azalea. I haven’t tweeted her to let her know. I’m just waiting to meet her and then see if she’s too gangster for me. She would destroy me.

CB: I want to go out with Arianna Grande or Mila Kunis. She’s so hot.

And you, Brad?

BS: Zooey Deschannell. She’s funny, she’s quirky. She’s a bit different.

Andrew Garfield: The Amazing Naked Spider-Man

Andrew Garfield may play a Lycra-clad superhero in the Amazing Spider-Man movies but he reveals he would much prefer to swing around in the nude.

The 30-year-old British-American actor told Guilty Pleasures about his penchant for going au naturel, tastefully dressed in a McQueen suit on the red carpet of last night’s world premiere of his second turn as the web slinger.

‘I love being naked. It’s important to be naked and be in touch with our bodies and not have shame about what we’re made of.

‘I love being in touch with nature and my own nature,’ the actor said outside London’s Odeon Leicester Square.

With his character Peter Parker experiencing heartache in the superhero sequel as he endures an on-off relationship Gwen Stacy, played by real-life love Emma Stone, Garfield offered his advice on how to deal with a break-up.

‘Sometimes your heart gets broken and the best thing that you can do is feel it all,’ he said.

‘Let yourself feel it all because out of that darkness can only come light. You hit the deepest part and then that’s when you will swim back up.’

Meanwhile, Stone, 25, believes her character is in tune with Peter’s double life but admitted she wouldn’t like her men to have skeletons in their closet.

‘That double life is a different situation and is very specific,’ the red-haired beauty laughed.

‘I think Gwen understands that Peter is heroic and her father [a policeman] was a hero. It’s complicated but she understands the double life.’

[Originally published Metro, Guilty Pleasures, Friday 11 April 2014]

Dane DeHaan: I'm not crazy!

Dane DeHaan has joked he doesn’t need an intervention after playing crazy villains in both The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and Chronicle.

The 28-year-old American actor says he is attracted to troubled characters as it gives him a bigger challenge when it comes to playing a part.

‘Don’t worry, I’m not like them at all,’ he laughed. ‘I play complicated people because that’s what’s interesting to me.'

'I have always loved acting and I’ve been given so many great opportunities to grow as an actor. And the harder those opportunities are, the more I’m going to grow so I look for the hardest ones,’ he said at the UK premiere of Spider-Man in London.

While DeHaan plays villain Harry Osborn in the film – who transforms into the Green Goblin – he credits Spider-Man himself with attracting him to acting in the first place.

‘I grew up with my Spider-Man pyjamas playing Spider-Man and that kind of thing. That’s how I started acting… pretending to play superheroes,’ he said.

With Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy still fresh in the minds of many, DeHaan says he doesn’t feel pressure over filling the boots of previous Green Goblin, James Franco, and that he finds the character of Harry Osborn more daunting due to the fact he is a legend in comic book lore.

‘The pressure lies in playing a character that has been around for 50 years. There has been many incarnations of Harry Osborn so I had to honour who he is as well as give the world a new Harry they haven't seen before,’ he said.

While clearly enjoying his role as the legendary character on screen, DeHaan reveals he hasn't been forced to sign one of Marvels notorious multi-picture deals.

'I’m good to go! I didn’t have to sign much of my life away at all. I think this film definitely plants the seeds for more to come, but what exactly that is, I don’t know. But I’m excited to find out.'

Quickfire Q&A: Jamie Foxx at Spider-Man premiere

Jamie Foxx confessed his arachnid fears, prankster skills and super-hero ambitions at the UK premiere of the Amazing Spider-Man 2.

Answering questions while he sped down the red carpet in London, the 46-year-old Texan – who plays villainous Electro in the film – was in a jovial mood.

Is it true you were the biggest prankster on the Spider-Man set?

I was always joking and clowning and just having a good time.

And you do a mean Michael Jackson impression?

Why is everyone saying that? I suppose I did do a good one this one time…

Is it true you are scared of spiders?

I can’t stand spiders. I’m scared. I don’t play with them.

Which super-hero would you want to play?

I would love to play Spawn.

Quickfire Q&A: Avi Arad on Spider-Man and X-Men

Marvel mega producer Avi Arad has discussed the New York skyline in the Amazing Spider-Man 2 and also given a salivating hint about future X-Men movies.

The 65-year-old film studio CEO was on the red carpet for the latest Spider-Man film premiere in London and had time for a few quick questions.

Is there any hope that Stark Tower might be hiding in the skyline of Amazing Spider-Man 2?

At one time there was a conversation. But for this skyline we wanted to accentuate the Oscorp building as Oscorp is kind of the uber-villain and the source of where bad things come from.

Marvel have plans for films all the way to 2028 –

I won't be here! [laughs]

Do you feel like you live in the future because you have to plan that far ahead?

I'm having fun because it took me a long time to get people to believe that comic books are the best source for film. And look at the world now.

X-Men Days of Future past looks like it will play with the time-line in the series. Will this mean that characters killed off in previous films, like Cyclops and Jean Grey, could return in future installments?

In comics, everyone comes back…

Marc Webb praises Amazing Spider-Man cast

The Amazing Spider-Man director Marc Webb has praised Jamie Foxx for his electric performance in his superhero sequel.

The 39-year-old genius behind the camera says Oscar winner Foxx, 46, is unbeatable when it comes to mixing comedy and gravitas in a performance.

‘Jamie Foxx is incredible!’ the director gushed at the UK premiere of the sequel in which Foxx plays villain Electro.

‘Getting to work with someone like Jamie is incredible because he can do comedy so well; the goofy playful thing that we love from the comics – you should ask him to do his Michael Jackson impression that he did in Times Square. But there is a pathos and a depth and a gravitas that he can do too and I like him walking down that pathway.’

And Webb has plenty more compliments for his cast – including Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone.

‘I’ve been working with Andrew and Emma so long and it is so much fun to have them on set doing those scenes between Peter and Gwen. I always watch that back on the monitor and think I’m so lucky and I’m a fan and that’s really special,’ he said.

Having attracted fans due to his 2009 indie rom com (500) Days of Summer, Webb hopes he can return to non-superhero action on the big screen in the future, but admits it might be some time before he can work on anything else.

‘My head is so in Spider-Man right now, it’s difficult to think outside of that, but I think I’ve still got a few years left in me,’ he said.

‘We are working on Spider-Man’s 3 and 4 but we need to sit down and recalibrate and try to figure out how to impress and enthuse people.’

Rixton’s Jake Roche: Careers, parental fears and Britney Spears

New band Rixton are poised to take the world by storm – but regret not milking their US connections to meet Britney Spears.

The lads – Jake Roche, Charley Bagnall, Lewi Morgan and Danny Wilkin – failed to bag tickets to Spears’ Sin City show despite being managed by Scooter Braun and being mates with Justin Bieber.

‘I’m a huge Britney fan so I’m gutted we didn’t get to see her. And we could’ve got free tickets as well because we’ve got the same booking agent. I’m an idiot,’ 21-year-old Roche moaned.

To make matters worse, it was his best chance to meet his idol.

‘I was probably about six or seven when she first released music and she was my first crush. She was in that school uniform and I was like, “Mum, what’s this feeling?” Not really!’

Speaking of ‘mum’, Roche is from good showbiz stock as his parents are Shane Richie and Coleen Nolan – with the latter seemingly having sleepless nights about his chosen career path.

‘My mum is so worried, bless her,’ he said. ‘She calls every day and is like, “Are you being nice to everyone? Are you speaking to everyone? Have you got clean underwear?” She has brought me up well!’

But Loose Women star Nolan may soon have something to worry about as Jake hopes his role as frontman will make him a hit with the ladies.

‘A lot of people say being in bands gets you a lot of girls but I haven’t experienced it yet. But it is very early days. Although I’ll be honest, my game is terrible,’ he admitted.

[Originally published Metro, Guilty Pleasures, Wednesday 2 April 2014]

Jacob Anderson wants GoT fans at Raleigh Ritchie

Jacob Anderson fears he will have to dodge spears when Game Of Thrones fans realise he is a music star as well as an actor.

The 23-year-old – who plays army captain Grey Worm in the fantasy series – goes by the name Raleigh Ritchie when releasing music and is gearing up for his debut album release later this year.

‘There has never been a crossover,’ he said, insisting he can play both the TV and musical fame games.

‘No-one has said anything. People either don’t make the association or they’re not interested in making the association. I haven’t had a show where someone is shouting “Grey Worm!” at me or anything. Not yet.

‘If the crowd start to throw spears at me on stage, I’ll know they’re a fan!’

Anderson is set to hit the festival circuit this summer – with one gig high on his agenda. ‘I’m playing Wireless in July with Outkast. That is really exciting,’ he beamed.

‘I’m on the Outkast and Bruno Mars day which is great because I can go and see them afterwards.’

[Originally published Metro, Guilty Pleasures, Wednesday 26 March 2014]

Rose Leslie: Game of Thrones sex had to happen

Rose Leslie has fond memories of her Game Of Thrones sex scenes with co-star Kit Harington.

The 27-year-old beauty’s character Ygritte romped with Harington’s Jon Snow last season.

‘That was my first ever sex scene. You have no idea how many takes that took,’ she told Guilty Pleasures. She insisted, however, any love scene had to be justified.

‘I felt certainly within that scene with Jon Snow and Ygritte that it needed to happen,’ she said.

‘They finally got together and got to show their love to one another. There was no political ploy or tactical play. It was pure romantics.’

Having developed something of a catchphrase for herself on the show – she often shouts ‘You know nothing, Jon Snow!’ – the Scottish actress said some fans were shocked to realise she did not share her character’s thick northern accent in real life.

‘When I get asked to do the catchphrase by fans, several times they have said, “No, no, no… it’s not you! I need to go and find the real person”,’ she laughed.

Before her Thrones role, Leslie starred in international smash Downton Abbey but insisted it was luck she landed roles in such major TV shows.

‘I just look for characters that I can resonate with and female characters who are strong and determined and passionate,’ she explained.

However, she will be hoping lightning can strike thrice when she teams up with fellow Thrones star Charles Dance for her next TV project.

‘I am currently filming The Great Fire for ITV which is a mini-series we’re shooting in London – with Charles. So we will be on screen together,’ she gushed.

[Originally published Metro, Guilty Pleasures, Wednesday 26 March 2014]

5SOS: We want fans in our hotel showers

5 Seconds of Summer have dubbed themselves ‘single, ready to mingle… and eat Pringles’ after inviting fans to join them in their hotel showers.

The Australian pop punk band – consisting of Michael Clifford, 18; Luke Hemmings, 17; Calum Hood, 18; and 19-year-old Ashton Irwin – are set to top the charts this Sunday with new single She Looks So Perfect and are not shaken by their fiercely growing fan base.

‘I think we’ve all got really good at dodging stuff on stage,’ Clifford explains, having had numerous items rain down on him and his bandmates during live gigs.

‘We get some bras thrown. Ashton once got a Rubik’s Cube thrown at him – it was like they were asking him to solve it or something. And that would hurt!’ he went on.

‘We’ve had plastic boobs thrown at us. They are hard to explain… I think I threw them back at the crowd,’ adds Hemmings.

Having seen their own popularity explode after touring with boyband extraordinaire One Direction last summer, the lads say they would welcome the same level of manic appreciation that Harry Styles and co receive.

‘We’ve heard stories from other people about going into their hotel showers and a fan is already in there. But that hasn’t happened. I reckon that could be funny, actually,’ Clifford laughed during an exclusive chat with Guilty Pleasures.

And fans of the boys may also be able bag a date with one of them, if they play their cards right.

‘We are all single and ready to mingle and eat Pringles. I love the British accent, so I’d go there,’ Hemmings winked.

‘I’d definitely date a fan. It would be like dating someone who likes your music so it would be a bonus,’ explained Clifford – adding he would even date a lady if she hated their tunes.

‘I’m not sure. It depends if they have a good reason for hating our music. If they just said “you suck!” that would just not be nice. But if she just didn’t like the band because of other music tastes, I would let her off,’ he laughed.

[Originally published Metro, Guilty Pleasures, Wednesday 26 March 2014]

Chris Evans: I took a beating making Captain America

Chris Evans said he was red, white and bruised when he pulled on his stars and stripes costume to play Captain America in The Winter Soldier.

The 32-year-old all-American actor confessed he took a sound beating by performing his own stunts in the superhero sequel.

‘There are always injuries, whether you end up in a cast or not. Doing stunt work is physical stuff,’ he said.

‘Even when you block a punch, that punch lands somewhere so you’re always going home with bumps and bruises,’ the actor told Guilty Pleasures at the British premiere.

The latest film sees Evans’ captain get into multiple scraps as he fights off an army of villains, including Frank Grillo, 50, who plays Brock Rumlow.

‘That man can’t pull his punches. If you don’t block Frank Grillo’s punch, you’re going to get mashed.

‘He is an actual boxer. He doesn’t know anything but 100 per cent,’ Evans said, revealing some of the fight scenes got reasonably real.

Co-star Samuel L Jackson, however, was happy to avoid stunts as much as possible.

‘I used my stunt man extensively! I have no issues with him getting hurt, that’s why he is there. He loves it,’ the 65-year-old actor said.

‘He is from a stunt family. His father was a stunt man. His brothers are stunt men. It’s way better for you to stand in, they throw a punch, you duck out and then they fight,’ he laughed.

[Originally published Metro, Guilty Pleasures, Thursday 20 March 2014]

Samuel L Jackson: Army soldiers are true heroes

Samuel L Jackson used his time on the Captain America red carpet to hail the true heroes of society – army soldiers.

The 65-year-old acting legend gushed with admiration for the servicemen and women who defend the shores of democracy.

‘I look at the young people who put their lives on the line for us so that we do have the freedom to make movies like this and tell stories like this,’ he said, attending the premiere for The Winter Soldier, in which he reprises his role as Nick Fury.

‘We do have a volunteer army now. It’s not like people have to do it and I admire them greatly,’ he gushed.

The actor said he is thrilled his character has more air time in the current sequel than previous Marvel movies which he has popped up in, including Iron Man and Avengers Assemble.

However he explained he had to figure out quickly how to deal with reading scripts on set when he was in costume wearing his character’s trade-mark eye patch.

‘The interesting thing about the patch is when I was learning the dialogue from the script, I could only see half the page. So I discovered I’d have to learn my lines covering one hand,’ he laughed.

[Originally published Metro, Guilty Pleasures, Thursday 20 March 2014]

Sebastian Stan: I might become Captain America

Sebastian Stan hopes he may one day don the Captain America costume even though he plays the hero’s titular villain in new sequel, The Winter Soldier.

The 31-year-old actor has reportedly signed a nine picture deal with Marvel studios to play James ‘Bucky’ Barnes (who becomes the Winter Soldier after being brainwashed) and fans of the comic book series will know he one day becomes Captain America once the original Captain, Steve Rodgers (played by Chris Evans), dies.

‘I have no idea. I really don’t know. I’m just trying to realise I’m working with these guys,’ Stan told Guilty Pleasures, saying he was too overwhelmed to be starring alongside Evans, Samuel L Jackson and Scarlett Johansson to think of the future.

However he hasn't ruled out a stint as the hero in the future, saying: 'Wherever (the directors) want to take the story is where I am going.'

Evans is now half way through his reported six picture deal with Marvel to play the superhero, so Stan may get his turn in the stars and stripes outfit yet.

[Originally published Metro, Guilty Pleasures, Thursday 20 March 2014]

Ricky Wilson: I love being a gay pin-up

Ricky Wilson says the best thing about his glossy makeover since appearing on The Voice is that he has garnered a gay following.

The 36-year-old Kaiser Chiefs frontman shed pounds and got his teeth straightened before taking to his revolving chair, and his dishy new look hasn’t gone unnoticed.

‘I get a lot more attention from men than women. They say, “You’re hot. I wouldn’t mind a go on you”, which I find a compliment. I find it harder to please the same sex,’ he told Metro in an exclusive chat.

Wilson, who has been with his girlfriend Lesley Williams for more than five years, warns he is going all-out to win their respect.

‘There was a load of us on holiday last year and we were all sitting around the pool and someone had brought the [gay magazine] Attitude issue with the 100 hunkiest men,’ he said.

‘I was reading through it and said “I am going to do whatever it takes to get in this magazine next year.” We have booked the same villa and we are going back to Tuscany at the same time that issue should be back and I want to parade around the pool with my 100th hunkiest male entry. If I scraped in at 100, I’d be fine.’

While the Ruby singer has had viewers of both sexes swooning as he coached acts on The Voice, he insisted he was embarrassed by his effect.

‘The thing is, you can put anyone on TV and they can be hot. It’s like listening to a song on the radio, if you hear it every day you’ll start liking it,’ he protested.

[Originally published Metro, Guilty Pleasures, Thursday 20 March 2014]

Kylie Minogue: I love acting and being someone else

These days Kylie Minogue may spend her time curled up on the sofa watching Gogglebox but she hasn’t given up on resurrecting her life as a movie star.

The Voice coach told Metro how she needs to act to escape the mayhem of Kylie world.

‘I love being on set, it was my first job, and I love the opportunity to not be “Kylie”, to be someone else,’ the 45-year-old sighed.

Her bid to escape came as the sizzling video for her single Sexercise debuted online, showing her reinvented as a sex kitten who could give Rihanna a run for her money.

But fans of the former Neighbours star’s acting will have to wait.

‘At the moment it’s parked, but it’s something I’ll always have a little pilot light for,’ she lamented. Finding an escape is something she isn’t good at on her own, revealing Scissor Sisters’ Jake Shears was her ‘naughty brother’ while working in LA last year.

‘He’s the kind of guy who’ll get me to do something “normal,” like go to the movies, when I feel like I should stay home. He’ll say, “I’m coming to pick you up at this time, I’ve got the tickets, and we’ll just go”,’ she explained.

She’s relished being on The Voice but Kylie may find herself tested in the live finals.

‘I’m normally more reactive, or I go with the flow, I don’t like decisions – which is quite odd now I’m on The Voice which is decisions all day but I like to kind of feel my way,’ she said.

[Originally published Metro, Guilty Pleasures, Wednesday 19 March 2014]

Sir Tom Jones: My wife bans stars from our house

Sir Tom Jones may be famous for his name-dropping but if you expect him to host star-studded dinner parties at his LA home, think again.

The 73-year-old chart veteran says his wife of almost six decades bans him from inviting the likes of Aretha Franklin, Lionel Richie and Prince over for a knees-up.

‘I don’t have parties at my house. My wife is a very quiet person and she gets very nervous if anybody shows up. Like Robbie Williams showed up the other day and my wife stayed in the bedroom. Even though she knows him,’ the Sex Bomb star revealed.

‘Melinda’s not that way inclined. She’s not a party person. But I go to a lot of other people’s houses.’

Series three of The Voice has seen the coach reveal he was once serenaded by Elvis while taking a shower and has seen him namecheck everyone from Frank Sinatra to Janis Joplin – but he insists he isn’t exaggerating about his famous connections.

‘The thing is, it’s true. I’ve been in showbusiness a long time and I’ve been lucky enough to meet some great entertainers in the business, so why not talk about it?’ he said.

Meanwhile, Jones thinks the current line-up of coaches has been an unbeatable combination and says he was glad to welcome some familiar faces on to the panel.

‘I’ve known Kylie since she first came to this country. And the same thing with Ricky Wilson, I’ve known him with the Kaiser Chiefs. I was relieved not to have to get to know new people,’ he said.

[Originally published Metro, Guilty Pleasures, Tuesday 18 March 2014]

Will.i.am: Black Eyed Peas would fail The Voice

Will.i.am reckons The Black Eyed Peas would be a flop on The Voice and fail to get the coaches’ chairs swivelling.

The 39-year-old mega producer’s band started out in the mid-1990s and took almost a decade to make it big – but he’s glad the Peas took the long road to fame instead of a TV talent show.

‘We wouldn’t join it, and if we did join it, we wouldn’t win. And if we won, they would be joking. Because we are different,’ Will told Guilty Pleasures in an exclusive catch-up.

‘We mean something different in popular culture. We create our own stew. Everyone else is eating spaghetti.’

According to the Don’t Stop The Party singer, the music industry judges you ‘on spaghetti or pizza’ but the Black Eyed Peas were ‘like a f****** calzone’.

He added: ‘The person judging the pizza would be like, “This isn’t a pizza! What is this?” And I’d be like, “Taste it. This is different, homie.

‘We’re just making a sandwich out of the mother f****** pizza and putting all the juice in the middle.’

With his Voice commitments taking him to Australia and a Peas album in the pipeline, Will finds it easy to forget if he is in the northern or southern hemisphere.

‘I’m doing the Australian Voice too. Every once in a while you wake up and say: “Is this my Australian bed? Or am I in London? Or at home? Where am I at?” But I love doing The Voice UK,’ he said.

[Originally published Metro, Guilty Pleasures, Monday 17 March 2014]

Little Mix: We love our erotic lesbian fan fiction

Little Mix are at the centre of a sex-fuelled kidnap plot – but before fans freak out, the drama is only a bit of wishful thinking erotica penned in cyber space by the singers’ fans.

Far from terrified, the Word Up singers are lapping up the attention with singer Jade Thirlwall telling Metro: ‘It is very saucy and quite hardcore. I’ve read a lot of lesbian ones about us all being lesbians with each other.

‘I’ve read one where I got kidnapped before. But they can write what they want – as long as it stays fiction,’ the 21-year-old star said from America where the group are on tour with US singer Demi Lovato.

Thirlwall says she and band are chuffed to be so popular with the ladies, even if it involves signing autographs on breasts.

‘Our lesbian following has definitely grown over the past couple of years. It’s nice though, I think. I love the gay following. Especially when we’ve played at G-A-Y we’ve had a great reaction,’ she confessed.

‘We do get a lot of people asking us to sign their boobs as well. Especially in America. It is a bit weird but why not?! Jesy (Nelson) gets asked to sign breasts a lot. I think it’s because she’s got such good boobs they go to her.’

Meanwhile, Jade was also keen to tell her female fans how to suck a Cadbury’s Cream Egg with Easter on the horizon.

‘I find them really messy. I always find that I’m really excited to start eating them and then afterwards I’ll have cream egg everywhere!’ she teased.

‘Usually what I do is, you know when you have egg and soldiers and you cut the top off? I bite the top off and then scoop the goo out and then I eat the chocolate after,’ she giggled.

[Originally published Metro, Guilty Pleasures, Sunday 16 March 2014]

Simon Cowell: I was stupid to sack Cheryl

Simon Cowell has admitted he was ‘stupid’ for firing Cheryl Cole after grovelling for her to return to end his X Factor ratings hell.

The 54-year-old came clean over Cole’s departure from the US version of the show in 2011 in an exclusive chat with Guilty Pleasures.

‘I made too many stupid decisions and I’ll own up to it, sacking Cheryl was one of them,’ he said. ‘It was a silly decision. Of course I was wrong and I don’t mind admitting when I am wrong.

‘If I could turn the clock back, I would do it differently, if I am honest. But I can’t.

‘I realised I wanted to make the show close to where we left it. It was a fantastic year. And I had to get Cheryl back.’

The X Factor pulled in its highest ever ratings in 2010 with Cowell and Cole on the judging panel – drawing 20million viewers. Now he’s determined the next series of The X Factor will overtake BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.

‘We’re back to get this show back to No.1. For me the ratings are important, I’m not going to lie.

‘If we are second to Strictly I am going to be disappointed,’ he admits.

But if Cole’s return doesn’t appeal to everyone, Cowell has another trump card up his sleeve – another surprise woman to spice up the line-up.

‘Louis is considering a sex change,’ he joked, adding the 61-year-old Irishman would make a good stand-in as a female judge. ‘I could see Louis in a wig,’ he said.

[Originally published Metro, Guilty Pleasures, Tuesday 11 March 2014]

Cheryl Cole: Simon begged to have me back

Cheryl Cole is taking great delight in explaining just how much begging Simon Cowell had to do to seal her return to The X Factor.

Bridges between the 30-year-old Geordie lass and her former boss seemed to have been burned for good when she was dumped from the US version of the show after just three weeks.

However, Cowell, 54, appears to have resorted to emotional blackmail to convince Chezza to come back.

‘There’s only so much begging I could take. It’s not nice to see a grown man cry,’ Cole told Guilty Pleasures at London’s glitzy Dover Street Arts Club. ‘The begging went on for a few years.’

Metro revealed back in November that the singer was handed £1.4million compensation from US X Factor bosses over her humiliating sacking back in 2011.

While the cash from her court victory may have softened the blow, the pop beauty says she is not bitter about the past.

‘I don’t hold grudges. I remember facts. And the facts I remember are I won my first two series and I had two in the final of the last series, so the rest of the stuff is irrelevant,’ she said.

And despite reports of a £1.5million deal to tempt her back for the 11th year of the British show, Chezza swears the seven figures are not her motivation.

‘I’m excited to find talent again. Actually, that’s the thing I love the most, it’s discovering the talent. I thrive off that. It just felt like the right time now,’ she said.

With two seats remaining to be filled, Cheryl has been quick to deny reports she doesn’t want another girl on board.

‘There are people I would love to join on the panel. Especially a strong woman, preferably. I’m kind of hoping I don’t have to deal with three guys otherwise I may be appearing on a Saturday night with no hair because I’ve pulled it out,’ she laughed.

[Originally published Metro, Guilty Pleasures, Tuesday 11 March 2014]