It’s not everyday you get the opportunity to fly to New York to hang out with an American Idol winner.

I jumped on a flight from the UK last weekend to go and meet up with music star Carrie Underwood.

In the UK she’s not a big name…yet. But she’s clearly got fans – after all, tickets to her debut UK tour date at the Royal Albert Hall in June sold out in a matter of minutes last week.

In real life she’s cute, bubbly and very easy to talk to and I’m pleased to report very normal considering the fact she’s mobbed everywhere she goes in the States.

I’ll set the scene, we met for a drink in the plush London Hotel in NYC and loads of fans were waiting to say hello whilst we enjoyed a glass of wine in a quiet corner.

Managed by Spice Girls creator Simon Fuller, this week Carrie releases Good Girl – her first proper single in the UK. Then her debut album for UK fans, Blown Away, follows on June 18.

Enjoy the interview and I look forward to meeting this young lady again when she comes to the UK in the summer.

Hello Carrie, First of all – your gig in London has sold out with ease which is great news. Have you been to the UK before?

I can’t wait to get to London and perform at the Royal Albert Hall. I’ve been there as a visitor and been running around like a tourist but never performed there. I remember doing the whole double decker bus tour and going past Buckingham Palace. I went to Wimbledon too. I went with my mum and my sisters and it was an amazing trip. If I’m honest though I’ve got no idea about tennis and what happens in the games so I just sat there completely jetlagged and zoned out trying not to fall asleep or faint.

And tickets sold out in ten minutes? That’s crazy.

I can’t believe the tickets have already sold out. I’ve never been to the Royal Albert Hall so I’m looking forward to actually stepping out into the arena and seeing it. People keep telling me it will take my breath away. I’ve got a fear about performing at a venue and it comes to the night of my show and I step out and nobody has shown up. I’ve heard the Royal Albert Hall is like ‘starting at the top’ in the UK. So I’m very excited.

Where is home for you these days – I’m imagining you’re in LA an awful lot?

I live in Nashville these days actually. I really like LA – I love the weather but I’m a space girl and I love loads of space around me. So LA is OK for me but not totally perfect. A friend of mine lives in Sussex in England actually and we stayed there too and got to take a ride in a helicopter over the fields. It was glorious. Sussex was very spacious indeed.

Do you live on an amazing plot then?

I’ve just bought 450 acres or so of land just outside Nashville to live on with my husband and it’s beautiful.

Tell me about Blown Away – what’s the general feel of this album?

The album is diverse. We basically decided to use as many different styles as possible. I love music in general and pride myself in feeling like I can sing whatever I want. I don’t ever want to be locked into one type of song or style. I never want people going, “oh, that sounds like Carrie Underwood”. I want things to sound different from song to song and that’s what we’ve done with this particular album. There are dramatic songs that are dark, big and bold. And then there’s tracks that are so sweet and organic and swell. There’s some pretty country in there as well.

And how involved are you with the process of writing an album?

I’m involved in everything when it comes to the album. People might think I’m just an Idol puppet but not these days. When I came out of Idol it was so important to strike while the iron was hot so there wasn’t much of an option but to rush things. We went on the road with the Idols tour and during that I was recording and then it was ready to go straight away afterwards. Tonnes of people came out to see that tour but it was very hectic behind the scenes. It was a good time for me to learn a lot but it did happen so fast. I never went in there saying that I knew everything.

And you learned the game form good people around you, I assume.

I wanted to learn everything from scratch and in the beginning I would always say: “I know enough to know I don’t know anything about the music industry.” But now I do. I was never going to try and dominate the situation or be a diva. I had never done that before and had to trust the people around me.

I have people around me who are wonderful. Simon Fuller, in particular, has been brilliant from the very beginning. He’s all about what makes the people that he works with happy and what makes me happy. He asks me all the time if I’m happy with every aspect of my career. He’s a supporter and a friend and there’s opinions, guidance and loyalty with Simon.

Were you a Spice Girls fan before you met him?

I loved the Spice Girls back in the day and to know him now on a personal level and what a great guy he is in real life is brilliant. Being on idol, he didn’t have to be nice to me or approach me about management. He could have given me to somebody else – but he didn’t, he believed in me and had a vision.

And were you a fan of British music in general growing up?

I’m a fan of the Brit music scene right now. Adele’s brilliant and obviously there’s been a big history since the British invasion in American. So many people have managed to make it big around the globe. My iPod is very random to be honest. When I was growing up my parents used to listen to the oldies station when I was young. I always used to hate it and would moan but now that I’m in the industry I’m so appreciative of what they did making me listen to it all. It gave me a knowledge of music and grounding.

Often I will cover those songs in my shows today. I would listen to the Carpenters and the Rolling Stones and lots of rock music. My mum loved a little bit more a laid back style. My sisters were teenagers when I was little so they listened to all the eighties top 40 like Debbie Gibson and Culture Club. A little bit of hair metal too like Motley Crue and Guns n’ Roses.

How is married life? (Carrie is married to ice hockey player Mike Fisher)

Married life is great – I’m not going to lie. It’s nice to have a constant fulfillment in my life – in all aspects. I’m so happy with Mike.

You seem to be good at keeping your private life private.

I’ve always been about keeping my private life private. I’ve never been some club girl falling out of bars and all of that. Don’t get me wrong, I love seeing my girlfriends and chilling out and having some wine. But I’m just not to interested in going out – I feel really old these days. I honestly feel so old when I go out to clubs. It’s just not me to be in a nightclub and drinking. I have a lot of friends and we do what we do – we don’t need to world to see us.

What’s the secret to your longevity as a couple?

It’s nice that Mike has his thing and I have my thing and we support each other fully but in all honesty our world’s rarely collide and that helps things and keeps them working. They never really collide. I look at Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin and how their marriage works and think that’s a great way to make things work. They support each other through thick and thin but they’re still independent and have a life together behind closed doors.

You seem to have managed to stay on the straight and narrow easily dealing with fame.

It’s really easy to look at people and think how easy it is to fall off the wagon in this industry and fall into drinking or going out too much. I remember the first time we were on Idol we were herded up like cattle – because there are so many of us – and then when we made the top 24 we were doing a photoshoot and a girl standing next to me said to herself: “Man, I’m thirsty.” And then somebody standing there suddenly rushed forwards with a bottle of water. I was like, “oh my gosh, we have gone from being yelled at to people doing stuff for us.” It was a big defining moment in my life. It would be easy for me to fall off the wagon but I can’t do that to the people around me. I’m too responsible for so many people I work with.

How do you chillax?

Reality TV is crazy in our town. I watch loads of it. The Kardashians, Dog the Bounty Hunter and Jersey Shore. It’s kinda funny that it makes news in the US when things happen on those shows though. But it’s mindless television and I’m guilty of watching it. When I’m sitting in a room all day writing I work hard and when I come out I need to watch ‘nothing’ television. I could be sitting there for three hours but I couldn’t even tell you what I watched. It’s forgettable TV. But you need that kind of escape sometime

What about starting a family?

Children are definitely in the distant future.

Well, you’re still young?

Well, not really. We do have busy lives but I guess Mike and myself are wanting to get everything we want to do out of the way now before we have children. And also I do think as a mother it’s tricky in this industry. I know so many men that have kids and just carry on with life as normal but for women it’s a far bigger deal in this industry to take time out to have a child. And I’m not done yet. It’s fine for a man to be there on the road away from his family – as long as his wife’s there looking after baby. But it’s different the other way around. I’m not sure why that is but it’s obviously trickier. Right now, Mike’s so busy, I’m so busy and neither either one of us are willing to compromise our careers to start a family.

It’s not like it’s unusual to wait until later in life to start in life….

We waited late to get married compared to where I’m from. We waited late. Where I’m from people are generally married out of high school or college. You’re married at 21 or 22. That’s just the norm. Most of my friends I went to school with are still married and almost all of them have children.

I’m glad I didn’t come out of college married. I wanted to date and enjoy myself and figure out who I was. I didn’t have a clue what kind of guy I wanted at 21. I had no idea. I definitely think I’ve played it all the best way by waiting. I’m the last one out of my friends to have kids. Everybody else has. Everyone. I went back to my 10-year High School Reunion recently and that was a real eye opener.

Carrie’s single Good Girl is out to download today and Blown Away is released June 18

Felicity Huffman (above) is my new favourite person. She’s fun, unaffected by Hollywood and really easy to chat to. And despite her worldwide fame she forgets she’s ‘a somebody’. “I often forget that people know who I am,” she revealed at Vanity Fair’s party at Beso in aid of the Eva Longoria Foundation. “I’ll be out and suddenly there’s a commotion and the penny drops. I’m very low key when it comes to everything. I’m a wife and a mother – I don’t have a stylist or a team of people.”
The star loves all things British including Ricky Gervais. But Flick tells me she wishes he had more balls when it came to his recent Golden Globes hosting duties. She said: “Ricky’s a weird one isn’t he. I love him and he’s so funny but he was a let down at the Globes. We were ready for him to push some buttons and create some controversy. But then he didn’t. He is all talk and I think people expected a lot more. I hope he gets the chance to do it again.”
Felicity also told me she loves visiting the UK – for shows like the Baftas. And she sais on her last visit she had the best tea lady going. “At the Oscars there’s alcohol and candy and all sorts backstage,” she said. “But in London when I came over for the Baftas it was a dark and dingy set and I was stumbling around. I was given tea in a polystyrene cup – with the bag still in it – by Dame Judi Dench.” Now that’s a tea lady!

Gerard Butler’s just come out of rehab in LA so you’d think he’d be taking things pretty easy. But alas he didn’t seem to be too careful when I saw him stumbling into the Bolthouse Productions party up in the Hills following the Vanity Fair bash at gone 2am. I hope he’s being a good boy. Other guests included Topher Grace and Nadine Coyle.

Above: Wicked star Idina Menzel at the 20th Elton John AIDS Foundation Oscar Viewing Party in LA

And the award for the biggest Oscars season raver goes to….Natalie Imbruglia. I saw the star – who’s relocated to Hollywood for work these days – at The Abbey where she proceeded to do the splits, dance like a Pussycat Doll and kept trying it on with various other female friends – much to their amusement. Amazing what a bit of booze can do.

Catherine Tate really needs to start lightening up and enjoying life. She’s permanently moody and difficult in real life – but smiles for those cameras. She was spotted eating at the Grove in LA and my source says she couldn’t have been stroppier simply being asked what she was doing in LA. “Filming the US version of The Office,” she barked. Before running off when I got my girl out there to ask about her relationship with Jason Orange which recently fizzled out.
Meanwhile, I reported back in January that the Take That singer was spotted all over a blonde whilst staying at Thailand’s plush Koh Samui detox resort Kamalaya.
Well I hear the star is still there – which means he’s spent a whopping nine weeks at the ￡3,000-a-week hotel. A fellow guest emailed to tell me this week: “His body is in insane shape. He looked like he’s been on a major detox and work out plan.” Lucky boy.

Carmit Bachar of the original Pussycat Dolls line-up doesn’t rate the chances of the new girls currently being put together by Dolls creator Robin Antin. Carmit, who gave birth to her first child five months ago, told me: “Robin doesn’t have a record deal for them but she’s parading them around. At least when we did it we were a huge success. We may not have made a huge amount of money because of the deal we signed but we were a worldwide hit.” Meow.

US ice hockey pro Jarret Stoll isn’t having much luck with getting a girl down the aisle. First his engagement to model Rachel Hunter falls flat on it’s face. And now I here his engagement to 90210 actress Katie Cassidy is off. A source tells me: “It just wasn’t ever going to work. He’s single and already ready to mingle again.”

Pucker Up: Kelly Osbourne looked divine at the Elton John AIDS Foundation party in West Hollywood

The rap world is preparing for a film documentary release which will blow them away. Ice-T has directed The Bottom Line which profiles hip-hop greats, past and present. The likes of Eminem, Kanye West, Snoop Dogg and Run DMC all take part and the results are quite simply extraordinary. The film also features over 200 hip-hop tracks too. The film, produced by talented Brit Paul Toogood, is set for release over the summer after rave reviews at the Sundance Film Festival.

Mischa Barton has got her life back on track it would appear. She looked stunning when I bumped into her at the Mont Blanc Princess Grace collection brunch at the Bel Air Hotel this week. As well as wrapping work on two films – including the horror I Will Follow You Into The Dark – the star is preparing to come to London where she will open her first store to flog her handbags and accessories. Mischa told me: “Opening my shop in London is a major priority for me. I’ve found a site within Spitalfields market and we’re working on the launch now. I used to go to the market a lot when I was in the UK.
“Life is good. I’m working hard with my acting, the handbag range has gone very well and it feels exciting to be back in the mix again.” Good to hear!

Jesse Metcalfe is excited about the new version of Dallas hitting UK screens in June. And he reckons it’s a sure-fire hit. “We’ve shot the entire first season and it was a blast,” he told me over dinner at Hollywood spot Eveleigh. “It feels like the UK is buzzing almost more than what the States is.”
Jesse was totally besotted with his actress fiancee Cara Santana. The guy’s come a long way from his Desperate Housewive days!

Sir Elton John knows a thing or two about food. That would be why I spotted the star dining out with hubby David Furnish and friends at Craig’s American eaterie on Melrose last Wednesday evening. Sat nearby was former First Lady Nancy Reagan and Lorraine Bracco from hit TV series The Sopranos.

It was a full-blown family affair at Richard Young’s Elizabeth Taylor exhibition launch on Rodeo at jewellery designer Stephen Webster’s store on Wednesday night. Richard’s son Sam span the tunes, Lady Victoria Hervey popped by and Christina Aguilera’s hubby Jordan Bratman (who’s lovely) popped in too. Stephen told me he enjoyed his flight over to LA alongside Batman star Christian Bale. “Christian was great,” Stephen said. “A very polite chap. It was a bit comedy being on a flight with Batman though.” I bet.

Above: Susan and Richard Young with me in Hollywood.

Spice Girl Mel B doesn’t sound too happy about having missed out on both the Olympics and the Queen’s Jubilee Spice reunion performances. “It’s a real shame we couldn’t do either,” she says. “They were both huge opportunities for us all. And I know most girls were up for it. I hope we get together again at some point – but I do feel like the fans wanted us back for this. People will see us together for the launch of the musical anyway.” Until then….
Meanwhile Mel spent much of last week packing up her LA possessions for her family’s big move to Australia. “It’s bloody murder here,” she told me. “Boxes everywhere and too much to do.”

Martin Scorsese was the guest of honour at Soho House’s lavish Grey Goose bash for Paramount pictures and Scorsese’s flick Hugo. Unfortunately no other celebs turned out for the event billed as a celebtastic night out. Upstairs in the club super producer Brett Ratner wandered around and Heroes star Ali Larter turned heads in a short yellow dress.

Chris Noth continues to hate the fact he made his name as the star of Sex and the City. The guy needs to get real. He turned up with a face like a donkey’s smacked arse at the QVC pre-Oscars bash at the Four Seasons. “I can never get away from being Mr Big,” he moaned. “It’s the first thing people always ask me about – I guess it will always be that way. I can’t complain though…it gives me a certain swagger and I’m always popular with the ladies!” And just to keep his foot in the door with the next movie in the franchise he added, “I would do a third SATC movie but we’ll see what happens.”

Above: Elton’s guests were an utter delight this year!

In my opinion, Viola Davis is a sensation in The Help. It’s out on DVD in the UK soon so make sure you check it out. The Oscar nominee told me at the QVC bash: “I’m surprisingly calm about the awards actually. I am just so grateful to have even been nominated. The response from this movie has been beyond all my wildest dreams. I can’t walk down the street anymore without someone congratulating me on the movie saying how it bought them to tears. It’s an amazing thing and whatever will be will be on Sunday.” Shame she didn’t win!

Nicole Richie was surprisingly friendly at the QVC bash. I asked her if she was missing hubby Joel Madden as he’s out in Australia as a judge on The Voice and she said, “I’m really missing him. It’s not easy looking after two kids on my own but it’s not for too long. Sydney is one of my favourite cities in the world so I can’t wait to go and visit him.” Get to it.

George Clooney’s squeeze Stacy Keibler was refreshingly frank about how she keeps her gravity-devying body. She works blooming hard. Stacy said, “I’m not one of those girls who’ll sit and tell you I eat what I like and never work out. Yes I know I have a good body but I work for it – I work out for at least an hour, sometimes two, every day!”

Skinny Minnie Leann Rimes was all dolled up at the Dominos pre-Oscars bash at the Sunset Tower Hotel on Thursday night. I asked her about the rumours she’d met with an X Factor producers to talk about a judging role and all she’d say was: “Well, I love the show.”
She also said plans are underway for a musical comeback with a difference. “I’m working on a new album right now,” she said. “I’m really excited about that actually. I want to bring in some big artists to duet with me on a couple of tracks but I haven’t quite worked out who yet. I might mix up country with a bit of hip hop and see if P Diddy is available.” Diddy – over to you!

I’m OBSESSED with Mad Men. So it was great to see Jon Hamm (above) at the Domino’s party. And it was great to see he’s not that dissimilar to his character Don Draper on the hit show (which returns on Sky Atlantic for the 5th Series on March 27). The stud was chain-smoking like a beauty and downing
bottles of beer. I asked him who he was rooting for at the Oscars today. He said, “I want Melissa McCarthy to win. She was so hilarious in Bridesmaids and is such a great actress. I’d love to see her take home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. I would also like to see The Artist do well. It was one of my favourite movies of the year. I loved it.” Me too.

Colin Firth’s wife Livia is on a mission to get stars of the film and fashion world dressing in sustainable produced materials. And I hear she’s bagged FIVE major stars to take up her own campaign – the Green Carpet Challenge – at this year’s Oscars.
Not only that, I hear Livia has officially bent the ear of US Vogue Editor Anna Wintour – who is standing by her in the campaign.
My source says: “Livia is over the moon with the reaction to her campaign. She has big names taking part and the likes of Anna Wintour are helping it grow from strength to strength.”
The campaign started in 2009 when Livia’s husband Colin Firth received a Golden Globe nomination for Tom Ford’s A Single Man. Livia elected to attend all red carpet events, including the Oscars, dressed solely in sustainable fashion. And now the campaign continues to grow – with the likes of Giorgio Armani, Chanel, Alberta Ferretti, Tom Ford, Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and Stella McCartney all onboard. Well done her.

William H. Macy is relishing his role as Frank Gallagher in the US version of Shameless. And he says he’s thrilled the US network Showtime allowing the production to be nearly as out of control and punchy as the British version. William, or Bill to his friends, told me: “I’m glad we’ve been able to push some buttons and keep it edgy. I’m a huge fan of the show and wanted to do Frank as a character justice.” He’s a top guy.

When you think of Sir Cliff Richard things that automatically spring to mind are Mistletoe and Wine, Wimbledon and those cheesy annual calendars he does for his loyal fans.
The last thing you think of are his rock star credentials. And the man himself says he lived through the crazy rock star years of the sixties without once being tempted to trash a hotel room or have a 24-hour booze binge.
“I lived through the day and age when popstars liked chucking TV sets out window,” says Cliff, 71. “My band used to laugh at me saying I wasn’t cool enough. They would joke that I’d never throw a television out the window, instead I’d get into a hotel room and get the hoover out to leave it looking nice. And my generation hardly even owned a TV set – they couldn’t afford it. The last thing I’d do was throw one out a window.”
Cliff, who’s about to take his annual holiday in America and Barbados following the success of his Souliscious UK tour, says he’s glad he never got persuaded to turn to the dark side of fame when it came to booze and drugs.
“It’s sad that youngsters nowadays can’t hold it together,” bachelor boy Cliff, who has sold in excess of 250 million albums, says. “There’s always been drugs in our industry since the very beginning. I just don’t get why people do it.
‘Put it this way I realised quickly early on that the herbal cigarettes everyone around me was smoking wasn’t just a cigarette. I never smoked and would have my windows open wide. It’s a piece of good fortune that I never started smoking. I had an aversion to it – my father smoked heavily and I couldn’t stand it. He’d get me to pass an ashtray to him and when I did I’d have to leave the room and wash my hands.”
He sounds genuinely upset by the passing of Amy Winehouse due to her alcohol addiction.
“There is a self destruct button in the industry and when you think about the people that have died too young in our business like Amy Winehouse it’s just sad,” he says. “Too many young talented lives. Amy was too talented to have lost so quickly. Amy obviously didn’t deal with her drinking habit. Having never had a problem like that I don’t know what it takes to pull out of that situation. I do have friends who have been addicts and have stopped. It is possible to stop – I’m just lucky to have never gone down that road. Somebody told me once that you can be a lush but not an alcoholic – and that’s me.”
He shows no signs of slowing down yet. And you get the impression he’d be working a whole lot more if his music was reaching a larger audience.
Cliff’s miffed radio stations across the UK have blanket banned his recent recordings and without his tracks getting played to a mass audience sees
little point in slogging his guts out on new material.
“Radio play is where I suffer,” explains, the star, who has never married. “There’s a new station coming out and they’ve made a point of saying they’re not going to play me. That’s just unfair. Whether these radio stations like it or not they’re essentially lying to their public. Outside of America there was nobody until I did it. This was five years before the Beatles were even around and I’d sold millions of records.
But yet still I’m ignored? It’s ridiculous. Over the years of the chart I’ve outsold every single artist. I’ve sold more single records than The Beatles,
Elvis or Sinatra or Elton. I was the real deal. It’s depressing working on an album project and at the end of it not getting the music to the people.”
He goes as far as saying not being played on the radio makes him consider a full time retirement. He says: “Retirement says you’re going to stop forever. I prefer the word stop. I can stop eating chocolates for a while. But it doesn’t mean I won’t eat chocolates ever again. So in some ways I think I’d like to stop. And then just phone up when I have an urge to record or tour. I won’t retire yet. But not being played on the radio makes me want to retire.”
Cliff does however say the opportunity to judge on one of the UK’s top TV talent shows would be something he would have loved to have done – but he’s
never been approached.
He says deadpan: “I don’t understand why nobody has ever approached me about being involved in a show like X Factor – I would have loved to have done it.
It’s something I’d definitely consider. The American one is the big one these days isn’t it? But we do have a UK X Factor here, don’t we? I would have validity here – after all I was the first person who kicked off British music around the globe.”
People are obsessed with Sir Cliff’s extraordinary toned physique these days. Despite being in his seventies he posed topless in his last calendar for fans. He puts it down to good genes, a healthy diet and lots of tennis.
“But let’s face it,” he laughs. “I’m never going to be Arnold Schwarzenegger.”
Although it’s clear when it comes to using moisturiser and looking after his skin he’s definitely not shy. “I try every single moisturiser on the market,” he admits. “If I’m recommended a moisturiser then I immediately by an industrial lot of it and slather it on. I sit there for a show and a make-up artist recommends it and I buy a gallon and lash it on. Men have the same problem that women have with their skin. Men are out there in the wilderness being damaged all the time. I’ve got a feeling that if I wasn’t in this business I wouldn’t worry about my looks. I’d probably be incredibly fat with bad skin.”
There would be no topless shoots going on then!

Cliff’s Soulicious Tour, Live at the O2, DVD is out now

Senkai is the latest Matt Hermer restaurant on the block. I dined alongside Pixie Lott, Lisa Snowdon, Chloe Green and Amber Le Bon at London’s first sustainably sourced Japanese inspired restaurant this week. The food was ace – and believe me I’ve gobbled posh sashimi in every plush joint London has to offer! Anyway, Amber told me she’s thrilled dad Simon of Duran Duran is over his recent vocal problems. Amber said: “I’m so pleased for him. It was scary – his voice is what he relies on. But he’s fine now and already back on the road.” Good to hear!

Well done to Britney Spears. Her Femme Fatale tour this week was leagues above her last Circus tour. She sang far more live, the dancing was better (but still not on point) and the set design was fabulous and grand. I took Myleene Klass down to the gig and it’s fair to say Leenie was envious of that Britney hair whip. Top night!

Noel Gallagher is fast becoming one of my favourite people. Mainly because of the fact he says everything we are all thinking! At this week’s Q Awards Noel was on particularly spiffing form. On mobile phones Noel said: “I just want a basic 1994 Nokia mobile. I can keep it in my back pocket and just do the basics with it – phone and text. What would I need a camera on it for? iPhones are for Cockneys and ****s. And they are far too big.”
On collaborating with other artists: “I’ve never been asked to do a collaboration. I guess i just don’t give off that come and get me vibe. I wouldn’t be adverse to doing one with Coldplay or U2 - anyone who sells 50million albums.”
I also happened to overhear Noel boasting about the fact he’s accepted a cameo in a Bo’ Selecta Christmas special. Proper, erm, bo.

We all might feel crazy-eyed-Kitty on X Factor is a tad bat shit crazy but I can’t help but love her. At least she’s exciting to watch and in tune! And Brian May of Queen thinks so too. The curly haired legend blogged about his love for Kitty recently and now says the pair are in touch. Brian told me at the Q Awards: “I’m watching her with great interest. At the weekend there were not that many rock voices but she seemed to have going on. There seemed to be quite a lot of bullying going on and I felt for her. She seems to be really progressing now. We’ve exchanged a couple of emails since I wrote that blog about her. X Factor is a machine and its ruthless.”

Get used to the name Victoria Justice – because I’ve got a feeling we’ll be hearing a lot from her next year. The likes of Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez can take a hike. She’s the new teen queen for Nickelodeon and will be coming to ITV next year. Not only does she sing, dance and act, she’s a blooming good laugh. I caught up with the star – who has over a million twitter followers – this week in London. Next year she will star in new flick Fun Size where Chelsea Handler will play her mum and her co-star is Johnny Knoxville.

SHHH
Which star is worrying neighbour with her erratic behaviour? She’s supposed to be clean of drugs but is constantly traipsing down her stairs in towering heels to pick up from dealers outside. Sad.

Love is in the air for Skins star Luke Pasqualino and Gossip Girl actress Jessica Szohr! I’m told the pair have grown close and are “openly dating” on set whilst filming new comedy horror flick Love Bite in the UK. My mole says: “They’ve been going out for a few weeks now and by all accounts are completely smitten with each other.” The pair were last week spotted canoodling in Essex whilst filming scenes for the werewolf movie in Canvey Island.

Rob Brydon’s autobiography Small Man in a Book is out now in time for Christmas. It’s a great read from the Gavin and Stacey comedian. I caught up with the man himself (above with me) at a recent launch bash and stars including Ronni Ancona, Kelly Jones, Michael McIntyre and Ronnie Corbett turned out. Rob told me he wrote it all himself too. “It’s been very cathartic writing this book and I’ve worked hard on it,” he said. Funny read!

Rav Wilding doesn’t seem to have learnt his lesson when it comes to love following his split a few months back with Chantelle Houghton. I’m told he’s gone from one blow up blonde to another.
This time around he’s seeing Morgan Lees – contestant of my favourite TV show The Bachelor. I’m told the pair have been dating for the past month and Rav couldn’t be happier! Good for him. Hopefully Morgan’s not as fame-hungry as the ex….

Wyclef Jean has sent some stern words in the direction of former bandmate Lauryn Hill when it comes to the small matter of The Fugees reuniting. “If it is going to happen then they better hurry up because in 4-5 years I’m going to run for President again in Haiti,” he said at the Party In Pink Zumbathon event raising money for Breakthrough Breast Cancer. “For The Fugees thing to happen Lauryn has to want it to happen. I hope one day that it can happen.” Me too…come on Lauryn!

You may not know the name Charlene Soraia but her stun-ning vocals on the Twinings TV advert will ring a bell. She reworked The Calling’s 2001 hit Wherever Will You Go and the track is soaring up the chart. Even Sophie Habibis covered Charlene’s version on XF last week. “I missed Merlin to watch the X Factor,” she told me this week. “I was distraught! It was a bit surreal but then I had to remember it wasn’t me on that stage so that’s fine. It’s a tricky song to sing because it’s quite low in the register so good on her. I’m just shocked that people like it! I’d never have got my music to this many people in my entire career so I know how lucky I am to get this advert.” Her debut album Moonchild was produced by Oasis hitmaker Paul Stacey and due to “overwhelming demand” has had its release brought forward to November 21.

If you were Matt Cardle right now you would have reason to be pretty angry.
You won the X Factor, you’ve been flat out working on your debut album and then just weeks before you release your debut album teenyboppers One Direction – who lost against you – release their debut single, cause nationwide hysteria and go straight to the top of the charts.
“They’re competition and it is s*** that they got to release before the winner of the actual show,” Matt, 28, says. “It’s also worrying me that if One Direction decide to get slicker and go for more of an older market  – which I think they might do – then I’m stuffed too.
“I just hope I’ll be able to cement myself into the charts before that happens. Otherwise I’ll be fuming. At the end of the day James Morrison, Coldplay, Adele and everybody else are all competition – so I can’t win unless I have an album that does the talking – and I think it does.”
He actually blames the fact he’s taken his time on his first album since winning the show as the reason everything has been screwed up release wise. The singer adds: “If I had my album finished by the time Cher Lloyd and One Direction released their tracks in the charts then I would have been really bothered. But the truth is I wasn’t finished. It’s my own bloody fault taking my time on this record.
“Simon let me go away and co-write the album and work on this as a long term prospect. And I wasn’t ready and it wasn’t right to release the music earlier.
“I’m surprised I’ve been allowed to go away and get on with it. If they were to have taken the control away from me then I would have been devastated. Thankfully they didn’t. I honestly thought I was going to be turned into some X Factor puppet the minute I won. But I’m not.”

Instead of going down the usual route of rushing the winner into the studio, performing a load of covers and mediocre pop tracks and launching a full blown publicity attack, Matt’s gone away and worked with real stars of the music industry.

Despite having written four solo albums before finding fame on the show, his debut single Run For Your Life is penned by Gary Barlow and his main collaborator on the album Letters is producer and song writer Eg White.
Eg’s responsible for some of the classic songs of our generation having worked with James Blunt, Adele, Florence and the Machine and James Morrison. The singer says his previous work before he found household fame on X Factor persuaded Simon Cowell and his record label Columbia to let him start his album from scratch. The only cover is his No.1 version of Biffy Clyro’s When We Collide which made Christmas Number One last year.
“If they had been a pile of w*** then they would have said I was doing what they wanted and I would have had no choice – but they weren’t and they let me go and do it,” says Matt. “Simon has been really sweet with me the whole time. It’s almost been good that he’s had X Factor US on his plate so I could just get on with it. I doubt I was that high on his list. I hear he’s heard the album and I’ve heard he loves it so that’s the thumbs up from him.”
Matt, who worked as a painter and decorator, bricklayer and postman before finding fame on the ITV1 show, has a refreshingly honest outlook on his chances of success. He says he won’t be miffed if he doesn’t score an immediate chart topper. He explains: “I’ve got the hard bit of work now – I’ve got to keep what I’ve achieved. If a new artist comes out with a new record and gets a top ten single or album it’s an incredible achievement in this current day.
“But if I were to come out and not get a number one then I’m going to be a failure. Even if I get a number three I’d be happy but I’ll be deemed a flop. That’s not fair. I want to make my name through this album now – not the TV show.
“I’m desperate to shake off the X Factor tag. It’s all about shaking the X when it comes to the music I’m about the release. But I can’t knock the show for what it’s done for me. I’ve got my break from it and I’ve got my foot in the door by doing it. Now it’s time to move on and just be me.”
And behind closed doors the star is definitely settling down and being himself – with his dancer girlfriend of nine months Sarah Robinson by his side.
The pair live in a private Chelsea block and he proudly stops his car on the way out of our interview to purchase her a fancy £1,000 Burberry handbag. It’s clear the ladies man of yester-year – remember his fling with X Factor fashion director Grace Woodward? – has simmered, for now.
“The girls have stopped chasing,” he says. “I’ve not been out much. I guess I haven’t thrown it about at all – and I could have. I’ve got a girlfriend now and I’m pretty much settled down.
“If I had been single I would have been out there smashing it up and getting naughty with women. I’m in a good place and it’s been easier working hard on the album with just the one girl on my arm.”
But there is one girl Matt has his eye on – and it’s not your average sexy lady. “I fancy the Williams sisters – the big manly one, Serena,” he laughs with a naughty glint in his eye. “She’s nice.”

Matt’s single Run For Your Life is out October 9 and his debut album Letters is out October 17.

It’s the end of an era today at BBC Radio 1 where Jo Whiley bows out from the station in her last ever show this afternoon.
Jay Z has played at her house, Madonna’s co-hosted her show and Jo’s been there at the very beginning of so many core Radio 1 acts … from Plan B to Lily Allen and the Arctic Monkeys to Adele!
To celebrate Jo’s move to Radio 2 the radio star’s Rock star husband Dave Grohl chooses his favourite moments from the times they have met on the show today (Sunday).  Dave told Jo in the interview: “In the last 20 years you’re the one Radio 1 presenter that I’ve always wanted to do interviews with. I’ve probably done more with you than anyone in the world and I can’t imagine that this is really our last interview.” A fitting end to an era – tune into Jo today between 1-4pm.

Former singer Lily Allen stepped out today at Cheltenham Racecourse for Gold Cup Day. And the lucky mare (sorry, couldn’t resist) backed the winner of the first race (The JCB Triumph Hurdle) picking out the ‘Zarkandar’. Good for her, eh!
Lily, there with boyfriend Sam Cooper, later tweeted: “Just found out I’m sharing a box with Jeremy Kyle, should be interesting… Didn’t take him for a betting man.”

Above: Lily in her interesting outfit and Sam on the left in tweed….

Above: Lily speaks to Clare Balding of BBC Radio 5 Live at Cheltenham

Boyzone fans need to keep their fingers crossed big time. Because Ronan Keating and the boys MIGHT release their current UK wide Brother Tour on DVD at Christmas. But it all depends on the footage. Ronan told me this week at London’s O2: “The deal is we’ve financed the filming of the show tonight ourselves, out of our own pocket. It’s nothing to do with the record label. Whether we release a new album somewhere towards Christmas with a DVD attached or a separate DVD of the whole tour we don’t know yet.
“I know fans wanted our last tour on DVD but none of it was recorded. So that’s not possible.”
The star also said touring without Stephen Gately – who sadly passed in October 2009 – is still hard for the boys. “Dublin will be hard,” he admitted. “And the beginning of the tour was difficult. We all go out there and you still look for the fifth person. I doubt it’ll ever get easier.”
Ronan also made a point of saying this wouldn’t be the last Boyzone tour. He added: “This isn’t our swansong tour like some are suggesting. There will be a new album at Christmas – that could be a concept album. We definitely won’t be bothering with going for the Christmas No.1 though. With X Factor there’s no point.” Too true!

Ellie Goulding made everyone Starry Eyed when she scooped the BRITs Critics Choice Award last year and saw her debut album Lights sail to No 1. Since then she’s written for Diana Vickers and collaborated with Tinie Tempah on Wonderman and a No 2 single with a cover of Elton John’s Your Song. Natalie Edwards sat down with her at Vodafone’s LFW event to talk Burberry modelling campaigns, moving into acting and her highly-anticipated second album.

How was it heading back to the BRITs again where this year you were up for Best Female and British Breakthrough Act?
It was amazing – the BRITs were insane! I got to wear Vivienne Westwood and kept wondering if she saw it. I was really cool to be back and be nominated. Plus it was nicer having the awards somewhere different but I didn’t go to the aftershow though as I was a bit tired and not really up for it.

Who did you hang out with there?
The table I was sat on was positioned next to Justin Bieber. I was also next to Pixie Lott who is lovely and Jessie J too. It was a good little crew! My team are my favourite people so it was just nice to be around them. I didn’t get to talk to the Bieber but I’m sure he’s lovely – he seems like a really nice little kid. He’s way too young for me to fancy him but I’ve heard he’s a lovely kid.

Are you happy that Jessie J’s taken over from you as the latest BRITs Critics Choice winner?
We are on the same management so we have been aware of each other. She has always said that she is a really big fan of mine and I went to see her life and was like ‘wow’. She is really cheeky and fun. We’ve got a lot in common and have fun whenever we see each other. I actually interviewed her the other day for iTunes Ping and had so much fun. Apparently I’m really good and a natural at it. I could be your undercover reporter – I’ve always wanted to go round with a Dictaphone.

We spied you heading out to Burberry’s London Fashion Week show one of their gorgeous coats worth £2,595. Are we going to see you modeling for them in the future?
I didn’t get to keep the coat! But I feel like I won’t ever wear it again as it’s reserved for a really special occasion. Burberry have always been really good to me and they are fans of mine. But no, I don’t think I could be a model as I’m not pretty enough. I don’t think I’m the right person to be a model.

Would you ever like to branch out from singing?
I think being in a play would take up too much time as you would have to keep rehearsing and learning your lines but I would like to be in a film. I’d like to be in a small film with a small part to get a bit of experience.

What about teaming up with someone like Plan B who is a director as well a musician?
He’s really lovely and if I ever got the chance it would be great because it would be a whole new world. It would fun to be someone else rather than yourself for a bit. I did have some scripts sent to me but I wasn’t ready at that point. I’ve studied acting and it was my thing for a bit. I’ve acted all my life and definitely thought about it but I need to get back to remembering everything I was taught. Being a singer you have to be yourself so brutally but then with acting you’re being someone else so you have to get back into that frame of mind again.

Would you ever like to combine singing and acting and be in a musical?
No, I love musicals but I’m not sure about that. I think I would like to do a bit of acting at some point though.

How are you getting on with your second album?
It’s started to sound very dark and very weird. This album is going to be even more emotional – I’m all about emo. Captain emo over here! I wanted to make it so there is hope. I want to make an effect whether it’s happy or sad.

Have you been splashing the cash to toast the year you’ve had?
I bought a vintage Chanel necklace which was £800 from Matches. I saw it and I never impulse buy but I bought it like that. I’ve worn it a few times – including the Brits.

Vodafone UK is title sponsor at London Fashion Weekend as part of Vodafone VIP, a reward scheme for all its customers which gives unrivalled access to the biggest events in the world of fashion, festival, Formula 1(tm).
To join in visit vodafone.co.uk/vip

It’s always a pleasure when a Hollywood superstar like Mickey Rourke gives you a bell on a Saturday afternoon. And that’s exactly what happened to me yesterday!
The Wrestler star couldn’t help but call his favourite columnist to talk about his plans to make a new movie about the life of rugby player Gareth Thomas – who despite the rugby world’s macho image announced he was gay in December 2009.
And Mickey tells me he’s currently struggling with learning Welsh! “I’m inspired by the story behind Gareth,” he told me. “He’s a brave guy and the first professional to come out while still playing, anywhere across the world.
“I can tell you I will be learning welsh. But Dean, let’s say it’s a work in progress at the moment.
“I’m meeting Gareth’s parents and his family tomorrow in a box to watch the game. This is an incredibly important story about equality and it’s something I want to make happen.
“We’re only in pre-production so we’re working on the script, the treatment and we have the producers onboard. I’m very excited to see Gareth play – it’s a first.”
But this wasn’t any usual call – he was on a First Great Western train to Cardiff to watch Gareth play with the Crusaders against the Salford City Reds after deciding he needed a bar for the journey down.
“I just didn’t want the hassle and the traffic of being stuck in a car,” he laughed. “Admittedly I wouldn’t usually travel by public transport except from when I’m forced too. But I’m actually very easy going when it comes to getting around.
“I’m fine with the fans and meeting people. They’re the people that made my name and kept my career alive so why not be on a train with them.
“Also – there’s a f***ing bar on a train.”
Mickey, 58 shocked onlookers on the train leaving Paddington just after midday yesterday when he pitched up with girlfriend Anastassija Makarenko.
Mickey also admitted he’s going to be slimming down to play Gareth. He chuckled: “I don’t know about beefing up for the role, I think I need to beef down.” Classic.
Mickey’s manager Emanuele Palladino added: “Mickey wants to take this opportunity to really immerse himself in Welsh rugby and its culture this weekend so it’s a busy trip.”
I’m more than as little bit excited about a star like Mickey Rourke mucking in for the rugby – and why not. Good on you Mickey – and I look forward to speaking to you again!