*Leona Lewis has taken a cool pill lately. She’s been spotted out with Mel B partying in Vegas and now she’s taken another step into the A-List – by picking up a big fat cheque to host a bash at Pure Nightclub in Vegas to celebrate her birthday. The night will feature a performance by the lady herself and sources tell me she’ll pick up a cool six-figure sum for showing face.
I’m told the X Factor winner of yester year is rehearsing for her UK tour in sin city and has been having a blast out there, A source tells me: “She’s being partying, doing a bit of gambling and letting her hair down at weekends. During the week she’s flat out with tour rehearsals. But it’s coming along nicely.”

*People have speculated for years about what trim Victoria Beckham actually eats and this week the star took things to a whole new level at a swanky bash in Russia.
VB, who’s fast becoming one of my favourite celebrities, decided that when in Russia you should do as they do – so she hit the vodka shots and the caviar instead of having a full sit down meal.
The Spice Girl was at top Russian restaurant Nedelnee Vostok following her clothing line this week partying after her clothing launch when my spies spotted her knocking back more than a few shots of voddie with only “spoonfuls” of black caviar. My perfectly placed source tells me: “It was a case of ‘When in Rome’ for Victoria. She just seemed to do shot after shot of expensive vodka. She could handle her booze though.
“The kitchen staff were shocked at how many shots she was able to put away. The other guests all sat down and had full-on meals. She just sat there eating spoonfuls of expensive black caviar. She was really enjoying herself and was definitely in the mood to let her hair down.”
Victoria spent much of the night socialising with guests including her pal Naomi Campbell, Russian Vogue Editor Alyona Doletskaya and according to my spies at the bash she has formed a close friendship with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich’s wife Dasha Zhukova. “They were nattering away like old friends and seem to have lots in common,” says my mole. “Dasha only recently gave birth to her first child so they really clicked. They were talking about motherhood and seemed to get on like a house on fire.”
That Absolutely Fabulous Patsy Stone diet of vodka and caviar was even naughtier than I first thought!

*Social Services at the ready. I hear Rehab singer (and reformed druggie) Amy Winehouse is talking about having a baby with her good-for-nothing former husband Blake Fielder-Civil. I hear now that the pair’s tragic union is back on track the star’s desperado to have a child as quickly as she can. A source says: “She wants to be pregnant in the next few months. She’s cleaned herself up and is ready to be a mum.
“She mentioned it to her mother Janis this week and she hit the roof. Janis thinks it’s the worst possible thing for her to do and it’ll ruin her life. But Amy will do what she wants to do.”
Another star who could be welcoming a baby soon is Isla Fisher - I hear the Aussie actress and Sacha Baron Cohen have been trying for a baby for the past few months. It would be the icing on the cake for the couple – who secretly wed two weeks ago!

Shhh
WHICH star can’t work out whether he’s a fan of Arthur or Martha? This guy was spotted making out with a female recently in an LA strip joint.

Irritant
Nadine Coyle
Despite her skinnier than skinny frame this girl continues to speak total drivel wherever she goes about her fat heavy diet. Mash potatoes, fry-ups and chocolates?? Give me a break. You don’t get skinny on that sort of diet. And don’t even get me started on the fact this girl claims to be friends with all the girls in Girls Aloud. Deluded.

*Politics are hot to trot in fashion these days. First Posh wants to dress Michelle Obama – and now Frost French design duo Sadie Frost and Jemima French want to dress SamCam. Jemima told me this week as she launched her pop-up store at Whiteleys: “Admittedly most of the people I would really like to dress are dead. Sarah Brown would be good. Although I would like to dress David Cameron’s wife Sarah actually. Sadie even said she wants to dress her good pal Nick Grimshaw from Radio One. She laughed: “I would quite like to dress Nick but I don’t think he will let me.” Jude Law’s former missus tells me she’s starting work on her first film for quite some time – and it’s a musical! All I can say is that it is a musical film,” she revealed. “I will do some singing lessons but I actually started out as a singer so I should be fine.” Good for her.

*Kelly Osbourne tells me she’s splashed out the cash recently. She proudly showed off a new pair of heels that cost a whopping £2,000. “They’re Alexander McQueen diamante shoes and they were the most expensive thing I’ve ever bought,” she confided. “I really don’t want to tell you how much they cost because it makes me sick just to think about it. I don’t really have money to spend like that but I knew I had to have them as soon as I saw them. They cost £2000. They kill my feet but they are worth it. When I first bought them I spent a week just looking at them and I couldn’t bring myself to wear them. I think when I retire them I will put them in a cabinet with a revolving plate and spotlight. I’ve just retired another pair of Alexander McQueen shoes which are from the 90s and have light up heels. I’m too scared they are going to break so can’t face wearing them anymore.” Kelly also revealed she’s not planning to head down the aisle anytime soon with fiance Luke Worrall. She said: “There are no wedding plans at the moment.” Come on Kel – I’ve bought the hat!

*T4 host Jameela Jamil has the looks, the talent and the fashion sense. But she’s incredibly self deprecating – either that or blind. Talking about her style at the launch of the flagship Malene Birger store in London she told me: “I don’t think I’m stylish. I had absolutely no idea about style a year ago as I was English teacher. Although I was a model that doesn’t mean you have style because you are just getting clothes put on to you. I don’t have a stylist and I’m quite hot on not getting a stylist. I’ve just tried to figure it out for myself as I’ve gone along. There’s no way I’m taking Alexa Chung’s style crown put it that way.” I’m not so sure.

*I actually thought Mariah Carey had a chance at acting in the future after her great performance in Precious. But news reaches me that Mimi is on the hunt for a romantic comedy to star herself and hubby Nick Cannon. Brace yourselves.

*I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall this week when Kevin Spacey (above with Tracey Emin) invited an exclusive crowd of celebs to party with him to celebrate the first birthday of the W Doha Hotel. Kate Moss (below) and Jamie Hince dined on a risotto of sake and morels and Kevin Bishop did David Bowie impressions on the dance floor.

*Dannii Minogue is preparing to return to the UK to launch her clothing label Project D. She’ll make a brief two-week stop before returning to give birth in July. I hear Dannii’s currently staying fit and healthy in Australia – where she’s judging Australia’s Got Talent – by having power walking sessions of an evening.

*Next week sees the launch of Edith Bowman’s new TV show Evo Music Rooms. Think Top of the Pops but trendy and cool. One big named act will feature, a couple of chart musicians and a brand new unsigned artist. The show starts on Channel 4 on April 8 – and the line-up features The Specials, Doves, The Drums and unsigned talent Cathy JJ.

*Robert Pattinson fears he’s going to go deaf from all the screaming girls the turn out to his movie premieres. The Twilight star said: I’ve always been slightly deaf. So I worry it’s going to get worse!
“It’s incredible how loud girls can scream and they’ll do it right in my face so I do worry about my ears and going even more deaf but I’ve never worn ear plugs.”
The actor also said he worries about his famous locks falling out in the future. “I’m an incredibly nervous and self conscious person and I’ve got this really bad habit of always playing with my hair and running my hands through it,” he says. “I worry it will all fall out one day because I’m always playing with it!  I think it kind of annoys people too so I should try and stop doing it really. It’s not true that I go for days without washing my hair though – I wash it every day!” Good for you, Rob.

*Listen up Simon Cowell, Mary J Blige doesn’t want a job offer to be part of X Factor USA. She tells me: “No way would I be a judge on American Idol full time, or the X Factor – its too hard telling people that they’re no good and I don’t need that negativity in my life.” On the plus side Mary revealed she would sing at Cowell’s wedding to Mezghan Hussainy. She said: “If Simon asks me then I would sing at his wedding, hell yeah!  I love the man and it would be an honour.” Now that’s what I call a wedding singer!

Keira Knightley may be the queen of the costume drama but it seems like there’s a new British rose that’s spoiling her thunder.
Step forward Oscar nominated actress Carey Mulligan – who’s bagged the role of Eliza Doolittle in the Hollywood remake of My Fair Lady. And from what I hear from my sources Keira’s far from happy about being sidelined in favour of Carey – especially because she’d been taking singing lessons to get herself in tip top vocal shape for what would have been the role of a lifetime.
My mole tells me: “Keira wanted to play the role. She’s been linked to the production for nearly four years. She’s always loved Audrey Hepburn and had spent the last year working her backside off with private singing lessons. She knew she didn’t have a huge voice but she was willing to put the effort in for the role. It would have quite literally have been a role of a lifetime for Keira and she’s gutted that it hasn’t worked out.”
Keira was quoted a year ago expressing just how much she wanted to bag the part in the film – which originally went on to win eight Oscars. She said: “I auditioned for it about two years ago, and I think it’s been a matter of trying to assemble the correct team to do it that is going to make as interesting a movie and as good a movie as possible. There are good whispers going around, you know, and hopefully they’ll come to fruition.”
She may have failed to clinch the role of Eliza – but I doubt she’s going to worry too much. After all she has three films that have completed production, she’s just finished a sell out run on the West End and is about to start filming The Beautiful and the Damned opposite Leonardo DiCaprio before starting work on The Emperor’s Children alongside Richard Gere.
The actress seems to have made a conscious effort of late to get involved with her art rather than settle for the big-budget commercial movies. And having met Keira on many occasions, after all she did grow up in Teddington near my own family home, I know she’s not one for cashing in. She recently said: “I did films like The Edge Of Love and The Duchess and there were no big pay days – you do them because you want to do the work, and to work with certain directors. My ambition isn’t to buy loads of property.”
And if proof were needed, then look no further than the news that broke last week. Keira has turned down over £5 million to star in the fourth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Jumping into her shoes as the buxom deck girl onboard the Black Pearl? None other than Spanish beauty Penelope Cruz. Shiver me timbers, boys!

I’m standing at the epicentre of the celebrity world. A-List stars surround me. Somehow I’m inside the party on the showbiz calendar – the Vanity Fair Oscars party. It’s small and exclusive – Jeff Bridges is on the dancefloor, Cameron Diaz whizzes by and Kathryn Bigelow holds court with The Hurt Locker colleagues on a luxurious white leather seat.
Magnums of Moët et Chandon champagne are being poured by waiters dressed in the finest uniforms ever made. Real trees and bushes have been shipped in to transform the venue into a forest, and lit with flickering candles it’s like being in a glitzy Garden of Eden.
Clipboard Nazis are at every inch of the entrance scanning the crowd for ­interlopers, cameras flash at the arrival of each big name and hundreds of movie fans line the streets of Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles trying to get a glimpse of their heroes.
The combined wealth in the room is probably close to £20billion as every big name in Hollywood stops by.
I can’t believe I’m here. Never in a million years when I touched down in Tinseltown seven days earlier to cover the 82nd ­Academy Awards did I imagine I’d be mingling with the big winners on the night at the ­Vanity Fair bash.
You’ll be stunned to find out how I did it.
Admittedly I’ve always prided myself on being able to blag my way into any event. I’ve partied with Mariah Carey at her private Halloween bash, climbed aboard P Diddy’s yacht on more than one occasion and danced till dawn with Paris Hilton following the Brit Awards.
But the Vanity Fair party is in a whole different league. It’s the crown jewels of the celebrity party circuit – something every showbiz journalist aspires to be invited to.
So I decide right there and then that – by hook or by crook – I’m going to crash that bash.
“You goooo for it, you only live once,” yells Spice Girl Mel B as I leave her at another party, leap into a cab and head for the Sunset Tower Hotel.
My first mistake is pulling up to the door in a yellow taxi. Nobody gets a yellow cab to the Vanity Fair bash. Nobody.
There are screams as I get out of the car and look up at the entrance. They’re not for me…they’re for Alec Baldwin who is immediately in front of me nattering to Hilary Swank. This is my big chance – and I seize it with both hands.
“Hi Alec,” I say, offering a handshake to the actor, who had been master of ceremonies at the Oscars. “You did such a great job this evening. Funny, to the point and you reeked of old Hollywood up there. You’re a great host.”
He looks at me as if I’m a deranged stalker – but I don’t stop there.
“You know, I’m from London. You ought to come over there more. People like you over there and you should visit.”
He replies: “Well thank you so much – are you going in?”
“Yes, of course,” I say nervously. “Well, you enjoy it.”
And that is it, my golden opportunity. My chance liaison with Hollywood royalty has been witnessed by a clipboard Nazi and a gorilla-sized security guard.
I walk in with my head held high – saying hello in a hugely obnoxious way to radio reporters and GMTV’s Carla Romano as I trot along. Four more steps and I’m in. I’ve just bypassed two lines of security and name checkers.
It’s easy to see why this party is THE bash to get into. It isn’t crowded – it’s exclusive.
So exclusive that everywhere I look there are Oscars standing on the side.
I spot Sandy Powell, the winner of costume design for The Young Victoria, congratulate her and politely ask if she would mind me holding her trophy.
And wow – those bad boys are heavy – like a brick!
I quickly move on to nattering to The Hurt Locker star Guy Pearce, who was congratulating the woman of the evening – Best Director and Best Picture winner Kathryn Bigelow.
I wait patiently before moving forward to congratulate her myself.
She tells me: “I’m still in shock to be honest – but a few drinks is helping me settle.”
Kathryn is low key at the party compared to some.
Best Actor ­winner Jeff Bridges ­nearly drops his Oscar twice – and I steady him on his feet as he twirls Crazy Heart co-star Maggie Gyllenhaal around the dancefloor.
Unusually humble for the hottest star of the moment, he tells me that his Oscars evening has been “out of this world”.
It’s certainly one of those parties that I want to be in – but, for once, I don’t really want to be noticed.
So I just take in the sights…Peaches Geldof curled up with Inglourious Basterds star Eli Roth, Rachel McAdams looking bored as she mingles with studio execs, Cameron Diaz with a glass of champers in her hand and ready to party.
And then there’s Russell Brand cuddling his bride-to-be Katy Perry.
The party fare doesn’t quite live up to the star quality – mini Krispy Kreme doughnuts are offered stacked high on trays.
But the luxurious red velvet cupcakes make up for them – each of the teeny weeny cakes has a nominee’s first name emblazoned on top.
I gobble down a Jeff, a ­Sandra and a Carey and realise I’ve certainly had my cake and eaten it.
I’d started my Oscars night partying by swanning down the red carpet at Elton John’s fabulous Academy Award Viewing Party, which is put on to raise awareness and funds for his AIDS ­Foundation.

I’ve been to Uncle Elt’s bash four times now and each time it gets better.
I quickly realise it’s going to be a night to remember when Victoria Beckham tells me: “You make sure you go out tonight and party hard – get wasted.” She giggles and adds: “I can’t – so you will have to do it for me.”
After my Posh encounter I say “hello” to Simon Cowell, camped out in the smoking area with his fiancée Mezhgan Hussainy and pals Amanda Holden and Paul McKenna.
Then, as Grey Goose vodka and champers flow into guests’ glasses, the crowd parts to catch the star performer – legendary singer Grace Jones.
Earlier in the week at my hotel, Le Montrose in West Hollywood, I’d come to the rescue of milliner to the stars Philip Treacy.
I spotted him struggling to check in to the hotel with four huge boxes of hats for Grace to wear during her performance.
He was tired, jetlagged and fretting because he’d run out of dollars to tip the driver who’s whisked him there from the airport.
“Would you like to borrow $10, Philip?” I asked. “Oh my God, that would be amazing – I promise I’ll pay you back,” he replied.
And after Grace’s ­electrifying set I’m thrilled to find out Philip is a man of his word – he takes me and my pals Kelly Osbourne and Louis Walsh backstage.
“I’m so excited to meet her,” whispers Kelly nervously, “I hope we can get a picture with her.”
The star sweeps us into a huge dressing room with various friends and family where we watch her apply enough make-up to get into drag queen school.
“I won’t be ready for photos for some time,” she booms as she applies her blusher and lipstick.
When she finally deigns to pose with us, Kelly is in groupie hysterics and the picture – us laughing, the superstar singer barely looking into the lens – is caught perfectly by Louis.
And it’s then I realise the amazing Miss Jones perfectly sums up my Oscars experience: big, scary… and I needed the kind of balls she’s famous for to make it a totally unforgettable night.

Seeing as it was Mother’s Day this past weekend I thought I’d hand the reins of Chief Reviewer to my mum, Mrs Piper.

So I took her down to Ronan Keating’s final solo gig where he was joined on stage by Boyzone for a three-song finale.

Mrs Piper said: “It was brilliant to see the boys back on stage together for the first time since Steo died. I had the best evening – Ronan’s brilliant live and the set list was great. He’s easy on the eye too – so that was a nice treat.” Cheeky minx!

Anyway, Ronan told me before hitting the stage that he hopes to tour with the band by the end of the year as a four-piece.

He said: “We’ll be back. We thought it would be too hard to tour again but we’re more excited about being a band again than ever before. We will tour for the fans and in memory of Stephen.”

And it’s just as well really because the lads’ new album Brother has shot straight to Number One in the album charts. Congrats lads!

Sugababe Amelle Berrabah has been secretly seeing a new man – and she couldn’t help but confess all when we caught up this week.

Amelle, who has been single since splitting with her long-term beau Freddie Fuller a year ago, told me she’s thrilled to have found new boyfriend Tom Benn – a former model who now works in management. She gushed: “He’s absolutely lovely. We’ve only been official for the past few weeks but it’s great. Tom gets the industry and he gets me – which is a real bonus. He’s romantic and he even took me to The Ivy for a Valentine’s Day date. I’m glad I found him.”

It’s great to see Amelle moving on after a turbulent six-year romance with Freddie, who almost lost his arm in a savage machete ­attack outside a pub.

But it wasn’t just Amelle who opened up about her love life. Both Jade Ewen and Heidi Range were itching to talk about their fellas. New band member Jade says her union with ­EastEnders star Ricky ­Norwood, who plays Fatboy, is going from strength to strength. “He also understands the industry,” Jade revealed. “In fact the same day I found out I was the new Sugababe he found out he was in EastEnders.

“We grew up together in East London and I’ve known him for years and years, so it felt very natural when we got together.”

*Demi Moore is still such a hot looking woman in real life. I caught up with the Ghost star and her hubby Ashton Kutcher at the Hollywood Domino Gala. She told me she’s loving Awards Season. “It’s such an exciting week,” she admitted. “It’s kinda crazy though. You have to pace yourself with all the parties.”
Ashton told me he’s been working flat out and revealed: “It’s been full on lately. I’ve not stopped working so I’m tired to begin with. I’ve just been in London too – it’s great over there. I love the way the British are. So proper.”
There were two brilliant moments of hanging with the pair. Firstly Demi bought the round of drinks. Ashton loves a vodka tonic and Demi drinks pints – but she tripped on her dress and spilt beer down herself! Secondly, when you do a snap with Demi she always has to check she looks good in the picture before she walks away. Amazing!

*So it turns out Cheryl Cole’s ‘pal’ Derek Hough from dancing With The Stars has been more than just hanging out with Chezza – she’s been giving him advice on the industry. My mole reveals: “Derek’s desperate to carve himself into a male solo pop artist. He can sing and dance so he wants to pursue that” Cheryl’s given him lots of advice.” I bet she has!

*Rachel Zoe (above) is the stylist everybody in Hollywood scrambles to work with at the Oscars. But the skinny lady herself is particular about who she dresses up. She told me at the Hollywood Domino Gala: “I’m working with Demi Moore and Cameron Diaz this year. They are the ladies I truly love to dress.” Other guests at the amazing Hollywood Bingo Gala event included Jamie Foxx, Matt Dillon, Lady Victoria Hervey, Eva Longoria and Nicky Hilton.

*A real highlight was meeting Queen of Pop Madonna as I trotted into LA’s newest exclusive private members club Soho House this week. I obviously told her she “raised me” (sorry mum) and she graciously shook my hand! Amazing.

*Dermot O’Leary sounds as if he’s ready and set to give the US a go as a presenter. I caught up with the X Factor host and he told me: “I’ve been out here looking at work options and having a few meetings. Nothing’s come up yet that would mean moving out here. But I’d love to work Stateside.”
Dermot also told me he’s hoping X Factor judge Dannii Minogue manages to come back to the show after she’s popped out her sprog in July. He said: “She’s one of the reasons the show’s so good so hopefully she’ll be able to be there after she’s had her little one.”

*Ryan Seacrest is preparing to cover the red carpet arrivals for the E! Entertainment Channel later this evening with co-host Giuliana Rancic (both above with me). But he couldn’t help but talk about Simon Cowell and his exit from American Idol after this series to start X Factor in the US. Ryan said: “American Idol will survive without Simon but we will miss him. He’s is the foundation to the show. I will personally miss sparring with him but I have seen the X Factor and I think it’s a phenomenal show.”
And he wouldn’t mind swapping over to the rival show as host – if the money was right. “I could always be tempted over depending on the money,” he laughed. “I would like to do them both, that would be great.”

*Myleene Klass was having a blast hosting the Oscars coverage for CNN in Los Angeles. But it seems Americans have a bizarre take on who Myleene’s a doppelganger of. Over dinner at the Mondrian she told me: “When I got to the airport a pap thought I was Minnie Driver’s sister and then yesterday I signed an autograph and he person looked surprised at my signature because she thought I was Jessica Alba.” One day they’ll know Leenie in the US! Ha!
The presenter also told me her two-year-old daughter has been hanging with rock and roll royalty Bon Jovi too. She revealed: “Ava had her picture with Jon Bon Jovi at our hotel. He fell in love with her – and we spotted him working out in the gym. I might have enjoyed that for a different reason to Ava though!” I hear you!

Above: Hanging with Kelly Brook at the Hollywood Domino Gala event at the Beverly Hills Hilton.

*Kendra Wilkinson doesn’t want her child growing up in the public eye. The former Girlfriend of Hugh Hefner, whose reality show Kendra is on the E! Entertainment Channel, says she doesn’t want her newborn son Hank growing up in front of the cameras. She told me: “I don’t want Hank growing up in the limelight. People already ask if I think he’s going to be a sports star like my husband or an actor or something. I want him to decide what he wants to be. That’s his choice. The reality show will stop – I don’t want him growing up for everyone to see.” Sensible girl.

Shhhh
WHICH star is getting a reputation for sleeping around? I hear this dude doesn’t mind if it’s a boy or a girl – but he needs them regular! Greedy!

*Lee Toland Krieger is the Writer/Director to watch out for in the future. After being nominated for Best Director and Best Screenplay at the Independent Spirit Awards for his brilliant film The Viscious Kind he’s about to start work on new thriller Land of the Free. Elijah Wood, Rachel Bilson and Sienna Miller are all wanted for roles….

*It’s not easy when you’re Oprah Winfrey and you fancy a bite to eat. You can’t just pop to your local restaurant in a low-key way. I saw the chat show host dining at the Beverly Hills Hotel with TV execs this week. While Oprah – wearing a black dress and black alice band – enjoyed a salad four bodyguards sat surrounding her table. She did seem down to earth as she left though and posed for snaps with fans. Nice!

*Jimmy Choo boss Tamara Mellon is making a concerted effort to be a little bit healthier. After years of puffing on fags Tam has decided to quit the ciggies – but she’s finding it tough to deal with her cravings and chewing gum non stop!

*Wherever I went this week for a bite to eat I seemed to bump into a celebrity. Nicky Hilton – who is immaculately dressed in her day-to-day life – sat next to me one day at the Fred Segal café while Geri Halliwell’s former movie producer lover Sacha Gervasi (and the father of Geri’s baby Bluebell) brought along an extremely attractive girl to eat on the other side of me. Then I was alongside Groundhog Day star Bill Murray at Cecconis the day before.

*Abbie Cornish appears to have started the heartbreak diet following her split from actor Ryan Phillipe. I spotted the star at a bash for Vanity Fair  and Dior looking disturbingly thin with her newly bleach blonde hair. Other guests mingling around at the bash included Dawsons Creek star James Van Der Beek and Brit TV host Louise Roe.

*Kelly Osbourne looked slick as hell at the Hudson Jeans and Vanity fair bash this week. Kel’s gone for a somewhat bizarre purple rinse on her former bleach blonde locks. The Osbourne offspring mingled the night away with June Sarpong and Rose McGowan.

*Leona Lewis was gearing up to attend Elton John’s wonderful Aids Foundation Oscar Viewing Party when I bumped into her last week. She told me she’s got a crush on Twilight star Taylor Lautner – in fact he’s the only person to have ever made her starstruck. She revealed: “I think Taylor from Twilight is the only person to have truly made me starstruck. It was at the Globes and I got a picture with him. I never ever get a picture with anyone. I never ask for one. He’s the only person I’ve ever asked for a picture with. My boyfriend Lou loved that one. He said: ‘Erm, what are you doing?’ Ha ha. I’m allowed to meet him though. I’d love to meet Stevie Wonder and Madonna. I’ve not met either. Madonna is another person who really inspires me.”

I sat down with Irish superband Boyzone recently to talk about their new album Brother, moving on from the death of their bandmate Stephen Gately and whether they will bite the bullet and tour again as a four piece band…..
Their single Gave It All Away is out today to download and the brand new album, Brother, is out next Monday!

How are you guys?
Ronan Keating: We’re doing well, we’re really excited about the record. We are here and the album is ready, finished. Artwork is done, the packaging is done and we’re ready to go

I’m feeling a lot of positivity going on here..
R: You know, we had a tough day today was our first TV performance with the song on GMTV pre-record for Thursday, we knew it was going to be tough and we went into it that way and there were moments but we got through it

You were dreading the first performance without Stephen too.
R: I’ve been dreading it for a long, long time and I think that its going to continue. I think that there’s going to be a lot of moments where that hits us when we perform because that is the one time where the four of us are standing together and he’s not there and its very evident, you know. And you can take a photo and you can do this, you can do an interview and not feel it but when you’re standing there performing for me anyway is the most evident.

And it’s not like its some band where Brian goes and does his solo stuff and then you’re just the four……
R: We have no choice. That’s the saddest thing.

So tell me about the album beause I remember speaking to you really early on and you were talking about going in quite a different direction.
Keith Duffy: I think that, for the first time we have really engaged all as a band. As youngsters, we did pop music and that was fine. We released some amazing, amazing radio records but I don’t know if we were all there with it all. We went on a journey and we were a train called Boyzone I think that this studio album is something that we would pride ourselves. We’re genuinely excited about it and we’re like ‘Oh my god, I love that record’ as if it were someone else’s.
Mikey Graham: We’re fans of the album, we really are.

Was it a case of when Stephen died that you guys put new effort into it? Or was it nearly done already?
R: No, no. This was an album that we all made. The five of us.
M: I mean that this album was the album that we were going to make with Stephen, and we continued with the same plan really but we continued with a different frame of mind. It was something that became a different dimension to us that it previously had been and I think that it helped us all as well in a lot of ways to express our sadness and memories. Its almost been a therapy of sorts and here we are, absolutely thrilled to be releasing Brother.
Shane Lynch: Its exciting times

What about touring?
R: Just to get back on the album a second it a very different sound this album. It’s not really electro, we went that way when were doing Can’t Stop Thinking About You and we felt that that was the avenue but its amazing how it had just changed and evolved into the record we made. There are no covers, there are no proper ballads, it’s more pop/rock now than electro, I would say. A lot of the other lads are taking lead vocals on the album as well which is obviously a whole new dynamic to band but the songs have elements of Snow Patrol, U2 and Coldplay, it is a real mix. Great songs, great radio songs as the lads have said and we are all big fans.

I guess it’s a natural progression to go down that route with older boy bands!
S: Its the first album that we have made as adults and its clearly reflected in the sound. Keith said earlier on that it’s the first studio album that we’ve made in eleven years. In those eleven years we have all learned so much about ourselves and the industry. We’ve all gone through an awful lot of metamorphosis, its just a wonderful album, its a great sound.

The future then – what are we looking at?
K: Who knows? All we can do right now is what we feel is right and Stephen never would have forgiven us if we hadn’t finished the album. We would all love to believe that there is a huge future for Boyzone. At this moment in time there is no plan to tour, we can’t plan a tour for the unknown. Its the first studio album in eleven years, the last few tours that we did in 2008 and 2009 were off the old catalogue which was obviously a certain sound they were very successful back in the day.
S: This is a new sound for Boyzone, this is a new direction for Boyzone and we’ve absolutely no idea of how successful or unsuccessful its going to be. If the album is a big success & people love it and they’re playing it on the radio then we will just have to wait and see.

Are you nervous about it then?
K: Well obviously, because cutting through the shit the four of us are all doing different things at the minute. Ronan is going off doing the solo tour, Mikey is obviously Mr. Ice Man, Shane has a new car being built at the moment and he is working on a TV show in Ireland and waiting for his race car to be finished for his new season this year and obviously I’m up in Manchester doing Coronation Street. So we are all very busy and we are all very responsible in our own lives at the moment. Our dream jobs are Boyzone but we have to be real to ourselves and to each other and we would love nothing more then to be a unit again for the foreseeable future which isn’t going to happen until we see the success of this album

And then work out where to go from there?
R: I mean we love the idea of doing a tour this year and that will only reflect on the sales of the album.

How do you feel now? Because I remember speaking to you specifically and you said ‘I’m not sure if I can actually do a full scale tour’ Has that changed?
R: We’re still not sure, but we got through this morning you know, putting one foot in front of the other and you see if you can do the next one and realise that you can do that. Steo was the colour in the band, there was no doubt about it and that was everywhere when you were on stage.
S: I think that originally we said that we were releasing this record but not doing the promo for it and not going to perform this record or anything – just going to release it and let it happen and then it turns out that we promoted the record and then performed the record. It shows that we are involved in it ourselves and I think that instead of being afraid of it, we have to embrace it.
M: I think that you know, apart from the obvious, we are maturely watching and enjoying the changes that are happening within all of us at this time but certainly we’re all kind of learning out about how each other honestly thinks and how each other works and who each man, as men have the strength to honestly speak your honest, open opinions about everything. I think that we are learning more about each other now then we ever did before.
K: We love an excuse to spend time with each other, I can’t think of a better one.

What is the future for you? Are you going to be in Coronation Street for a long time?
K: I’m in Corrie until such time that we can give up our jobs and come back to Boyzone.

So is Boyzone a priority to you then?
K: Boyzone is a priority to all of us but we can’t go out and buy 250,000 tickets to see ourselves. That’d be nice. Like I said, if you could have your dream job, my dream job is just doing what we do together, successfully.

Who would have thought that when you were kids growing up that you would still be doing this?
R: It is nuts! We were sixteen when we started.

Ok, what about getting older? Is it harder staying fit & healthy?
R: We are much healthier now.
K: Listen, it wouldn’t have been half as much work back then as it is now if we only knew that, you know. It would have made it a lot easier on ourselves now.
S: I think that funnier things are education and being educated to go on to do college degrees to know the simple facts of dieting and although dieting isn’t eating grass. It’s not extreme stuff and it’s not crash dieting it is just being that little bit more responsible for your own body and I think that we all took that on board on the first tour originally, we were like ‘Oh my god, we’re going on stage’. So we were all mad on diets, mad in the gym.
M: All apart from me. Now I’m forced to work out at the moment and I don’t have any choice to be there if you know what I mean? I mean that I do like the idea of having a fit body and all the muscles but give me a glass of wine and a hamburger or a slice of pizza and the diet starts tomorrow – that is my way of doing it. Oh its great, it keeps me fit. I’m the oldest, I know that you wouldn’t think it.

Would you get ‘man surgery’ any of you to look younger?
K: No, I don’t need it.
S: I’m not against it. One thing that I know for sure is that Stephen was always mad about skin. He knew everything.
R: he was our ‘on the road beautician’.
K: And I think that you know, he introduced us to looking after ourselves. So, personally, looking at the programmes and looking at how things go, I wouldn’t mind an old nip & a tuck if I needed one. I’m cool with all of that stuff. And just in case someone is offering – I am okay with that!
With Stephen, what is the future planned? Is there going to be a memorial planned?
R: We’ve a couple of things that we’re putting together ourselves for our way of dealing with it. We’ve got a special on the 1st March which is the launch of the Boyzone album and it’ll also be a tribute to Steo and that is our thing and its also a TV special. That is for us – that is our thing. We’ve also got a couple of things that are happening in Ireland at the moment which I think that we will have up and running by the summer, please God. There a couple of things, personal things that we want to do for his memory – so his legacy will live forever.

It seems that nowadays, when there is tragedy, it is turned into a whole song and dance concert.
R: No, we’ve got a record out and we’re trying to be the new band we want to be. We have to forget the band that we were and that was the most amazing years of our lives. We now have to go forward as this four piece – a new Boyzone. We don’t have a choice – we have to go on as we are.

When Stephen died did you think about calling it a day?
M: Yeah, we did, we didn’t know what to think. We had a multitude of confusing emotions going on at that time, it was just too difficult to imagine doing anything as a band together without Stephen but as time has progressed and we have certainly realised that we prefer being in each other’s company rather than not regarding our loss. Only the four of us understand how the four of us feel – there is a comfort in being with each other. Because only the four of us understand how the four of us feel.

And what about Stephen’s husband Andrew – have you been able to comfort him?
R: Andrew has dealt with this his own way and he is grieving his own way. He has travelled quite a lot, he has got his teeth stuck into a couple of things that he had planned for the memorial, that he put on, and also finishing his book. To be honest, we have kind of stood back, we asked if he needed help and he said “No, no. I want to do this”. He has had good days and bad days – we call, we text, we hear from him every now and then. He is trying to rebuild his life. You know, he is going through the hardest time that he will ever know.

And what about your solo career Ronan?
R: I start on Thursday & then I’m on the road for a month and then that’s it – I’m back with the boys and while the tour is going on we are doing promotion and so on. I’ve got a month left and that is it, I’m done, and then it is Boyzone for the rest of the year.

Are you going to LA to be an actor Ronan?
R: No, I’m just going out with the kids & Yvonne for July & August, just going on a holiday. Yeah, I’ve got a few bits of work while I’m over there.

Are you all still going to be going when you’re sixty?
S: I think so, yeah. Why not! The Stones did it!

You’ve got Boyzone mafia, did you know about that?
M: Yeah, that’s right, I heard about that on Twitter. Its a group of followers for Boyzone who are proper hardcore who will protect us.
K: That sounds cool doesn’t it?

I’ve always loved everything Amy Molyneaux and Percy Parker have done. Their PPQ designs have always been wearable, trendy and on the money; looking fresh and cool for the younger girl generation. Also – Amy and Percy are two of the nicest people in fashion.

Their Fantasia themed bash at new London club Runway following their London Fashion Week show turned out to be a total scream. Peaches and Pixie Geldof were there floating around, Amy Winehouse’s protege Dionne Bromfield provided the entertainment and Pixie Lott (above with Amy and Percy) wore a vibrant gown with a sleek hair do to match her mood.

Further entertainment was provided by The Cheeks, a young Suffolk art-rock five piece band. They were ace, I hear! Oh, and my mole tells me a number of the Skins and Shameless cast were also spotted celebrating another triumphant show for PPQ. Well done to Amy and Percy (yet again)!