Rixton's Jake wants to dance like Nicole Scherzinger

British band Rixton may be in a chart battle with Nicole Scherzinger for this weekend’s number 1 single, but frontman Jake Roche is such a fan he wants the former Pussycat Doll to be his dance coach.

The cheeky 21-year-old singer – the son of Shane Richie and Coleen Nolan – says he has met 36-year-old Scherzy several times but is yet to get one-on-one tuition.

‘Has she ever taught me how to be an erotic dancer? Not yet! I mean, I look at the videos and I try to copy ‘em, but there’s only so much I can do while wearing a bra before it looks a bit wrong,’ he chuckled during an exclusive chat with Guilty Pleasures.

Roche and his pop/RnB bandmates Charley Bagnall, 28, Lewi Morgan, 26 and Danny Wilkin, 24 have their eyes on Sunday’s top spot with infectious tune Me and My Broken Heart and have agreed to get matching tattoos if they beat off Scherzy.

‘We want to get a broken heart single tattooed on each other. But if Nicole does beat us, I might just have to get a Pussycat Dolls shrine tattooed on my neck,’ Roche laughed.

The Manchester-based group have already proven a hit in the USA where they are managed by Justin Bieber’s manger, Scooter Braun.

And while the boys couldn’t make 33-year-old Braun’s star-studded wedding to philanthropist Yael Cohen last week, they reckon he’d be chuffed if they rule the charts.

‘We did get invited but we missed it as we were gigging in Manchester, London and Birmingham,' Roche said of Rixton's workload.

'A number one should be a good wedding present for him. I don’t know what you buy a man like that but hopefully we can get him a number one.’

[Originally published Metro, Guilty Pleasures, Wednesday 16 July 2014]

Sharon Osbourne: I used sex factor to get back judges seat

Sharon Osbourne has joked that she had to get down on both knees to win back her X Factor job off Simon Cowell.

The 60-year-old reality star told Guilty Pleasures it was the best way to heal her rift with the TV boss after she said he had ‘small-penis syndrome’ last year.

‘I said “if I suck your d*** can I get the job?” And he said “of course”,’ she cackled.

‘It was very simple, very simple. There we are.’

Shaz was keen to set the record straight on her fall out with the 53-year-old X Factor boss.

‘I only said that because he said he didn’t like working with me in his book so I thought I would say something mean,’ she said, referencing his unauthorised book Sweet Revenge: The Intimate Life of Simon Cowell.

‘That is how we are like in our relationship, we have underlying respect but if he says something mean then I will go “take that”. Doesn’t everyone dread that being said about them?’

However she went on to say she doesn’t care for Cowell’s appendage in reality.

‘I don’t care what size his d*** is. I should give a s***. The thing is I knew how to get him and he knew how to get me,’ she laughed.

[Originally published Metro Guilty Pleasures 17 July 2013]

Nicole Scherzinger: I’m lonely and single after Lewis Hamilton split

Lonely singleton Nicole Scherzinger has revealed she is struggling to adjust to life after splitting with long-term lover Lewis Hamilton.

The Don’t Hold Your Breath singer, 35, has revealed she is glad to have The X Factor and her music to distract her from her heartache.

She told Metro: ‘Fortunately I love the people here and they give me so much love back, because I don’t have anyone here, I don’t have my family, I don’t even have any friends here. My publicist is my closest friend.’

Nicole is looking forward to catching up with her former protégé Rylan, who will also be able to help heal her pain after splitting with Lewis, 28, last month.

‘He’s my new date!’ the former Pussycat Doll laughed, adding: ‘I talked to him last night and we’re trying to figure out when we can go out for dinner. And he’s so busy every night. I’m so happy for him.’

Nicole is also thrilled to have Sharon Osbourne on the X Factor panel, saying ‘She has brought out the worst in all of us in the best way.’

But if fans expect fireworks to fly between the two powerful women, they are going to be disappointed as the two get on famously.

‘I love Sharon. She brought me on to The X Factor. I was her mentor at her house in Beverley hills many years ago,’ she said, recalling series four of the show.

‘She just kind of took me under her wing and she is really lovely as a woman. It’s really nice to see other women in the industry who are kind and give empowerment to others. That’s rare.’

Nicole went on to explain the value of having another woman on her side, saying: ‘Girls, we’re catty and there’s insecurity but she’s a special breed, she’s just awesome. She’s just outrageous and fun and a riot.’

[Originally published Metro Guilty Pleasures 16 July 2013]

Gary Barlow: I’m afraid of repeat BGT egg attack on The X Factor

Gary Barlow has revealed that he is quivering in fear that he’ll be egged like Simon Cowell at the X Factor judges’ desk.

The 42-year-old Take That star is on red alert after Si was splatted on Britain’s Got Talent.

‘It’s a worry that, isn’t it? I mean I know she was only throwing eggs, and that’s fine,’ Gaz told Metro of BGT wannabe Natalie Holt’s attack on Cowell.

‘I’ve never had eggs thrown at me [when performing with Take That],’ he went on, with co-judge Nicole Scherzinger joking he is more likely to have knickers thrown at him.

With live audience auditions taking place in the capital this week, the four judges – Gary, Nicole, Louis Walsh and Sharon Osbourne – have all adjusted to their latest roles; with Gary gushing over the return of Mrs O to the ITV singing show.

‘She’s the queen. She’s back. It’s so good to have someone who has done so much TV work because she is totally at ease and she has brought out the worst in all of us,’ he said.

‘The one thing I was dreading though was Sharon coming back and just stealing the whole thing and that’s not her style at all.’

However, Gaz is concerned about Si making a shock return during the tenth series of the show – as he has no clue if or when he might pop up.

‘We’re all worried about that,’ he confirmed, although he is looking forward to Cowell’s Midas touch adding: ‘I sat with him this year to talk about the show, the one thing I said was “I think the viewers want you somewhere in this show” because at the end of the day, I’m not the boss of the label in London.

‘We’d love at any point for him to be involved and show up at boot camp or judges’ houses or wherever. He’s always up for it.’

[Originally published Metro Guilty Pleasures 16 July 2013]