Louis Walsh says there will be two new judges on the UK’s version of X Factor when the series returns.
Show creator Simon Cowell is busy preparing a massive launch for his hit show in America and has given Cheryl Cole a wink of approval to join him.
But, with the schedules clashing, it was originally thought the judges would fly back and forth to appear on both shows. Although that now doesn’t seem to be the case!
Louis said: “I think it will be me and Dannii on the UK show with two more people.
“I haven’t been asked (to be on X Factor US) and I don’t think I’m going to be. I’m just happy if I get the UK show.”
It will mean a massive shake-up of the show when the eighth series appears back on television screens. And it echoes the replacement of Simon and Piers Morgan on the judging panel for the new series of Britain’s Got Talent with David Hasselhoff and Michael Mcintyre.
The Irish musical mogul, who manages Westlife and Jedward, also confirmed Cheryl’s true feelings towards American danger Derek Hough.
He said: “Cheryl is great. She was in South Africa with her boyfriend.”
Hilarious Louis also admits he prefers fellow judge Dannii Minogue. “I think Dannii is my number one but it kind of changes from season to season,” he laughed. “Dannii was bit of an ice queen on season one but as I got to know her, and she had her baby, and she is a really nice woman. She’s tough. And she’s Kylie’s sister so she’s got all that type stuff to live up to.”
And, speaking on The Late Late Show in Ireland, Louis said he doesn’t believe that Simon will ever get married to fiancée Mezghan Hussainy – because he’s already married to himself.
“I don’t believe he’s ever going to get married. I really, really don’t,” Louis said.  “Simon loves himself and he doesn’t have time for anyone else. He’s got a lovely girlfriend and she really is too good for him. I don’t think the hours would suit him getting married. You can only fit one person in front of the mirror!”
He also confirmed that his act Mary Byrne from this year’s competition has signed a record deal with Sony and will be recording her debut album with producer Nigel Wright who previously worked Britain’s Got Talent winner Paul Potts.

Words: Natalie Edwards

Aside from the Saturdays there just isn’t a girlband out there making waves in the pop world. And 2010 was all about the boybands. But all that’s about to change. There’s a huge influx of new female pop acts breaking through. So instead of you having to discover them on you’re own I’ve made it simple – here’s my top five new girl bands.

1. Wonderland are managed by Westlife’s Kian Egan and Jodi Albert is one member of the five-piece group. There’s no gimmicks in this line-up. All five have incredible voices, not over styled and not too gobby. Great songs and literally wonderful acoustic voices mean these girls are big news. I saw them this week and they were on fire. First single Not A Love Song is released 7th March. Check them out if you love raw talent. Log onto www.wonderlandofficial.com.

2. SoundGirl are Mercury’s big girl group. Since meeting at school these girls have been creating waves. Like a modern day Sugababes these ladies are bound to be big and represent the urban girlband scene. They write their own stuff and have also worked with a raft of songwriters, including Toby Gad (Beyonce, Jordin Sparks and Alicia Keys) and Wayne Wilkins (Cheryl Cole, Jordin Sparks). Check out www.youtube.com/soundgirlofficial. Debut single is I’m a Fool and it’s out in April.

3. Parade are the much-hyped Spice Girls style girl group. In fact Mel C was the first person to tell me about these ones. She said: “They’re the closest thing to what we were when we kicked off. Full of life, great voices and good old fashioned pop songs.” They’ve already supported Shakira and Alexandra Burke. Louder is their first single and it’s out March 7. Check out www.paradeofficial.com.

4. The Scarletz are the equivalent of the All Saints in 2011. Fresh, soulful and sexy. These ladies are creating waves with their laid back attitude – they love a bit of ska dropped into the mix too. Me likey! They’re currently on the all important school tour and are in the studio next week with Thunderkats and the week after they are in with Tomo Fabien Waltmann who has produced Nelly Furtado and No Doubt. I’m expecting big things from them. Check www.thescarletz.com.

5. The Ultra Girls are former X Factor rejects. Cute look but not the strongest of voices compared to some. But they are supporting Kylie Minogue on her Aphrodite tour in March. Not bad eh! The team behind Ultra Girl includes executive producer Steve Anderson (Kylie, Westlife, Britney), stylist Kenny Ho (Spice Girls & Girls Aloud), songwriter and musical director Sarah deCourcy (Christophe Willem, Kylie & Mel C). A winning formula? Maybe! Check www.ultragirls.com.

New emerging pop superstar Jessie J has dubbed the British music scene “rubbish” in an exclusive interview with me.
Jessie – who’s just clinched the Brit Award Critic’s Choice gong – says the industry needs a good shake up and I have to say I couldn’t agree more with her.
Snuggling in her dressing room at the Brits launch this week Jessie, 22, fumed: “The British music scene is rubbish right now. There are no artists pushing boundaries. There are no female artists in the UK that mix things up. I didn’t come into the industry to be a puppet. I’ve got a lot to prove and I’m here for a reason and I’m going to make a point.”
Jessie – dressed in a fabulous gold metal conical bra, teensy hotpants and towering heels – went on to say Lady Gaga has made artists like Leona Lewis be perceived ‘boring’ by music fans around the globe. “Of course Gaga is incredible but she’s set the bar so high for everyone else,” she revealed.  “She’s literally made normal artists and music ‘boring’ which really bothers me. It pisses me off when people say Leona’s boring. No she’s not. She’s got a sick voice and being normal is cool. I’m not trying to create a world that people can’t be let into with my music. I want to be relatable and have young girls wanting to sign and be like me.
“I don’t do the style thing to be an artist that people can’t relate too. I’m no fantasy artist. I’m a girl and I can dress up. I’ve got an opportunity to dress up and any girl would love to do this. I’m not going to ponce around saying: “I’m now taking you into my world and I’m not a real human being.” I’m so human it’s unreal. I’m not a robot.”
The new star is currently riding high in the charts with debut single Do It Like A Dude and will pick up her gong at the Brit Awards on February 15 at the O2 Arena. But you won’t catch this young lady hitting the after shows in a drunken mess – she’s dry! “I don’t drink, party or do drugs,” she reveals. “Not because I’m a clean living twit of a 22-year-old. Because this voice is my bacon. It’s my life right now and without this voice I’m nothing.
“I go clubbing but I dance and I won’t ever talk. If you see me in a club then I will be miming at you. I want this voice to buy me a house, a car and spread my music around the world.”
And it’s not just the UK she’s set to conquer – America is a huge priority for the star. “America is a huge deal for me. I went to the US to get signed. The first deal failed in the UK so I went out there and got it. I took the Brit flag out there and the US is the part I want to conquer. I’m going to put that flag in the suitcase and do my thing. You just watch me.”
The Brit pop music scene has been starved of somebody outspoken, sexy and daring that pushes limits for years now. So I’m thrilled all that’s about the change with the arrival of Jessie J.

How do you stay so relevant despite so many years in the showbiz world?
Well, I am not really fond of nostalgia. I don’t like being stuck in it, I like the future, I like being creative and I like new things. It’s part of life to me to keep going on and not staying in that oldies groove, I’m not interested in that.

How do you stay looking so fit and healthy?
I take time off, I keep fit by working out, I have a trainer. I do primarily core training, it is like pilates but it’s not pilates. You have to look after yourself.

What do you think about some of the young new acts that are breaking through like Lady Gaga?
I like some of the modern music. It’s about whether I appreciate the artistry and understanding how hard they work. I have to appreciate their drive and their creativity but I don’t like every single song out their but who does?
I think Lady GaGa is tremendous and I’d love to collaborate with her. She is so talented and she’s a nice girl. We did a benefit concert for the Rainforest and she is very, very sweet. You have to have the energy and the buzz when you are breaking through, everything comes at you at once and you have to take advantage of that. She did that and so did I.

Would you ever want to be a judge on a talent show like X Factor – surely you’re perfect for a role.
It doesn’t interest me to be a judge on a show like American Idol. I would feel terrible if I destroyed somebody’s confidence. It’s such a tentative stage.
I think Simon Cowell is great, I like his honesty – even though he might destroy a few people’s confidence. I personally would have appreciated for someone to have been so forthright and so blunt with me when I was starting out. Lots of times you ask people their opinions and they just say ‘that’s great, that’s great’ but they don’t have any real information. He gives people that real information. I don’t always agree with him though.

But it’s a good leg up into the industry being on a show like that.
I think it can be good for somebody to get a leg up, it’s sort of a mixed doubled edged sword, it’s not like you’re up there doing original material and a lot of time you are asked to or directed to do certain kinds of material and you get categorised so perhaps you outgrow that. It can defeat the artist’s purpose when they are in a period of discovery but I guess there has been a lot of success for the people who have won. Carrie Underwood has gone a long way.

You’ve campaigned for gay rights in the past – what do you think about Elton John and David Furnish’s baby news?
I know Elton, I think it is really something. I know Elton is a very serious person and takes on a lot of responsibility and is driven, powerful and wonderful so this must have been something very important to him and to his and David’s relationship. It is also great for gay rights, but it’s not completely unique.

And how do you think President Obama has been doing?
I think Obama has had a really rough time and I think he’s very smart and brilliant. He has had a lot of obstacles. He dropped into office in such a bad economic period but he’s held his own. He’s had a real uphill fight, more so than a lot of other Presidents.

America seems to be such a wild place right now with so many shootings week in, week out. Your thoughts?
The state of America today is insane, it’s crazy. Obama said in his speech about all of this hard politicking and hatred. What is it about? This is supposed to be the United States, the United States used to stand for so many things and was supposed to be United. It seems like everyone has forgotten these things. There’s all those issues about censorship, eliminating the Muslims, not allowing religious freedom. They’re all the things that constitutionally we have counted for and applied for and they are being lost by people who are radical in the wrong direction. I think people should be radical to support the constitution.

Blondie’s Panic of Girls is scheduled for release in 2011.

Debbie was performing at A Concert For Killing Cancer at the O2 Hammersmith Apollo this week.

Plan B’s second album The Defamation of Strickland Banks was rarely off my iPod last year so I’m chuffed that the singer’s now in the running for Best Album, Best British Male and Best Single at the BRIT Awards next month.
But Plan B, aka Ben Drew, isn’t just a sharp suited fella who sings and raps. He has just finished off his first directorial debut Ill Manors and is priming his clappers again to start work on a film version of his No 1 album ….Strickland Banks. His film expertise has led to him being snapped up by Bafta to be on the panel for the Orange Wednesday Rising Star award. Among the nominees he helped to whittle down are Gemma Arterton and Tom Hardy. Vote for your favourite at orange.co.uk/bafta

Why do you think Bafta were so keen on getting you on the judging panel?
When they first asked me I didn’t think I was worthy of being a judge. I guess they felt I was worthy of being a part of the panel but when they first asked me I was a bit worried about what some of the actors in contention would think about me judging them. But then when I looked at it I have directed a small budget film and went out and found the emerging talent myself. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done and I think it makes me now have the right to call myself a director.

Are you hoping that one day you’ll be receiving award nods for your film career?
I don’t do it for the accolades. If you did it for that then you’re in it for the wrong reason. People will just see through you. You do it because you want to be creative and you love it. I have these visions and want to express them.

Mr Gucci and fashion supremo, Tom Ford was on the panel alongside you. Did he speak to you about doing any modelling for him?
I may wear sharp suits but I don’t think so man. I need to lose a few pounds and get on a few sunbeds first.

And congratulations on being up for three gongs at the BRITs.
I thought that if I wasn’t an award this year then something had gone wrong on the judging panel. I thought I should be up for one as we’ve smashed it this year. I’ve never been to the BRITs before so it’s just an honour to go. Even if I don’t get an award it’s massive exposure just to perform.

You’re also going to be performing on the night – what have you got planned for your routine so far?
I only had one hour of sleep last night as I was designing the sets and sorting out the choreography. We are going to do it on a big scale and there’s going to be lots of dancers. It may be similar to the EMA’s where I had dancing policeman. I’m back in the UK February 8 so just need to go through with organisers about what will and won’t work with it so can’t say too much for now.

Who are you also pleased to see up for an award?
I loved seeing that Tinie Tempah is also up for awards as he’s broken through massively this year. If I lose to him then I wouldn’t mind as it would be losing to a worthy winner. I’d have liked to have seen Foals up for an award but I guess they’re a bit too left-field for the BRITs.

I hear you’re off to Australia on tour soon.
Yeah, I’ve also bought my brother a ticket to Australia as I decided that I’m just going to leave him there. He’s doesn’t do anything except doss around. He doesn’t have a job so I thought this would be a good idea as he’s going to have to get up and get work otherwise he’s going to have to live in a s**t-hole with loads of snakes. When you look outside and see that the weather looks s**t then you don’t want to get up and go down the job centre. My brother looks like Jesus and is a proper Italian Stallion. I’ve got a bearded dragon as a pet and I was also going to bring him with me to Oz and set him free as that’s his natural habitat – and it’s kind of the same with my brother. It would be good to see him turn up on Neighbours or something.

*Is X Factor star Katie Waissel slowly forgiving her granny for for being a prostitute? It seems so.
“She’s always going to be the same old person to me and of course I love her,” Katie told me at the Brits launch. “It was interesting to see her on This Morning but I just want to make sure she’s safe and OK. Whatever she wants – that’s her business.”
And Katie was up to her usual tricks seconds later boasting she’s going to be able to duet with ‘pal’ Amy Winehouse on her new album.
She said: “I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I can do a collaboration with Amy as we’re neighbours. We hang out in the same places and know the same people.” I somehow think Amy has bigger fish to fry!

*Jay Sean has sensationally declared “f**k the BRITs” after he was snubbed for one of Dame Viv’s designed gongs.
Despite being one of the UK’s biggest musical exports stateside, the singer-songwriter has never been up for an award at the UK’s biggest awards show.
“I’m so over the BRITs, f**k the Brits and I don’t care if I never get nominated. I know that I’ve been more successful than half the people on the list but I don’t need a nomination to tell me that,” he says. “I know how many singles I’ve sold, how many albums I’ve sold and how much money I’ve made out the game.” And breathe…

*Paije Richardson tells me X Factor’s Cher Lloyd and boyfriend Karim Roundi are getting “very serious” after just a couple of weeks of dating. “They are really happy with each other,” says Paije. “They’re always saying ‘I love you’ to each other and it’s like, shut up!”
And Paige defended his best pal Karim over allegations he cheated on the chav singer. “It’s bullsh*t. It did happen but was weeks before and they weren’t even together,” he fumed at the Brits launch. “He’s a good guy and a good boyfriend. But for the last two weeks I’ve been teasing him by calling him a ‘sex rat.’” Nice!

*Star’s including Harrison Ford, Rachel McAdams and Kerry Katona gathered for the Morning Glory film premiere this week. The comedy flick tells the story of a failing breakfast TV programme called, er, Daybreak! Thank God the UK’s Daybreak is doing well now.
Rachel McAdams said she wants to work with former Mean Girls co-star Lindsay Lohan again. “Yeah I think that would be great,” she smiled. A slender Kerry Katona banged on about having no time for a new man saying: “Let me get divorced first!”
Stacey Soloman revealed she’s saving all her hard-earned pennies to buy a love-nest with boyfriend Aaron Barham. “We’re not planning on getting married just yet but I’m working on getting a new house by the end of the year.” And The Only Way Is Essex’s Amy Childs gave me the lowdown on her city-broken boyfriend Joe: “I’m so happy and he treats me like a princess. He’s not into all this showbiz, bless him, and doesn’t want to be in the show. But he’s got to be because we’re a couple and I’m happy.” Good for her.

*Earth to Heather Mills, you’re still beyond nuts. The almighty believer quite literally pounced on on a shopper in the queue for Whole Foods in Kensington this week to talk about her, er, muffins.
In fact my pal says Heather was practically shrieking to a shopper queuing in front of her about her…..vegetarian muffins.
Heather said: “My muffins are the best. They are vegetarian organic, you know. And you should buy them. In fact everyone should.
“I’ve got loads of flavours too with my muffins. Did you know I want my muffins to go global – like the Beckhams, I suppose.”
This woman’s self belief is so strong she could bend horse shoes. Good for her!

*Frank Lampard must be serious about the beautiful Christine Bleakley – he snubbed his team mates after scoring two goals against Ipswich last Sunday in order to meet his missus.
My spies say Frankie boy turned up with his kit bag and in his Chelsea tracksuit at the Duke Of Clarence on the Old Brompton Road. My perfectly placed source tells me: “He literally came off the pitch and straight to the pub – he was wearing a big baggy tracksuit and t-shirt. It was just himself and Christine for a while and then they were joined by her friends.
“Frank looked totally besotted with her, hanging off her every word. He was drinking beer, she stuck to a coke. Christine’s friend started jokingly saying to him ‘Bet you got the piss taken out of you for running back home to the missus instead of celebrating with the lads.’ But Frank then gave a really cute smile over to Christine who was laughing and replied ‘yeah’.” Bless them – I like them as a couple.

I don’t want to just throw a load of names at you when it comes to new music – so I asked the gorgeous Edith Bowman from Radio One to do the honours.

I couldn’t agree more with her top picks – and listen to the lady herself on the BBC Radio One weekend breakfast between 7-10am every Saturday and Sunday.

James Blake
James Blake is someone who will be on everyone’s radar next year.  His cover version of Feists Limit to Your Love really stopped people in their tracks at the end of 2010. His mix of haunting vocals with great beats show off his production skills along with his classical training. No specific date on his debut album but due sometime early 2011 in the meantime listen to CMYK

Miles Kane
You might know Miles from his Rascals days or one half of The Last Shadow Puppets along with Arctic Monkey Alex Turner, but he is out in force nowadays as a solo artist. He released the first single Inhaler back in November and I listen to it at least once a day. The debut solo album is due April 2011 and when you have a guest guitarist by the name of Noel Gallagher playing on your record, you know you are in pretty good company.

Adele
SHE IS BACK. There’s no one quite like Adele and it seems way to long since we last heard from her.  New album 21 is due end of January and I’ve been playing Rolling In the Deep, the first single from the album on the radio show loads. What a voice, what a talent and what a girl. Welcome back, love.

The Joy Formidable
A band who deserve attention and who are just incredible live. They release their second full length album The Big Roar on January 24th and have already built up a great fan base. They will dominate the festival circuit this year.

Warpaint
A girlband that have taken a good few years to get their line-up in order but it seems that finally they have what they need to have a crack at it. The debut album came out towards the end of last year and it’s haunting and melodic with great stories. Just really exciting to have a girlband who can write their own songs and rock it. I can’t wait to see them live.

Daley
You might have heard his vocals on the last Gorillaz track Doncamatic.  I saw him sing live with them at London’s O2 just before Christmas and that cemented his place on my ‘one to watch’ list.  When Damon Albarn says you have “one of those voices that doesn’t come around very often” it’s worth paying attention to.

Yuk
When a band site Pavement and Teenage Fanclub as influences then I am gong to sit up and pay attention. Love what I have heard so far and very excited about their debut album in 2011.

Arlene Phillips (above) was on fabulously feisty form at the UK premiere of Cirque du Soleil’s Totem at the Royal Albert Hall this week. She came running over to me and said: “Oh Dean if you’re going to ask me about Strictly Come Dancing then bog off. I can’t bare it. It’s all I’ve had all night from everyone. It’s been a year and a half – you’d think people would get over it by now. But they haven’t. I’m probably asked ten times a day if I’m going back to Strictly. I’m not. Never.
“It’s categorically not going to happen.”
The star, who attended the premiere with her stunning daughters Abi and Alana, tells me she’s doing well with rehearsals for the new Wizard of Oz which opens at the Palladium later this year. “It’s technically a very complicated show,” she said. “But we’re doing well. It’s going to be one of the best shows on the West End. Period. I’m a workaholic as everyone knows. But I do actually have four weeks off coming up. It’s the longest break I can ever remember.” Put your feet up, love.

I have to admit I was more than a little bit dubious about the union between Chantelle Houghton and Rav Wilding (above). But after speaking to them both this week at Totem I’m convinced they’re genuine. They seem like the perfect couple. I had pop at at rav for going down the tacky mag shoot route to announce they were together and he laughed: “I was fine with it. I’ve done those sort of shoots before and wasn’t opposed to it.
“It’s good for the profile and we’re happy so why not.”
Chantelle added: “He was well up for it actually. Things between us are going well. He’s lovely. I couldn’t be happier.”
The Celebrity Big Brother winner also broke her silence on why she recently left Can Associates – the management firm that forged the careers of Peter Andre, Jordan and are currently reviving Kerry Katona’s career. She revealed: “We had a bit of a disagreement to be honest. They didn’t think going on the final Big Brother Champions series was a good idea. I thought it was fine. They said it would ruin my career for good. It hasn’t and I stand by my decision. I’ve got nothing against them though – they were great.”

Gethin Jones and Katherine Jenkins need to lighten up. I’m beyond bored of them refusing to pose together on a red carpet. They’re not exactly Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin are they? And they’d make such a pretty pair too! The pair dodged their way up the blue carpet at Totem trying not to be pictured together at the event. Ridic!
On the plus side – great H+M yellow dress Kath….

Dull Strictly couple Kara Tointon looked loved up with new beau Artem Chigvintsev at Totem. The pair were snuggled up at the show and I had to try not to be sick whilst they continually called each other ‘honey’. I guess I should be happy for them – but there’s something incredibly false about them as a celebrity couple when you see them. It all just seems so contrived.

Other stars at the event quaffing the champagne in the Tapis Rouge VIP area included David Jason and family (above), Natt Weller, Mathew Horne, my favourite celebrity chef Gizzi Erskine, hunky Theo from Hurts, Ray Winstone and the stunning Natascha McElhone (below).