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!

Queen of Pop Madonna shows no signs of slowing down, covering up her muscular body or reducing her sex appeal to millions of fans around the globe with the start of the MDNA album campaign.
Within 24 hours of premiering the video for new single Give Me All Your Lovin’ – featuring US star Nicki Minaj and Brit urban star M.I.A – Madonna had achieved 3 million ‘views’ on Youtube.
In the video the star cavorts with American football players, pretends to suckle a baby, pays homage to Marilyn Monroe once again and naturally wears her trademark crucifix throughout.
Extraordinarily, the singer has managed to hit the number one spot in 41 different countries with new album MDNA….despite the album not being available until March 26.
Her manager Guy Oseary tweeted: “MDNA is number 1 album on iTunes in 43 countries and “Give Me All Your Luvin” is number 1 single in 15 countries in just 1 day!! Thank Y-O-U”
The star’s twelfth studio album was available for pre-release purchase only on iTunes yesterday and immediately sky rocketed into the history books even though fans won’t be able to listen to the new material for over a month.
And this is just the beginning of what will be a total global immersion by Madge over the coming weeks.
Tonight the star performs the half-time show in the Bridgestone Super Bowl XLVI at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
The mum-of-four will perform three classic hits and the new single during the 12-minute set broadcast to an estimated 200 million people around the world.
For the eagerly awaited show she’s partnered with a creative team from Cirque du Soleil and her previous tour collaborator Jamie King. Naturally, she’s promised to make it a sight to be seen.
“I’m so nervous!” she said at a press conference this week. “It’s like the Super Bowl is like, God in America. It’s like the whole country is watching this game. It’s everything and it means so much to people. Then I come on at half-time… I’d better put on a damn good show, right?”
Following on from Superbowl the star is ‘days away’ from announcing a world tour to support the album and is said to have been beavering away on ideas for months.
And all this whilst juggling being a single mother to Lourdes, 13, Rocco, 11, David Banda, six and Mercy James, six.
In a world where Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Beyonce, Rihanna and Christina Aguilera have all tried to conquer her fame and notoriety it’s good to know she can still show them all how to do it. It’s yet again another clear message from the star – you can always try and replicate her but never forget there’s only one Madonna.

This week Mel B set the cat among the pigeon’s on Aussie TV by mentioning there was an offer on the table for the Spice Girls to reform once again for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee concert.
Being a huge Spice Girls fan I wanted to get to the bottom of the rumours.
So here goes…..it turns out Gary Barlow – who’s organising the gig – HAS asked the girls to perform. But as things currently stand it is NOT going to happen because Victoria Beckham doesn’t want to be a part of it.
All the other girls – Melanie Chisholm, Melanie Brown, Geri Halliwell and Emma Bunton – are up for it. But Posh can’t seem to be persuaded. A source tells me: “All the girls are desperate for some Spice action except Posh who is simply too busy – she loves the girls and wants to support them and the fans but doesn’t see how she has the time when her fashion business is so successful.
“She has a very small team that she is hands on with all day, every day. Every spare minute she has is spent with her children and she just doesn’t have the time.”
So here I write to Victoria herself on behalf of the millions of Spice fans around the world.

Dear VB,
Pleeeeeeease, rethink your decision. The fans are wanting more from the Spice Girls and you can’t be the one to let the side down. You enjoyed every minute last time you reformed and your boys would love to see you on stage again.
You’ll have a global audience of 1 billion watching you (surely great PR for the clothes) and you secretly would love to be up there dancing again.
This concert is part of British history and you can’t let this opportunity pass you by. If needs be I’ll come and be your PA and organise your schedule. It’s definitely possible – so take the plunge.
Lots of love, Dean x

Take That’s Gary is set to reveal the first list of performers this week – let’s hope VB changes her mind.

Write to Victoria herself on Twitter at @VictoriaBeckham and use the hashtag #DeansSpiceCampaign to try and persuade her to change her mind!

Iconic morning show The Big Breakfast is making a shock comeback to British television.
The popular Channel Four breakfast show, which ran from 1992 until 2002, will run during the duration of the Olympics and, if a success with ratings, could return full time after that.
ITN Productions have secured the rights to the show and even got permission at the original Big Breakfast House in Bow  – directly on the Olympics site – to film the new series.
Producers are now searching for a big sponsor to get the venture off the ground and then they’ll begin casting presenters.
A source reveals: “It’s been in the pipeline for the past six months and it’s the talk of the industry.
“It’s either going to be on Channel 4 where it originally was or a new breakfast platform for Channel 5. “The aim is for it to be as good as the original show and be full of fun, frolics and comedy in the morning.
“There’s a gap in the market for a new breakfast show right now and ITN are seriously pushing forward and hoping to get plans off the ground as soon as possible.
“The fact the house where it was filmed is on the border of the Olympic site made it a perfect tag to get the venture off the ground.”
Producers plan to bring back as many of the show’s most famous hosts for stints as presenters – with new talent involved too.
But hopes of a return by the show’s most infamous hosts Johnny Vaughan and Denise Van Outen have already been shot down because the pair are still not speaking following their ill-fated reunion on Capital FM over three years ago.
Denise joined Johnny on his Capital Radio breakfast show for six months in 2008 before quitting under the pressure of having to work with her former friend.
Denise explained: “I haven’t seen Johnny for a while, since I left the breakfast show, and I haven’t heard from him.
“At that time it was quite a difficult situation – as much as I love Johnny, it wasn’t a comfortable environment to be in.
“I think he wasn’t happy that I joined in the first place – he made it quite clear.”
Producers are not ruling out bringing back a long list of presenters, including Johnny and Denise, but separately.
“Ideally they’d love the names of the past back for the new show,” adds the source. “Everybody still loves them and their chemistry was the best.  Zoe Ball, Richard Bacon, Chris Evans and Gaby Roslin were also hugely popular and they’d like cameos throughout.
“They would bring back some of the favourite features too – like Vital Statistics, More Tea, Vicar and the Pun Down.”
Irish presenter and former Big Breakfast host Amanda Byram said this week at the National TV Awards: “I’ve heard about it and of course I’d be more than happy to do the show again. Those were the glory days and we had such an amazing time on the Big Breakfast. I just hope the show gets off the ground with the funding it would need. There’s a gap in the market for a good fun breakfast show.”

Sadie Frost was centre stage at a reading of playwright Zoe Lewis’ new play Touched….Like A Virgin at The Box in Soho this week. Zoe’s hoping to bring the witty play to the West End this year and it went down a storm in front of the celeb packed crowd. Nick Grimshaw span the tunes, Jodie Harsh knocked back the Moet, Paul Nicholls made the ladies swoon and James Brown turned heads. Kate Moss was sadly absent – apparently she has a big modeling job in Paris she just couldn’t refuse! Well I never.

There’s only one West End musical worth seeing that will never let you down – and that’s Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in London. My mate Matt Willis, formerly of Busted and I’m A Celeb fame, has just joined the cast playing the male lead Fiyero and jolly good he was too. Matt’s making quite a name for himself these days on the West End and Rachel Tucker is the nearest thing to Idina Menzel playing the Wicked Witch Elphaba. Go see it!

My spies spotted Topshop boss Phillip Green striding in to the offices of Sony Music this week. It’s where the offices of Syco and his close friend Simon Cowell are based. He looked like he was on a mission with several files under his arm. I wonder what those two are plotting? World domination, no doubt.

Phew, Miranda is finally on the way back to our screens. Tom Ellis spilled the beans on the new series telling me: “It starts filming in the Autumn. So I guess screens towards the end of the year. I’m not sure Miranda’s even begun writing it yet. But it’s exciting.”

T4 presenter Georgie Okell will be the hostess with the mostess on Wednesday at a bash to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support. George is set to run the London Marathon for the charity and has roped in her co-hosts and celeb pals to raise funds at London’s Hoxton Pony. Professor Green and Rizzle Kicks will perform with DJ sets from Jameela Jamil and Yasmin. Tickets are £12 and can be purchased at www.ticketweb.co.uk.

Sad news for Total Wipeout host Amanda Byram….she’s split with her long-term fiance Craig McMullen.
I can reveal the pair – who’ve been together for three and a half years – secretly split last month and Amanda has been getting herself back on track over the past weeks. The star didn’t feel up to talking about the split when I nattered to her at the National TV Awards after show. But she did confirm the union with the Australian former rugby player was over. “I’m gutted,” was all she’d say on the matter.
Sources tell me the pair just couldn’t carry on with their plans to wed and start a family after spending lots of time apart working on separate work projects. My source tells me: “Amanda’s got a lot of work coming in and she’s been away and all over the world filming different projects.
“Craig’s got lots on his plate too and the truth is they just didn’t press forward with wedding plans because they were too focused on careers and not spending enough time together.”
I doubt Amanda will be single for long – she’s a fine woman.

PARTY OF THE WEEK – National TV Awards After Show at the O2 Arena

BEST COP OUT: Tulisa Contostavlos: “I’m leaving early – I’ve got a carbonara in the oven at home.”
BEST DRESSED: Fearne Cotton (above with me) in a stunning Temperley dress and slicked back hair.
DRUNKEST CELEB: Melanie Sykes (by far). She flexed her muscles in front of me and literally screamed: “I’m ripped Mutha******.” Before being carried out by a male friend. Extraordinary.
BEST PARTY SNUB: I caught Jessie Wallace sneaking out of the awards before they’d even finished. She looked good but didn’t want to mingle!
BIGGEST NUMPTY: Peter Andre with a burly bouncer in tow. Nobody else had/needed one.
CANER GONG: Holly Willoughby was on fire after winning for Celeb Juice and This Morning – and quite right too.
SURPRISINGLY HUNKY: F1 presenter Jake Humphrey. He’s cheeky and amusing.
SURPRISINGLY COOL: Downton’s Hugh Bonneville. The guy likes to partay. Who knew.
WE ATE: Mini sausage and mash, Shepherd’s Pie and Ice cream tubs.
WE DRANK: Bubbles, beers and vino collapso. No spirits.

Britain and Ireland’s Next Top Model is changing big time this year. Grace Woodward and Charley Speed are no more and there replacements are……The City’s leggy clothes horse Whitney Port and top male model Tyrese Gibson. I hear the new signings are to appeal to a bigger audience worldwide. And if you ask me they are just perfect additions to a show that continues to grow. It will start filming for Sky Living in the coming weeks!

Michelle Collins took the Coronation Street win as a clear indicator that people had begun to accept her on the show when I caught up with her. The actress was given such a hard time for her northern accent when she joined the Street.
The blonde says she’s now settled into the role and is loving every minute. “I’ve got bills to pay and a mortgage like everybody else,” she told me. “It was hard when I started. I was getting a lot of abuse and I struggled to cope with it. But I’m fine now. This award the show got tonight is a big fingers up to the doubters and haters. I’m happy on the show and hope to stay for a long time.” Good for her.

Doctor Who star Karen Gillan (above with me) had a novel way of holding her gong for Female Drama Performance at the after show. She marched around with it poking out of her green Kate Spade bag! “It fits perfectly,” she told me.
The star said she felt like she ballsed up her speech though. “You get up there and immediately forget everybody you wanted to thank and just waffle,” she said. Indeed.

Mark Wright is busy carving himself a career as a TV presenter these days – and I have to say he’s doing a good job. He seems confident and enthusiastic and is already hosting Take Me Out: The Gossip with the wonderful Zoe Hardman. Now he has set LA in his sights. I’m told Mark will be shooting a show in LA within the next couple of months – but right now it’s unknown what the subject matter will be. “It’s not reality or some boring ‘Mark tries to make it in LA’ style show,” says my mole. “It’s going to be something more than that. He’s not in this game to be some puppet and ITV want to develop him for the future. He’s got a lot to be excited about.” America get ready.

Paul O’Grady sounds like his new TV show is a bit of a nightmare for him to deal with. He’s hosting a new show about the day to day running of Battersea Dogs Home and he’s had to get staff on the crew to enforce a band on him adopting/stealing doggies from set! “Doing a show like this is my worst night,” he told me. “I love dogs and thought on the first day of filming that I was strong and wouldn’t be too effected by their tragic stories. And within minutes I wanted to adopt two and was acting like Cruella De Vil when they tried to prise me off them.” I’d be so weak – I feel his pain!

Last night’s premiere of The Chemical Brothers DON’T THINK directed by Adam Smith which took place at Hackney Picturehouse.  And it attracted a brilliant selection of names including Hollywood star Keira Knightley and her Klaxons man James Righton, director Joe Wright (above with the pair) who’s currently working with Keira in Ana Karenina and Doctor Who stars Matt Smith and Karen Gillan.

So nice to see Miss Knightley relaxed and smiling – and good to see her still going strong with James!

Above: Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and the film’s director Adam Smith

Above: Adam Smith and Chemical Brother Ed Simons

Pictures with thanks: Matthew Joyce