Don’t expect to see Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (above) popping up in the fourth Transformers outing when it begins production in the summer. I hear the star – who dazzled at Elle Style Awards – won’t be back on the franchise again. My source said: “Rosie enjoyed being in the third film. But action’s not really her bag. She doesn’t want to get typecast. So she’s looking at other projects.”
Another star of the films, Josh Duhamel revealed this week that none of the original line-up are bothering with Michael bay’s next flick in the franchise. “I don’t think anybody’s doing it,” he said. “I know Shia [LaBoeuf]‘s not doing it. I don’t think Tyrese or Rosie [Huntington-Whiteley] or anybody else is doing it.” Eeeeek. All change.

Model Poppy Delevingne (above with me) yelped with horror when a champagne waiter dropped an entire tray of Moet and Chandon over the leg of Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville at the Elle Style Awards pre-drinks reception. But credit to Hugh he remained fairly chilled – apart from an initial “Geez, thanks!” – about the incident that left him with a soaked left leg. Said champagne waitress promptly broke into tears and looked mortified.

Florence Welch (above with Dizzee Rascal) was so pleased to be back in the UK after months of touring and promoting her new album with Florence and the Machine in the US. Ceremonials is definitely one of my favourite new albums and she can’t do a thing wrong in my eye. “It’s been a tremendous few months being away,” she revealed. “Seeing lots of new places and meeting new people. But I’m glad to be home again – you miss the little things in life.”
And the star tells me she’s hoping next year will be her band’s year at the Grammy Awards. Flo said: “It’s definitely been Adele’s year and I couldn’t be prouder of her for what she’s achieved. Ceremonials will fit into the mix for next year’s Grammys so we will have to see.” My money’s on her winning one!

Christina Ricci (above) is promising Twi-Hards a big slice of R-Patz pie in new movie Bel Ami. She says Twilight star Robert Pattinson is naked throughout. “You get to see alot of Rob in this movie,” she told me at Elle. “Twi-hards…is that what they’re called?! Yeah they will be very happy, he’s naked most of the time. I was pretty relaxed about all the nudity – you have to be, I can’t care about that stuff.
“I’m pretty happy with who I am now – that comes with age I think, you know your body. Like most women – I have bad days but I try to eat healthily and work out and that’s what it’s about.”

Gossipmongers are making out Elle Style Awards host Alexa Chung has some sort of weird crush on One Direction star Harry Styles now that he’s stopped dating Caroline Flack.
Well I can tell you they may have met through mutual pal Nick Grimshaw this week but they’re far from dating. In fact I’m told Alexa is dating a man in New York where she lives now and although it’s early days things are going well. “She’s very happy indeed,” says my mole. “She has a man and isn’t looking for another.” Phew. Time for Styles to date girls his own age….

Meanwhile…..the High Priestess of fashion Alexa Chung let me in to some of her style secrets when we caught up after her hosting stint at the ELLE Awards. The model presenter told me that she’s still terrified of red carpets, why she loves Victoria Beckham and not dressing-up for boys.
“Red carpets are always so terrifying and such an alien experience – you have just got to hope you don’t pull an ugly face!” she laughed. “I don’t think glamour is part of my remit and if you can’t compete you may as well just go down a different route. Sometimes I want to look attractive to men and feel sexy but tonight I just wanted to feel comfortable – it’s almost like power dressing as you are in an intimidating room. I didn’t want have to worry about my boobies falling out and tripping over! Some boys don’t like it but that’s when you have to rely on your personality and charm.”
And her thoughts on fellow style queen Posh? “I think she’s great. I’ve just looked at her new collection and thought that it was amazing and very sleek and sexy. She is also from one of my favourite bands of all times, the Spice Girls, so I already had a lot of respect for her. She’s a very modern woman with her own business and a great role model.”

Meryl Streep commanda so much attention. She was the only star who brought a bodyguard to the Baftas. He stopped me getting close the first time but I leapt on the winning actress the second time. She told me she can’t wait for next weekend’s Oscars. “You just never know,” she laughed. “But to win would be amazing.” My money’s on her winning (again) for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady.

Top girl award: Tilda Swinton (above) has always been my favourite red carpet star during award’s season. You never know who she’ll wear and it’s always out there. For the Baftas it was Celine and she had a special St. Tropez tan before walking the red carpet. Did you all know she was 51 years old too? She also gave me her glass of champagne because she said I looked like I was thirsty. Divine.

Michael Fassbender had all the ladies swarming around him at post-award dinner but he snubbed them all and brought his dad along as his date for the evening.
He told me he’d think carefully about stripping for another role. Anyone who has seen Shame will agree when I say “WOAH”. He told me: “I was very nervous about getting naked. It was really nervewracking and a big challenge to do. I don’t know whether I would take a role that involves getting naked again – it would all depend on the script. I’ll take it on board that people want me to! The director Steve McQueen is brave and very open and very honest. He really encourages that and demands that off everyone on set. It’s obvious that Steve changed my life so I’m forever indebted for that.” Go ch-ch-ch-check it out at your local VUE cinema soon.

Who would have thought Dame Judi Dench could have been so much fun? My spies caught her wearing a framed picture of a dog around her neck from one of The Artist themed tables as she dined at the post-bash dinner. Barking mad! She revealed that she’s loving having new Bond girl Naomie Harris on set. “I think Naomi is a great addition – she’s a very lovely girl and beautiful – but sadly we don’t have any scenes together.” And when I dared to call Dame Judi a legend she gave me a ticking off. “No no, none of that! I don’t think I’m a legend. I’m only a legend in my lunchtime.” Ha ha!

The Help’s Octavia Spencer is a hoot. My spies caught the actress – who bagged the Best Support gong – confided she would need flats because she had big plans for a certain Mr Brad Pitt. “I’m getting starstruck every time I see a face,” she giggled. “I’m going to dance with everybody I see tonight. I might maul George Clooney and Brad, Michael Fassbender and Jim Broadbent. I did say I’d run naked down the road if I won tonight but I won’t hold myself to that as it’s really cold outside.” What a gal.

So every year without fail Helena Bonham Carter wears Vivienne Westwood to the Baftas. Well actually every award’s do. But this year it appeared the star was moved aside for Meryl Thatcher (natch) and Mad Men star Christina Hendricks (above with me). Helena told me: “I’m in Giles Deacon.” Whereas Christina – who’s an utter delight btw – told me Westwood pulled out all the stops for the star. She revealed: “They made it specially to my measurements. They only had 24 hours to do it and spent all day Saturday measuring me and making it fit.” The star’s here in London now for a month filming new flick Bomb where she plays an east London girl. Nice to have you here, love.

Star of The Help Jessica Chastain needs a gong for most down to earth star. When I caught up with the super-sweet actress she was brimming with excitement about the Oscars where she is up for Best Supporting Actress. “Oh my gosh – for the rest of my life it is going to say ‘Oscar nominee Jessica Chastain!’ but it’s not going to say winner,” she said. “Maybe at some point in my career it will say that but it won’t say it this time but that’s OK because I want a long career. I’m hoping I get to go to the party and just see what it’s like.”
And there are big plans for ramping up the style stakes come the ceremony too. “I know it sounds strange but I see my style as like a storyteller. I like to put on clothes where I feel like I am participating in the story of the designer’s creation. I never in a million years thought that I would have these great designers actually offering to let me wear anything. I normally have a sweat pants and no-make day every day!”

Massive congratulations to Adam Deacon on winning Orange’s Rising Star Award who bar far the biggest outsider to scoop the award.  And he now wants to make the leap from Hackney to Hollywood.
“It feels crazy to have won this award. It feels like a sign of acceptance and a real pat on the back. I bet I’m the only one here though that is going back to a council flat tonight! Brad Pitt is more than welcome to join – he’d love Hackney!” For realz, Bruv?

I’ve loved Michelle Williams for quite some time. But after meeting her briefly I’m over it. She stormed past me at the Bafta dinner and shrieked: “Not now I’m absolutely starving.” The My Week With Marilyn star stormed off with aides apologising profusely at her stroppy behaviour. Nevermind, Michelle. Oh but by the way….Carey Mulligan called – she wants her look back.

With thanks to Jon Furniss for pictures and my friends at Dolce and Gabbana for the threads….

Mark Ronson is channeling Mystic Meg to predicting Adele will clean up at the BRITs come Tuesday. Speaking at the Move To The Beat launch he said: “I think Adele will win everything that she is up for. I remember they weren’t sure about this new girl at the BRITs and I insisted she came up and sang with us. She is one of the people who deserves all the accolades and silverware which she is picking up. I think she is going to be one of the biggest British females of all time and she already has one of the biggest selling albums of all time. She just needs to stay creating the amazing stuff that she is and there is a place being held for her in the books for sure.”

War Child and O2 are holding their annual BRIT Awards party at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire tonight and the stars will be out in full force for the occasion. Ed Sheeran headlines – with Emeli Sande and Labrinth joining him on stage for a unique collaboration. The evening also includes special guests Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon, and BBC Sound of 2012 Artists, Dry The River. Will be a great start to Brits celebrations.

Olly Murs took matters into his own hands when it came to hiring 70 (yep, you heard me correctly) female dancers to appear alongside him when he performs at the Brits. I’m told each lady had her photograph put past the nose of the Xtra Factor host before they were given permission to appear on the show. Cheeky chap!

Rupert Grint lookalike Ed Sheeran is hoping being the biggest BRITs nominee of 2012 will help him bag an A-list girlfriend. “Hopefully I won’t be getting married anytime soon because I’ve only just turned 21 but I think if Mila Kunis sent an email just saying, ‘Ed I know we haven’t met but I think I could spend the rest of my life with you’ then I might consider it.” Hmmm….unlikely!

Jessie J has been passing on words of wisdom to Emeli Sande after the newcomer became the latest singer to be awarded with a Critics’ Choice Award. And she’s even hoping for a future collaboration between them.
“I want Emeli to be herself which is what she is doing and why she won the award. Her voice is insane and I just want her to have fun. There are going to be some moments where she thinks, ‘Oh I can’t do any more I’m so tired’ but these are the days you have to work for. I definitely want to work with Emeli. At the BRITs nominations party I heard her say my name and got really excited so I turned round and gave her a hug. It was a bit weird as I don’t think she was expecting me to do it.”

James Corden hopes that this year’s BRITs nominees will be restrain themselves from any rock n’ roll behaviour. The host of this year’s ceremony is keeping his fingers crossed that the night goes without a hitch – or any on-stage musical spats!
“For the first time ever last year there was a 225% increase in sales in British music the next day which has never happened before in Brits history,” he said. “I think it’s not right if it’s a drunken bum-fight. I don’t want to have any fights we have a lot to celebrate with artists like Adele and Coldplay. They are people who have sold so many records this year and make up a huge amount of worldwide sales. We can go ‘look they are from our little island’ and celebrate that.”

Watch the Brits at 8pm on Tuesday, ITV1

Above: This year’s Brit Award designed by Peter Blake

Agyness Deyn continues to pave her way to a future in acting. Not only has Aggy – famous for being Henry Holland’s bestie and muse – quit modelling apart from the odd money making job, she’s now turning her back on her home in New York. I’m told the stunning model has bought a three-bed house in the Hollywood Hills after becoming single once again recently. The star’s already done a few small roles in short film Pusher and a teensy role in Clash of the Titans and she received great reviews for her debut stage play The Leisure Society recently. “Now she’s ready to try and take Hollywood by storm and the timing is right,” says my source. I think she’ll do well.

Dan Ackroyd says the eagerly awaited Ghostbusters 3 will definitely not be featuring his pal and original star Bill Murray. Dan revealed this week: “Billy has said no to doing Ghostbusters 3 and I understand and respect his decision.  We are deep personal friends and that has nothing to do with business – I love him. And he’s got other things going on in his life now, he’s a father of 6 he’s like to play golf…and you can’t blame him for not wanting to play the same part again!
“That said without him we have a real challenge – we thought we had a script we did have a script but we’ve looked at it and it doesn’t work now – it’s got to be absolutely perfect – it’s got to be as good as the first and better than the second. So it’s a work in  progress.” Here’s hoping. A Ghostbusters return would be amaze.

Funny man Lenny Henry is looking so super trim I almost failed to recognise him at the opening night of new musical Singin’ In the Rain. It might have something to do with him shedding a staggering four stone!
He told me: “It’s because I’m doing Comedy Of Errors at the National Theatre and I had to loose weight because I didn’t want to embarrass my family. It’s a huge stage and you have to run round and round on a treadmill and have got to be fit to be on that stage. There’s a woman called Ann Yee who works with the director Dominic Cooke who put us all in bootcamp where they made us all do press-ups and sit-ups and running. I lost four stone – it’s a lot! I want to keep it up and loose more weight.”

There were a host of stars out on Wednesday night to support the opening night of new musical Singin’ In The Rain at the Palace Theatre. Barbara Windsor, Louie Spence, Lenny Henry, Michael Parkinson, Frank Skinner and Tamzin Outhwaite all got a little bit wet from the show’s finale while sitting in the audience. Splashing stuff!

Who would have thought Hollywood hottie Robert Pattinson would chose such a dull alias name? My spies tells me the actor chooses to fly under the name ‘Henry Kyle’. I wonder if he pretends he has a brother called Jeremy?

Myleene Klass has become an ambassador for Save The Children and No Child Born to Die: A Life Free From Hunger and recently made a trip to Bangladesh to see first hand how malnutrition is killing thousands of children.
The star was close to tears speaking about the profound effect the trip had on her. Seeing children, no older than her own two kids, close to death has made a lasting impression.
“This isn’t just about a kid that’s starving without food,” she told me this week at the campaign launch. “I had children literally climbing up my legs through the dust. One woman got down on her knees and kissed my feet. I burst into tears. It was unreal.
“I was warned it was going to be very hard and I just found it hard with the whole parallel universe kind of thing going on. I’m rocking Hero to sleep at home and she’s got a ‘bad’ cold. But one woman I met was burying her child at exactly the same age. It made me look at my life too.”
And Leenie told me the pain of seeing one particular woman suffering was too much to handle and she wanted to empty her wallet immediately. “I was like, “whatever you want I’m going to give it to you now.” she explained. “But then you realise that’s not going to help. They don’t want your money. They want their children and it’s not going to help.
“In fact I was actually going to endanger that woman by giving her money. Her family and other people in the village would be round there trying to get their hands on it. I would have put her in a lot of danger. I did end up giving her some help and Save The Children managed it for me. She wanted to have another child so I was able to help.”
She also felt overwrought with emotion when another mother approached her with her ill baby. “We made a visit to a slum in Dhaka and there was a mother who had a baby called Rupa and she gave me her baby to hold and I was like, “Ah cute, you’ve just had a baby.” And she replied, “No, my baby is four months old.” I was petrified. The baby was like a pigeon and you knew she wasn’t going to make it. I tried to hold the tears back because I didn’t want the mum to know what I was thinking.”
Myleene, model Erin O’Connor and newsreader Natasha Kaplinsky are now calling for the Prime Minister David Cameron to devote time to the huge problem of malnutrition around the globe.
Myleene continued: “I would love David Cameron to take notice of this campaign. He needs to take notice – David and so do all MPs.
“Is there anything more important than a dying child? If it was our children then there would be nothing else more important. I wouldn’t be worrying about house prices and the rest of it. There’s big worries out there and the Prime Minister needs to have a heart. It’s Bangladesh, I know, but what’s going on is truly horrendous. David Cameron is in a privileged position. 300 children are dying every hour from malnutrition. And that needs to stop.”
Holding back the tears Myleene finished talking to me saying: “I asked this woman in Dhaka what her dream was. And she looked at me like I was mad. She didn’t understand the fact you can have a dream or an aspiration or a future. She was living purely to get through each and every moment.”

THE FACTS

*2.6 million malnourished children die every year.
*Over the next two years Save The Children will make sure at least 2 million children get the kind of healthy food they need to grow up strong and healthy.
*During year one of the No Child BORN TO DIE campaign 800,000 were better fed, 8,000 health workers were trained and 500,000 children with malaria, pneumonia and diarrhoea were treated.

Further Information at www.savethechildren.org.uk

Trespassing feels like a new era for you – tell me more!
The thing is I didn’t know what album I wanted to do after For Your Entertainment. It’s a guessing game when you come off of a show like American Idol. I was singing other people’s music. I had lots to try and discover.
I guess being on Idol was a crash course in lots of things. Especially working in the music business. I know a lot more now. I know the fans, the business and I knew who I was. I guess overall I worked out on this new record exactly who I wanted to be.

I take it you’re involved in every aspect of making a record?
I’m kinda a control freak. I wish I could pass the buck – but I can’t. I’ve got pretty much everything mapped out for this record. I’ve got a shit tonne of ideas, brainstorms and bubbles.

You wouldn’t want to be an artist that’s not involved in all aspects though, would you?
I think if you have an artist that doesn’t take the initiative or want to do it then you have to work with that. I needed some of that guidance and help on the last album. I wasn’t in control of everything like I am now. There were certain things I wouldn’t have done. I mean, I had ideas but on the first record there was only so much I could actually put out there.

Do you dance?
Yes, I love to dance. I mean, I can’t dance ridiculously. I’m not a full on out-out dancer but I can bust a move.

Tell me about working with some of the people on the album – Sam Sparro?
He’s the coolest guy. He’s so funny. He’s got great fashion sense. We cackle everytime we get together to write. He’s so damn funny. Shady is just us. It’s goofy and us being us. The lyrics are very out there. I think Shady will be the underground video hit on Trespassing. It’s a funny jam about ‘cruising’ basically. Or going out and getting into trouble and being nasty. No matter what background you’re in everybody likes getting shady now and again.

What about teaming up with N.E.R.D’s Pharrell Williams?
I learnt a lot from him. More than anything to trust my instincts more. He’s very out there. He never over thinks it and goes with his first instinct. I’m overly hard on myself so to work with him I’d do one take and then one more and he’d be like, “OK, we’ve got it.” And I’d generally be freaking out wanting to do more takes but he said it was done. And he was right.
His style of writing is so different too – it’s a stream of consciousness and real. It was perfect because it was exactly what I wanted to create. I’ve always been a huge fan of his work.

Queen influenced parts of the album too – what do they mean to you?
On trespassing there is a whole homage thing happening. Pharrell and I started talking and he said I was our generations Freddie Mercury. That was ridiculous. You’re never going to replace Freddie in any way. But I’m thrilled to have the chance to do stuff with them. I can’t wait to work with them again.

What are they like as mates?
So cool. They’re like my Poppas. So paternal and really great to talk to. Brian May is so cool actually. We sat down after the EMA performance and shot the shit and talked all night having a beer. It was super cool. They’re very normal. I went away from that thinking ‘wooooooah’. I flew with them on a private jet. That was friggin’ cool.

You’re all about a live vocal – what’s your take on artists that don’t sing live?
First of all you have to remember it’s not easy! At all. It depends on the TV shows or the shows. The sound is always shit and you need to look at factors like that. Singing live is a discipline and a skill and it’s hard. You have to work at it. I’m really hard on myself and I watch performances back and I hate them sometimes. I look at everything I do wrong and analyse it.

Do you Google yourself?
Well, yes. Depending on the circumstances. There are some times you just don’t want to know what people are saying about you. It can be shit. I don’t do it to get off on it. I do it to know what’s being said and what people are thinking. Twitter has changed everything. My fans are really into showing me what they think. And they show me. And I feel blessed because of that. It’s good to know they’re out there and you can rely on an honest opinion. They’re insane. If I didn’t have fans like that I probably wouldn’t be doing this now.

Idol. Are you consciously trying to shake off the experience these days?
Not consciously at all. I’m proud of it. I look back at what I did on idol and I think it was good. There is a stigma attached to being on a show like that. Amongst the industry there is prejudice. But I guess I wasn’t the token Idol contestant. I’m contrary in general. I wanted to mix it up throughout and I still do that today.

Would you want to judge on a show like Idol?
I think it would be fun to do. I’m constantly involved in the creation of a performance and I like helping and watching other people doing it too. I come from the theatre and from a performance background so I would be valid. I think being in the theatre helped me become who I am as a performer today. I’d love to be a judge – but I don’t think right now is a good time to do it. I’m pretty busy with Trespassing! I want to stage this tour, do lots of videos and do lots of my own shit.

Would you want to do film work?
Maybe. I mean I’d love to do a musical if the time was right and the role worked for me. It would be incredible. Trespassing was a year in the making and hopefully there’s at least another year from now of getting the music out there and promoting it. There will be a bunch of singles and if people want to hear it and if the label pay for more videos then we will be laughing. Hopefully I’ll be able to put a bad ass tour on for the fans too.

What artists are on your own iPod?
I listen to a lot of Top 40 stuff to be honest. I’ve learnt a lot about what radio friendly music is. I’d hate for people to think I was cashing in with this album. I mean, it is more radio friendly but that’s just the direction I wanted to do. I want my message to be heard, my fans to be represented and for people to know why I’m doing this. The point of this album is it doesn’t matter if you’re the theatre dork, the outcast, the goth or anything else – you can be valid in the world.

The album is deeply personal too – how did being in love help the album?
Being in a solid relationship pretty much for the first time in my life has provided a lot of security and grounding and kept me focused. I think when I was single I was looking for validation in other ways and not in the most emotionally healthy ways. I think when you’re single and looking for some sort of connection it was easy for me to feel lonely and insecure. All people seem to do things to fuck themselves up a little bit – and me included. There were elements of self sabotage on my part. It definitely goes there.

Do you manage to have a good private life?
Yes, when I’m at home. Being in a relationship has made me much more of a homebody. I’m home a lot more. I’ve worked hard for my house in LA and I love being there. I personally wish that privacy was private. Ideally I’m at work and I’m at home. But I guess it’s one of those things I have to except and get used to. I try not to get the privacy thing piss me off. People want to see the fucking paparazzi pictures at the end of the day.

The single Better Than I Know Myself is out in the UK on March 9.

The album Trespassing is out in April.

So the dream of a Spice Girls reunion still isn’t over according to Geri Halliwell. She revealed to me this week that the band are still mulling it over – but it has to be all five of them and there’s a lot of factors to take into account for it to work.
Promoting her new Union Jack inspired collection with Next Geri told me: “We did get the offer and it is exciting. Obviously we are a band and it’s a collective decision that has to be made as a band. We need to all be in the same place with it and we have to take into account all of our lives. We wouldn’t do it without all five of us. I do feel it’s an incredible honour and privilege. I can’t think of anything else I’d love to do – perform at Buckingham Palace for the Queen. It doesn’t get bigger than that.”
Ginger also tells me if the Girls do not reform for the Jubilee, the line-up of which is being announced on Tuesday by Gary Barlow, then we will definitely have them all back together for the Viva Forever Spice Musical at the end of the year. “There’s always one more performance,” she said. “Was there ever an end? For me I’ve always embraced the Spice Girl in me. I’ve never wanted to shift the Spice Girl in me. Musically I’ve never tried to be anything else but that. I will always be a Spice Girl. If we don’t do the Jubilee then we will be together for the musical.”

But can Victoria Beckham be persuaded to join the rest of the girls? That’s the question….

X Factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos is currently in LA recording tracks for her debut solo album – that should drop around May – and I hear she’s enlisted some major players for the record.
The album is being Masterminded by Max Gousse, a top A&R for Def Jam records on the West Coast  who has helped the career of Rihanna. He’s a man with amazing connections in the business and has some of the world’s top songwriters and producers on speed dial.
I hear Tulisa, and her trusty PA Gareth Varey, have been letting her hair down and enjoying some fun boozy nights out in LA but work comes first for this lady! She’s also been working alongside Jean Baptiste Kouame who has just worked on Madonna’s MDNA album.
“Jean has also worked with Rihanna and The Black Eyed Peas and is behind some of the biggest hits of the past decade,” says my mole. “Tulisa worked with him a couple of years ago when she was in LA working on NDubz’s third album and the pair hit it off immediately and have kept in touch ever since.”
This girl is going places.

Cheryl Cole is set to give her former mentor Simon Cowell a huge kick in the teeth by performing on bitter rival talent show The Voice.
Everybody’s favourite Geordie star is being lined up to sing on the BBC’s flagship programme, which goes head-to-head with Britain’s Got Talent in a colossal ratings battle this spring.
And Will.i.am tells me exclusively that he’s thrilled to be annoying the big dawg himself Simon Cowell in the process. He revealed: “I want her on the Voice. I mean why not? That would really piss the big man off wouldn’t it.
“This is her year by the way – Cheryl is back! You all gonna love her new music – it’s on it, on the money, she’s hot right now.”
I’m told her Black Eyed Peas manager – who is on The Voice’s celebrity judging panel – will help to make the arrangements for what will be a show-stopping, comeback performance.
The move will no doubt infuriate Cowell, 52, who has already said he believes the Beeb have ‘declared war’ on him and ITV by pitting their show directly against BGT in the TV schedules.
Speaking recently Cowell said: “It is 100 per cent a deceleration of war. They launched The Voice because they don’t like BGT and X Factor being successful.”
And Cheryl’s appearance on the BBC will really hurt him as – despite their fall-out after her sacking from US X Factor – he still feels he was the one who gave the Fight For This Love singer her big break. He even wanted her to return to the show after her ill-feted appearance on the American version of X Factor – but despite Cheryl wanting to return, Will.i.am blocked the move.
“Simon had verbally agreed for Cheryl to return to the UK version of the show and she was all for it,” says my source. “But Will.i.am blocked it and wouldn’t let Cheryl call Simon and the production team.
“He essentially blocked her returning to the show she was loved for. Simon and all the producers were gutted she couldn’t come back.”
The US rapper fanned the flames even more last week when he belittled the ITV1 show, saying: “Cheryl won’t do X Factor. Why does she need it?”
Last night a TV source said: “Cheryl has been working on new material for months. She is determined to relaunch herself as a credible artist and The Voice will be the perfect platform to showcase her latest
tracks.
“The fact her manager is on the judging panel means it’s an absolute no-brainer for her.”
The BBC paid huge sums to form a celebrity panel including Will.i.am, Tom Jones, Jessie J and Danny O’Donoghue from The Script.
I went down to see the show recently and I’m genuinely excited for it. It works. It’s fresh. And there’s genuine talent. Thank God.

James Corden (above with me) is one of the hardest working men in showbiz. Not only is he working his magic on the West End stage in the amazing One Man, Two Guvnors (and preparing it take it to Broadway in April), he’s also presenting the BRIT Awards next month and writing his new BBC series The Wrong Mans.
Natalie Edwards caught up with James this week in his gigantic theatre land dressing room which has post-it notes dotted all over the wall detailing the secret script where he told me: “I normally come in here early at 10am twice a week so I can use it as an office and carry on writing the script as it needs to be submitted soon. It’s a nice place to relax and when I’m not working I’ll play FIFA on the X-Box!
“I feel really thrilled to be in the centre of the BRITs and it’s a real honour to do it. I don’t think anyone has ever done it more than three times so if I get to do it next year too then I will have won it. The great thing is looking in to the audience and being like ‘oh there is Jessie J’ and then realise you actually have to get back to concentrating. You’re essentially hosting a music show so you can’t do a Ricky Gervais and if I had my way the show would kick off with two live acts back to back before I even came on. I haven’t had hypnotherapy to calm my nerves this year. Who knows what will happen on the day as it is still a way off but I feel a bit more confident about it now and I feel like I know what it is and how to do it.” You will be grand.
And the secret to James’ recent weight loss? “I am not drinking at all at the minute because of the show – I’ve had a dry 2011 and 2012! I can’t do it. I only have one night off the play.” I hear you!