BRITS BLITZ: British Film Actors You SHOULD Know About, Including Jessica Brown Findlay, Matthew Lewis And Kaya Scodelario (PICS)

June 17, 2015, 8:52 am

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Looking at the nominees list during this year’s awards season, it was clear that a Brit invasion had descended on Hollywood in a major way over the preceding 12 months.

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Benedict Cumberbatch and Eddie Redmayne were the two names on everybody’s lips thanks to their roles in ‘The Imitation Game’ and ‘The Theory Of Everything’ (with the latter managing to scoop up the Golden Globe, Academy Award and Bafta for his portrayal of Professor Stephen Hawking), but it wasn’t just those British stars that made an impression on the world of film.

Kaya Scodelario

A whole new generation of British acting talent is now waiting in the wings, ready to make a name for themselves in the world of cinema, whether they're stars of UK television we could easily see crossing over to the silver screen, or up-and-coming performers already carving a niche in the world of film.

Of the former category, we’re predicting big things in particular for Kaya Scodelario, who first came to our attention as a cast member on teen drama ‘Skins’. She’s a well-known face in the UK, but it won’t be long before the whole world knows who she is, thanks to her forthcoming role in the fifth instalment of ‘Pirates Of The Caribbean’.

Jessica Brown Findlay

Similarly, Jessica Brown Findlay’s break-out role came as Lady Sybil in ‘Downton Abbey’, but she proved her versatility with her follow-up appearance in Charlie Brooker’s ‘Black Mirror’, proving there’s a wide world outside period drama for her, ready for the taking.

Like Kaya, she could soon become a household name, thanks to her upcoming appearance in ‘Frankenstein’, another adaptation of Mary Shelley’s novel that will no doubt create a huge box office buzz.

Maisie Williams

Maisie Williams and Jenna Coleman are two more young Brits best known for her TV appearances, thanks to their high-profile roles in ‘Game Of Thrones’ and ‘Doctor Who’ respectively.

Given what a springboard ‘Who’ proved to be for the Doctor’s previous assistant, Karen Gillan, we’d say that Jenna’s future in Hollywood is hers for the taking, while Maisie is already managing to shake off her Arya Stark character, appearing in ‘The Falling’ and the forthcoming ‘The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea’.

Lydia Rose Bewley

It’s not all about the serious roles, though, and of the young comedy actresses in Britain today, we could easily see stars in Lydia Rose Bewley’s future. Again, she’s currently known for her work in British telly, particularly as Bunny in ‘Drifters’, but garnered a global audience when she appeared in the E! series, ‘The Royals’.

Having already appeared in ‘The Inbetweeners Movie’ and its sequel, we highly doubt a shift to the silver screen would be a big stretch for Lydia.

Jack Whitehall

Following in the footsteps of James Corden and ‘Gavin And Stacey’, comedian Jack Whitehall gained a whole new audience when he landed a role in ‘Fresh Meat’, proving to British viewers, who potentially only knew him from his work as a presenter and stand-up, that he’s also an actor.

While James currently seems to be the go-to British actor for American audiences (in the past year we’ve seen him in ‘Into The Woods’, ‘Begin Again’, ‘Kill Your Friends’ and the forthcoming ‘The Lady In The Van’), once his tenure is up, we could easily imagine him passing the baton to Jack.

Daniel Huttlestone

And speaking of ‘Into The Woods’, based on the Stephen Sondheim stage musical, one of the performances that stayed with us the most was from Daniel Huttlestone. He may only have two films under his belt at the moment, but seeing as one was a high-budget Disney venture and the other was ‘Les Misérables’, it’s safe to say 15-year-old Daniel is one to watch.

Kevin Guthrie is another British actor who grasped our attention with his performance in a musical, starring in ‘Sunshine On Leith’, the film curiously centred around the hits of The Proclaimers. The Scottish actor will be appearing in two new films in 2015, with 'Sunset Song' and 'The Legend Of Barney Thomson' both coming up later this year.

Aneurin Barnard

If you could take your eyes off Sheridan Smith for a moment during last year’s ‘Cilla’ biopic, you’ll have witnessed the skillful performing of Aneurin Barnard, who is about to appear in what promises to be one of 2015’s biggest films, opposite Tom Hardy and… er… Tom Hardy in ‘Legend’.

Of the British films released last year, we felt the most underrated overseas was ‘Pride’, which managed to accrue massive critical acclaim, yet was virtually nowhere to be seen when it came to the announcements during Hollywood's awards season.

Faye Marsay

Any of the young performers in that film could be singled out for their efforts, but Faye Marsay was one of the actors to have impressed us the most as an untapped source of British talent, for her portrayal of activist, Steph.

Since ‘Pride’ hit cinemas, she’s been in demand, appearing in hit shows like ‘Game Of Thrones’ and ‘Doctor Who’, so it’s clear there could be a seriously bright future ahead for her in the world of film.

matt

Matthew Lewis

And, of course, it wouldn’t be a discussion about UK stars to look out for without throwing in a few British heartthrobs, would it? Josh Bowman, for example, already has an impressive US following thanks to his recurring role in the TV series, ‘Revenge’, and has been a hit with viewers, so it’s presumably only a matter of time before the right film role comes along.

Matthew Lewis, meanwhile, has already had a supporting role in one of the most successful film series of all time, playing Neville Longbottom in ‘Harry Potter’. However, given the mass attention he receives every time he posts a selfie, we’re guessing it won’t be long before he puts Neville behind him once and for all, and emerges a star in his own right.

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Me and the Dalai Lama (I've Never Said That Before...)

June 17, 2015, 9:21 am

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So, I went to Australia to meet the Dalai Lama, as you do. I was asked to speak at a conference called, "Happiness And Its Causes", like I know? I told them this was not my specialty as I am a cynic but they held out the Dalai Lama as bait, and I bit. I get to the 'happiness' conference and really most of these are not my people. I do not respond well when someone comes up to me who I've never met and hugs me. There were numerous pickle-faced, 'un-dyed hair' women who wore Uggs; Uggs to me are something you wear when you've given up completely on the attractiveness front and let the bulbous mummeries hit the floor, willy-nilly. If you get your fashion sense from an Eskimo you really don't care anymore.

But then there was the Dalai Lama so all this faded away to insignificance. It's a funny thing, entering a happiness conference and being frisked from top to tail like you're smuggling drugs and then fighting your way through a forest of 'men in black' bodyguards aggressively checking your I.D card every inch of the way to the auditorium holding 17,000 happy people. I thought for a moment it wasn't going to happen and then someone pointed to me in the throng and surreptitiously signalled me to follow them down endless corridors, up and down stairwells and doors marked 'do not enter' past guys in shades on walkie-talkies informing someone of my whereabouts. Not since I was a young girl about to get an autograph from a pop star have I gone breathless and giddy with excitement. I was now.

And then there he was, just a man and yet such a miracle that this kind of being still exists; chosen from hundreds of thousands of babies because some holy men proclaimed that the last Dalai Lama who died was reincarnated into this child. I overcame the nerves quickly so I ran over and interrupted a conversation he was having with the Indian Ambassador to blurb out my question; what he would have wanted to do for a living if he wasn't the Dalai Lama? He looked straight into both my eyes and 'yup', he delivered. Everything in my body calmed down because this man is in the present and presence is catching so it felt like like time was slowing down and the gabbling in my head quieted down. There's no question, all that discipline and a lifetime of meditation pays off. So he answers me, with a glint of humour, that because of where he was born he would probably be a farmer but if he had more opportunity he would drive a bulldozer (imagine my surprise). And if he really did well in life, he would have liked to have been a scientist. Then I was told to hold a piece of cloth so he could bless it but it got tangled with the cup of tea I was holding and there was a bit of a mish mash so I asked if he could bless my teacup. He said if he did that he'd have to... (he made a gesture of spitting into imaginary tea). I laughed like a hyena thinking he made a joke but it turns out when monks bless water they sort of blow into it. Then the bodyguards started to walk him toward the stage and off he went. Now here's a moment to remember for the rest of my life, he had moved off but then stopped, turned around to get me and walked holding my hand to the stage. It was a heady experience to walk holding hands as a sea of security guards parted in our path.

I wanted to meet him not because he's like the Pope of Buddhism but it's because for years he's brought together the world's best neuroscientists to discuss the workings of the mind and exchange knowledge. He permitted some of his monks who had meditated more than 10,000 hours to have their brain's scanned (it was forbidden otherwise.) It's the results of those scans that showed empirical evidence that meditation perceptibly strengthens the immune system thereby providing resistance to heart disease, certain cancers, obesity, infertility, dementia and of course my favourite; mental illness. Because of him we know that, thanks to neuroplasticity, we can change our brains and give ourselves a better and longer life. I was happy and he was the cause, so it was worth the Ugg boot element.

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Man 'Flu Be Blowed - Let's Walk All Over Men's Health Week... and Father's Day

June 17, 2015, 9:36 am

≫ Next: Tough Times? Art Is Always the Answer

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Forget Man Flu, it's Men's Health Week and at the end of it, it's Father's Day. Both are timely reminders that our men are both vulnerable and precious, unsung heroes at the heart of life, guiding and guarding when the going gets tough.

So who guides the guardians? Well, generally women. On the whole, we're still much better about going to the doctor than men, and we've all too frequently been the ones encouraging - in some cases nannying and nagging - our blokes to visit the doctor. But the reality is, modern men should take as much trouble over their health as they do over their fitness. Just a few years ago, half the male world didn't use deodorant - Wah! - or change their socks but now they can moisturise for England. It's weapons-grade grooming - grooming as a martial art. So come on guys, step up and make 2015 the year you take charge of your own health.

Men's health really shouldn't be something that goes under the microscope for just a week - it should be 24/7 365 days a year, with guys wising up to the risks of diseases like prostate cancer, diseases that can frequently be stopped before they prove fatal if they're spotted early enough. And surely those of us lucky enough to have a father to celebrate should celebrate him on more than one day of the year.

julia bradbury

Five years ago, we could have lost my own father Michael Bradbury to prostate cancer, the men-only disease which kills one man in the UK every single hour. Put another way, it means 24 prostate cancer deaths on Father's Day alone - or 168 during Men's Health Week.

It's a shocking toll and men deserve better. But we can actually do something about it if we want to. For starters, men can learn the risks - like being over 50, being black, or having a close male relative with the disease. Just knowing that can be a lifesaver. That's the biggest reason why my lovely Dad and I are supporting Men United, Prostate Cancer UK's movement for everyone who believes that men and their health are worth fighting for. My uncle Stuart was being treated in South Africa for prostate disease, so Dad realised that, being over 50 and with a family connection, he should get checked out. He was diagnosed with cancer - but thankfully early enough to get the treatment that quite simply saved his life and meant he's here with us now - here for fun and walks and cuddles with his new grandchildren.

But we've been lucky, and we know it. This killer snatches 10,000 men away from their families in the UK each year - and 300,000 men are living with the disease right now, many of them dads. One in every eight men will get prostate cancer at some point. That's why we need to fund research to crack it, because this disease won't beat itself.

julia bradbury

Together with Prostate Cancer UK, we've come up with the idea of asking people to do a Dad's Day Walk to celebrate all our fathers and to raise funds to beat the disease. We love walking - I'm a passionate believer in doing at least the 10,000 steps a day that health boffins recommend as the minimum - and by doing your own walk, long or short, everyone can do their bit to fight this 'dad's disease' for fathers everywhere. We want people to register their walks here - and I've created special tips for Prostate Cancer UK walkers on my own website The Outdoor Guide.

When my Dad was diagnosed, our whole family felt thunderstruck. Now we want to do whatever we can to make men aware of this killer and raise funds to treat and beat it. If you're lucky enough to have a dad you love, make time to walk with him this Father's Day - even if it's just to the pub. And if you've already lost him, then do a Dad's Walk in his memory. Anyone who steps up to raise funds for Prostate Cancer UK will help smash this disease once and for all, so we can keep more of our dads alive. So join the team and tell us about your Men United walk here - amble, ramble, scramble, schlep or trek! The message is - gather your family and friends together, get out there and do a Men United walk on any day you like. A few small steps for Men United, one giant leap for mankind.

Let's do it for the Dads.

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Tough Times? Art Is Always the Answer

June 17, 2015, 9:39 am

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William Wordsworth wrote that 200 years ago.

His poem is a great wail of grief for a way of life that the poet believed was in danger, a life sensitive to, joined to and in tune with the ebbs and flows, the cycles and continuities of nature.

Why? Because the process of industrialisation, which had begun in the cotton factories in the north of this island, was in full swing.

Driven into poverty by the enclosure of their land ('enclosure' being officialise for theft), tens of thousands who had lived by agriculture had no alternative but to enter the vast, dark sheds that were thrown up in the fields and to become factory workers.

In the course of a no doubt strenuous working day, farm workers accomplished many different tasks requiring many varied skills. Now they became semi-automatons, repeating a single action, day in day out, mere threads in the unbreakable web of creation and destruction known as capitalism - that same enduring system, powered by the 'getting and spending' of which Wordsworth speaks, as a consequence of which, so Wordsworth says, our powers are wasted.

Well, what a great deal of 'getting and spending' has gone on since then.

In the course of the 19th century, many groups of people tried to break free and set up communities - isolated from the web - in which they could relate to each other in more complex, more intimate, deeper, more imaginative ways.

Karl Marx had some ideas on this subject. But the philosopher of early anti-capitalism who these wonderful Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries brought to my mind is John Ruskin.

Ruskin, like Wordsworth, saw the world's greatest wonder, human beings, losing so much of what was best in them: that each human being is unlike any other that ever has been or ever will be; the wondrously linked skills of brain and hand and eye that enable us to express through art, through craft all that is deepest, most meaningful, never to be repeated, if never spoken or written or painted never to be known.

For Ruskin, each human being has the potential to be an artist or a craftsman. And in the century and a half since he wrote, scientists - geneticists, neurologists, linguisticians - have all agreed. We know, there is no doubt, that Homo sapiens is hard-wired for creativity.

And yet the way we organise our lives condemns millions - in this country, billions across the planet - to frustration, to anger, to depression and sometimes to violence because they never have the chance, not ever, to become the people - the artists, the craftsman, the makers, the creators - that they, that all of us, have it in us, inherently, profoundly in us, to become.

Well, it's tough times just now. Austerity and so on. Suffering, our political leaders tell us, is inevitable, even necessary, because somehow, for some mysterious reason on which economists simply cannot agree, we're not doing enough 'getting and spending'.

We've been foolishly distracted onto other things. So just put up with further enclosures - of our health care system, of our education, of our transport and communication systems - and very soon we can all get back to 'getting and spending' as much as we ever did.

Sometimes when I speak like this - and many who run theatres and galleries and dance houses do - I am accused of being anti-business.

I'm not anti-business. I run a business. My father was a business man in a middling sort of way, both my grandfathers and my father's mother too. Business is what I come from.

And business is, of course, one of the ways - like art, like sport, like science - in which people achieve their potential, in which they can become truly and uniquely themselves. Business is organised trade and anthropologists will tell us that, in the far distant reaches of time, trade was the beginning of everything.

But when I hear the common phrase 'business is business', I imagine good old Wordsworth writing his poem. 'Business is business', there's nothing more to be said. No other kinds of relationship - friendship, kinship, the bonds of community - can be allowed to stand in the way. They all dissolve in the doing of 'the deal'.

No matter what destruction and suffering ensue, the forest must be cut down, the coal must be dug up, the oil piped to the surface, the village razed, the community scattered. Capital must be accumulated, that's the way of world, that's how things are, it's natural. Or so our political leaders ask us to believe.

And, sadly, many of us do so believe. As the brilliant economic journalist Paul Mason has written, (paraphrasing Frederic Jameson): it's easier for young people to imagine the end of the world than the end of our kind of capitalism.

All the air has been sucked from the room, all escapes blocked off. There is no alternative, there's only one logic to the world. These are "the mind-forged manacles" of William Blake, perhaps the greatest of the 19th century poet defenders of the vulnerable against the machine.

The thing about art is that it asks of us everything. An artist brings to the moment of making - as painter, as actor, as welder, as dancer, as poet, as playwright, as draftsman, as precision tool engineer - every memory, every fine-tuned muscle, every last drop of knowledge and experience and focusses them all in the act of creation.

And as audience, to be a great audience, full fellows in the making of art, we need to do the same. Whole human beings in the wholeness of our being.

Speaking for myself, I want everyone to be an artist. And I believe - more than believe, I know because I've worked all my life in organisations in which people, young and old, discover themselves, become themselves, in all their contradictoriness and complexity, by releasing their creativity - that we can be.

But just now, as I say, austerity and the rest of it, it's tougher than it's ever been in my experience for young people, bursting with potential, to find the way in.

Well, these Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries are ways in. Each is a little miracle, all 40 of them. And more, we hope, to come. Each an individual doorway.

They are of immense, incalculable value - to those that receive them and to us all. They're a marvellous act of creativity. We should all be moved by them.

This speech was given by David Lan to mark the launch of the Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries at Jerwood Space, London on 16 June 2015 www.jerwoodcharitablefoundation.org/weston-jerwood-creative-bursaries

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'Big Brother': Brian Belo BLASTS Helen Wood, After Cristian MJC Is Nominated For Eviction

June 17, 2015, 10:53 am

≫ Next: Frankie Boyle's Ten Most Controversial Quotes: From Cameron To Clarkson, Farage To 'X Factor'

≪ Previous: Tough Times? Art Is Always the Answer

After getting so riled up by Helen Wood he had to spend the night in the ‘Big Brother’ bunker, Brian Belo returns to the main house in Wednesday’s highlights show, but all is not well.

SEE MORE:

Another 'BB' Housemate Faces The Chop

Big Brother's New Arrivals Are Already Causing Trouble

Brian previously admitted he’d been so wound up by Helen that he wanted to leave the house, but ultimately changed his mind, though it sounds like he’s not ready to make amends with his fellow ‘BB’ winner.

Slating Helen in the Diary Room, Brian says: “The hypocriticalness of Helen. She has a go at Harry for wearing a thong but she was a prostitute. She doesn’t want people to judge her but it’s ok for her to judge everyone else.

brian

Brian Belo

“And Marc’s a stripper! They are far from magnificent but they seem to think that they are.”

Hypocriticalness? Really, Brian? ‘Hypocriticalness’. OK. We think you might mean 'hypocrisy'... but OK.

He then returns to the house, just in time to learn that Cristian MJC is the third housemate picked to face eviction, alongside the already-nominated Chloe Wilburn and Harry Amelia, leading Brian to have another row with Helen.

Helen claims that Cristian was nominated because they need to “think about entertainment value”, Brian responds bluntly with: “The only entertainment you bring is nastiness. Eat shit.”

heeln wood

Helen Wood

OUCH! No punches pulled there.

Chloe, Cristian and Harry will face the public vote in this Friday’s eviction, alongside two other housemates who are yet to be announced.

Tune into Wednesday’s ‘Big Brother’, at 10pm on Channel 5, to find out how Cristian reacts to his nomination.

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Frankie Boyle's Ten Most Controversial Quotes: From Cameron To Clarkson, Farage To 'X Factor'

June 17, 2015, 10:58 am

≫ Next: Led Zeppelin Deluxe Editions Of Presence, In Through The Out Door, And Coda To Be Last Studio Material

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Scottish comedian Frankie Boyle is no stranger to controversy.

The former "Mock The Week" panelist has an armoury of strong views, and certainly doesn't mince his words when it comes to telling people what he thinks of them.

But given the unapologetic commentariat's outspoken nature, we've compiled his ten most controversial quips on everything from climate change, to the "X Factor"; from Jeremy Clarkson, to the Scottish independence referendum.

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Led Zeppelin Deluxe Editions Of Presence, In Through The Out Door, And Coda To Be Last Studio Material

June 17, 2015, 12:10 pm

≫ Next: James Corden Goes On A 'Bear Hunt' At LA Pride Parade

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Jimmy Page has confirmed his latest tranche of Led Zeppelin remasters will be the last material to be released by the band.

The legendary guitarist was speaking at an exclusive playback session featuring highlights of the band's final three albums all of which are to be released in all manner of glorious reissues next month.

He said: "As far as the studio side of things, this is it.

"Unless something might pop up on international Record Day or something like that. But it will be a long way off."

The latest release wraps up a momentous project involving "hundreds of hours of listening".

He said: "What it means for the Zeppelin fans is that there's not twice as much information out there and it;s of really good quality. As far as I'm concerned I've done my job here.

Page openly declared his intention to get back to playing now the fourth and final part of the series is complete.

He said: "I won't take it easy. I'll be working on the guitar now, that's the next thing to be obsessive about.

"It's clear what I'm going to be doing next; I want to do something, which involves being seen to play the guitar.

"I mean, better doing that than a violin project!"

Deluxe editions of the rock legend's studio LPs will be accompanied by companion audio comprised of previously unreleased music related to the original release selected and compiled by Page himself.

led zeppelin 1973

Presence, In Through The Out Door, and Coda will each be available July 31 from Atlantic/Swan Song in the following formats:

Single CD – Remastered original album. Presence and Coda will be packaged in a gatefold card wallet. All CD and LP versions of In Through The Out Door will be wrapped in a brown paper page replicating its initial release.

Deluxe Edition (2CD and 3CD) – Remastered album, plus a second disc of unreleased companion audio. Coda will feature two companion audio discs.

Single LP – Remastered album on 180-gram vinyl, packaged in a sleeve that replicates the LP’s first pressing in exacting detail. All vinyl versions of In Through The Out Door will also include the water-sensitive insert that replicates the inner sleeve from the album’s initial release.

Deluxe Edition Vinyl – Remastered album and unreleased companion audio on 180-gram vinyl. Coda will feature two companion LPs.

Digital Download – Remastered album and companion audio will both be available.

Super Deluxe Boxed Set – This collection includes:

Full track listings...

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James Corden Goes On A 'Bear Hunt' At LA Pride Parade

June 17, 2015, 1:53 pm

≫ Next: ‘Orange Is The New Black' Stars Uzo Aduba, Natasha Lyonne And Samira Wiley Shoot Down Sexist ‘Joke' Questions (VIDEOS)

≪ Previous: Led Zeppelin Deluxe Editions Of Presence, In Through The Out Door, And Coda To Be Last Studio Material

"The Late Late Show" presenter James Corden attended the LA pride parade this week, embarking on a "bear hunt"… as in a search for large, hairy, gay men.

Positioning himself to be Marshall of the 2016 pride parade, the actor turned chat show host organised an impromptu game of ‘musical bears’. “When we lose a bear, she takes a chair…”

Enjoy.

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‘Orange Is The New Black' Stars Uzo Aduba, Natasha Lyonne And Samira Wiley Shoot Down Sexist ‘Joke' Questions (VIDEOS)

June 18, 2015, 4:23 am

≫ Next: 'Big Brother': Nikki Grahame Reunited With Pete Bennett As Part Of 'Time Warp' Task (PICS)

≪ Previous: James Corden Goes On A 'Bear Hunt' At LA Pride Parade

‘Orange Is The New Black’ is currently on its third series, and the cast are busy promoting the show, giving interviews around the world.

Bizarrely, some reporters are still struggling to comprehend the fact that the cast is mostly female. And yes, they’re also pretty hot - but maybe it’d be better to ask them about acting, or the show’s plot?

Thankfully, these ladies know how to respond to boring, sexist questions.

orange is the new black

Samira, Natasha and Uzo

When Brazilian TV reporter Rafael Cortez bored them with supposedly hilarious queries about the lack of the men in the women’s prison Lichfield and whether their beauty made acting hard, Uzo Aduba, Natasha Lyonne And Samira Wiley (who play Suzanne ‘Crazy Eyes’ Warren, Nicky and Poussey) hit back in no time.

Granted, the show ‘CQC’ is known for being more than a little cheeky - but would it really have been that hard to make jokes that weren’t based on gender? Time to go back to the drawing board guys…

Watch their amazing responses above (Tom Hardy, eat your heart out)...

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'Big Brother': Nikki Grahame Reunited With Pete Bennett As Part Of 'Time Warp' Task (PICS)

June 18, 2015, 4:32 am

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≪ Previous: ‘Orange Is The New Black' Stars Uzo Aduba, Natasha Lyonne And Samira Wiley Shoot Down Sexist ‘Joke' Questions (VIDEOS)

‘Big Brother’ held the reunion to end all reunions on Wednesday, when Pete Bennett returned to the house to surprise his ex-girlfriend, Nikki Grahame.

SEE MORE:

'BB' Brian BLASTS Helen In Another Furious Row

Is Brian Belo About To Walk From The 'BB' House?

Pete and Nikki first met in the ‘BB’ house back in 2006, and had a whirlwind romance, which sadly ended just weeks after they left the house, leaving Nikki heartbroken.

During this week’s ‘Time Warp Machine’ shopping task, a host of former housemates have been returning to the house, with former winner Pete storming the house to surprise Nikki.

Pete Bennett and Nikki Grahame

Unfortunately for her, as part of the task, she had to remain perfectly still and not react to her ex, who excitedly ran towards her, shouting: “Surprise Nikki! No moving! Do not move, man!”

After Nikki squealed, essentially failing her part of the task in about two seconds, Pete then joked: “You lot ain’t eating nothing! You’re all gonna starve.”

He then told the housemates that they were in the same place that he and Nikki first had their first kiss, suggesting they “reminisce about that” by putting on some lipstick and giving her a big smacker right on her cheek.

nikki

*hums* 'Reunited And It Feels So Good'...

Speaking after their break-up in 2006, Nikki previously told The Mirror: “Everyone keeps telling me that he used me. I know that our relationship made us both really popular on telly - but I don't know what to think.

"I thought our love was real and forever - but obviously Pete didn't feel the same… I loved him more deeply than I have ever loved anyone before.”

In an interview on ‘The Jeremy Kyle Show’, Pete recently admitted that after spending his £100,000 ‘Big Brother’ prize money in 2006, he was hit hard by a drug addiction, which ultimately led to him losing his home.

See Pete and Nikki's touching reunion in full during Thursday's 'Big Brother', airing at 10pm on Channel 5.

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Could a Member Of The Public Really Present 'Top Gear'?

June 18, 2015, 4:39 am

≫ Next: 10 Years Ago Today... David Tennant First Appeared As 10th Doctor Who, Following Christopher Eccleston's Regeneration (VIDEO)

≪ Previous: 'Big Brother': Nikki Grahame Reunited With Pete Bennett As Part Of 'Time Warp' Task (PICS)

It's been announced that Chris Evans will be holding open auditions for his new Top Gear co-presenters. Apparently the only requirement they have for the new co-presenters is that they "know about cars."

Which, unfortunately rules me out.

It's is a shame, I probably could have got in on the whole Top Gear gravy train under the old guidelines. I have no problem with causing controversy, offending people and carrying out public beatings of the production staff. But knowledge of cars... well... my knowledge extends as far as them having four wheels (usually) and that they're a lot quicker than walking.

Oh, and that they aren't particularly good for the environment.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure that would make for a great audition piece.

"So, for my audition I'm going to explain why our viewers should take public transport instead."

"...next!"

It's not that I have anything against cars, some of them look pretty cool - especially the ones which cost more than 10 times the average salary. But I kind of think that the idea of hiring someone simply because they know about cars is kind of missing the point of Top Gear.

I know that might sound crazy, considering it's a program about cars - but hear me out.

On the whole, Top Gear's popularity had little to do with the cars... in fact, I'm kind of sure if they kept the old presenters, ditched the whole cars stuff for an episode, and talked about retro toys instead a lot of people wouldn't have noticed. Then again, I might just be saying that because I thought James May's Toy Stories was a far superior series.

The truth is that Top Gear's popularity was more about the chemistry and personality of the presenters rather than the cars. Seriously, if any TV network wants to hire them and compete with Top Gear - don't bother with cars - just put them on a private jet and give them full access to a mini-bar and film what happens. Sure, you may end up with a lawsuit on your hands - but the ratings will be through the roof.

As for the BBC, rather than auditioning a load of car buffs, they'd be better off going to the pub with Chris and finding out which of his mates were the best laugh. Who cares if they don't know their Toyota from their Motorola, that's what the researchers are for, right?

Although, I get the feeling there's a great reality TV show lurking in all of this - something like "Top Gear Factor". James May and Richard Hammond could be judges, and Jeremy Clarkson could turn up one week as a guest mentor. He could teach them all how to cause controversy and help them brush up on their producer-beating technique. I know his role's been filled, but someone's got to keep the show in the headlines.

I have been trying my best to help out the BBC with the whole Top Gear presenter shenanigans. I was even going to turn up and audition, until the whole caveat of knowing about cars appeared. Because of this, the only thing I can do is go through the archives at Coupofy to see if we had a coupon for a quality Top Gear presenter.

I haven't found anything yet, but I promise I'll keep looking.

In the meantime, however, why not skip the whole auditioning process and hire this Jeremy Clarkson lookalike?

I mean, why wouldn't you hire the guy? He looks like Jeremy Clarkson, he dresses like Jeremy Clarkson and he gets a thumbs up at the traffic lights because people think it's Jeremy Clarkson. I'm not sure he's ever had a chance to watch Top Gear though, since he seems to think it's on ITV. But that's OK, I'm sure you can spend some time bringing him up to speed.

Plus, at the very least, hiring him will keep the production staff on their toes - at least until they work out it's not the real Jeremy Clarkson!

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10 Years Ago Today... David Tennant First Appeared As 10th Doctor Who, Following Christopher Eccleston's Regeneration (VIDEO)

June 18, 2015, 5:04 am

≫ Next: 'Big Brother': Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace To Enter House For Helen Wood Showdown

≪ Previous: Could a Member Of The Public Really Present 'Top Gear'?

It was a decade ago today that David Tennant first entered The Tardis, forged himself onto the public consciousness as the tenth Doctor Who and created one of the most memorable characters in modern TV history.

Watch David Tennant steal the show with his first Tardis appearance in the video above

It was a case of goodbye Christopher Eccleston, hello David Tennant, as the ninth Doctor was forced to regenerate after absorbing "too much of the Vortex" during a battle with regular Nemesis, the Daleks.

doctor who

Christopher Eccleston made his dazzling Whovian debut in 2005

Companion Rose (Billie Piper) awoke to find her regular Doctor in pain, and panicked when he told her every cell in his body was dying. However, the good news was... he had a card up his sleeve, which meant - after telling her how fantastic they had both been - he surrendered to the power of the zap and emerged... with a cockney accent, and the round brown eyes of David Tennant.

doctor who

Billie Piper as Rose could only look on in surprise as the regeneration happened before her eyes

Thus was history made. Tennant went on to play the Doctor for three series and nine specials, becoming one of the most popular characters of the show's modern era, and finally making way 1 January 2010 for Matt Smith. David Tennant said of his time on the show, ""Who wouldn't want to be the Doctor? I've even got my own TARDIS!"

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'Big Brother': Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace To Enter House For Helen Wood Showdown

June 18, 2015, 5:07 am

≫ Next: ‘Top Gear' Bosses Reject Chris Evans' Female Presenter Guarantee As Chris The Presenter Suggests Adding Motorbikes

≪ Previous: 10 Years Ago Today... David Tennant First Appeared As 10th Doctor Who, Following Christopher Eccleston's Regeneration (VIDEO)

Now THIS is going to be explosive - Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace is set to return to the ‘Big Brother’ house for a showdown with arch enemy Helen Wood.

SEE ALSO:

'BB' Nikki Gets A Surprise Visitor From Her Past

'BB' Brian BLASTS Helen In Another Furious Row

Another 'BB' Housemate Faces The Chop

While the pair starred on the reality show eight years apart, they have had a long-running feud ever since Helen's victor last year, which 'BB' producers seem keen to capitalise on, by chucking the ‘BB7’ star back in the Borehamwood bungalow this Friday (19 June).

Aisleyne is returning to the 'Big Brother' house

A source told the Daily Star: "Producers know this will be dynamite. Aisleyne and Helen really hate each other. So seeing them go head-to-head will be amazing TV.

"Putting Aisleyne in is bound to keep viewers hooked!"

Helen Wood

It’s unknown what is behind the pair’s hatred of each other, but Aisleyne made her feelings on her rival very clear, when she appeared on the launch of 'Time Warp Week' last Sunday night.

Talking about Nikki Grahame’s comments, claiming that she was Beyoncé and Helen was “the backing dancer”, Aisleyne quipped: “I disagree with [Nikki’s] comments that she is Beyoncé because I don’t think Helen is a backing dancer. I think she’s the person that bought the ticket to watch.

Making reference to Helen’s past as a sex worker, she added: “Oh no, she didn’t buy a ticket - her client bought it for her.”

aisleyne big brother

SLAY.

Speaking about Aisleyne in her recent Daily Star column, Helen said: "[That] tw*t sits there slating other girls' fashion, whilst deciding to show up on TV wearing a Tena lady for a 'top' and pair of shorts she bought from Tammy Girl 30 years ago, hardly got room to start going all Gok Wan on our ass."

A host of former housemates have already descended on the house this week, including 'BB7' winner Pete Bennett, who surprised Nikki with his unexpected entrance.

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‘Top Gear' Bosses Reject Chris Evans' Female Presenter Guarantee As Chris The Presenter Suggests Adding Motorbikes

June 18, 2015, 5:17 am

≫ Next: Nicole Kidman Kisses Naomi Watts In A Shower Cap At The Crystal Awards For Excellence In Film (PICS)

≪ Previous: 'Big Brother': Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace To Enter House For Helen Wood Showdown

Chris Evans has been in the ‘Top Gear’ driving seat for just a matter of days, but his comments about the show are already causing quite the kerfuffle.

Just hours after being announced as the programme’s new presenter, Chris revealed that there would “100 per cent” be a female co-host - a claim that the BBC have now denied.

Chris Evans

While they haven’t ruled out a female host, BBC2 controller Kim Shillinglaw has stated that there aren’t going to be any “gender diktats”, according to The Guardian.

During an appearance on Radio 4, Kim discussed the possibility of a female host, stating: “It has always been a very male world, hasn’t it?

“I think it’s a part of thinking about how we could do things differently, to get a lot more spontaneity into the show. What I would say is, it will be about what’s right for the show.”

Meanwhile, Chris has been making even more suggestions on Twitter, some more serious than others:

On Wednesday night, it was revealed that members of the public can put themselves forward for the ‘Top Gear’ job.

Speaking on ‘The One Show’, Chris explained: “You've got to know something about cars - you can be a mechanic, you can be an amateur racing driver, you can be a guy who's a fireman but has been building his own Land Rover in his shed for five or 10 years... but you've got to know about cars."

Well… Where do we sign up?

While you work on your application, have a look at some of the stars who could also be competing for the job...

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Nicole Kidman Kisses Naomi Watts In A Shower Cap At The Crystal Awards For Excellence In Film (PICS)

June 18, 2015, 5:35 am

≫ Next: 'Twilight' Star Ashley Greene On The Most Surreal Aspect Of Fame, Plus Playing A Zombie In 'Burying The Ex' (INTERVIEW)

≪ Previous: ‘Top Gear' Bosses Reject Chris Evans' Female Presenter Guarantee As Chris The Presenter Suggests Adding Motorbikes

Nicole Kidman righted one of history’s great wrongs at the Women In Film’s Crystal + Lucy Awards this week, when she locked lips with Naomi Watts while wearing a shower cap, in front of an audience of her peers.

Allow us to explain.

The ‘Moulin Rouge!’ actress was at the awards bash to collect the Crystal Award for Excellence In Film, sharing an anecdote from her past in her acceptance speech, following a discussion about some of the regrets she has in her career.

Nicole Kidman

Nicole explained that when she was a teenager, she was offered a part in Jane Campion’s student film, ‘A Girl’s Own Story’, but turned it down.

“My excuse was that I had final exams to study for,” she admitted, “But the truth is the part would have required me to appear up on the screen wearing a shower cap and kissing a girl.

“I wanted to be the kind of actress with long flowing hair [who] kissed boys. I was not ready to do the kind of work that threatened anybody.”

Nicole Kidman kisses Naomi Watts

However, she proved that this was no longer the case as she quickly donned a shower cap, and pulled her long-time friend Naomi - who had introduced her before she took to the stage - in for a kiss.

Naomi and Nicole aren’t the first pair to celebrate an awards show victory with a faux snog, though, after Allison Janney and James Corden got up close and personal with one another at the Critics’ Choice Awards last month.

After James presented the ‘Mom’ actress with the award for Best Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series, she grabbed him, for what turned out to be an enthusiastic celebratory snog.

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'Twilight' Star Ashley Greene On The Most Surreal Aspect Of Fame, Plus Playing A Zombie In 'Burying The Ex' (INTERVIEW)

June 18, 2015, 6:17 am

≫ Next: Punk's Not Dead! (It's Just Been Crudely Absorbed Into the Machinery of Capitalism)

≪ Previous: Nicole Kidman Kisses Naomi Watts In A Shower Cap At The Crystal Awards For Excellence In Film (PICS)

Ashley Greene finds the most surreal part of her celebrity is when fans literally pass out in front of her.

Ashley, who found worldwide fame with her role of vampire Alice Cullen in the 'Twilight' franchise, tells HuffPostUK of her her experience: “It’s pretty hard to wrap your head around the fact you have this much power through a project you were part of.

Ashley’s childhood did little to prepare her for this level of fame.

“I grey up on dirt roads, we were allowed only an hour of TV a day, so to see people that fanatic about something was just extraordinary to me. It’s a bit frightening, you worry about people and their health, whether they’re being stepped on. It’s all a bit concerning.”

ashley greene

Ashley plays dumped zombie Evelyn in 'Burying the Ex'

Now Ashley and the others have put the enormous Twilight juggernaut to bed, she admits it can be difficult finding the right project to move on with.

“I don’t feel like I’m deliberately not being a vampire, but there’s something to be said about proving your versatility. It’s very easy for studio people to pigeonhole you without even trying, and I find independent film gives you more room to flex your acting muscles. And with indie films – you’re definitely doing it for the love, not the money. For me, the content is far more interesting than the size of the project.”

This week, however, finds Ashley hovering in the same field, playing a young woman, dumped by boyfriend Max, then traumatically killed, who returns as a zombie to torment her ex.

Ashley Greene co-stars with Anton Yelchin, who plays her less than impressed ex-boyfriend Max

“I wasn’t looking to play a zombie,” she admits, “because I had been a vampire for so many years in my life. But this particularly appealed to me as quirky unique turn on classic zombie film. I laughed at the script, it affected me, once that happened, I decided to go for it.”

Ashley laughs when asked to defend her character, who was creating havoc for her weary boyfriend, even before she returns from the dead.

“Everything that happens is the result of her inability to face the issues between them,” she tries. “She is definitely extreme and controlling, Max is no angel either. “

'Burying The Ex' from director Joe Dante ('Gremlins', 'Small Soldiers', 'Innerspace') is available to download and view-on-demand in the UK and USA from 19 June 2015.

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Punk's Not Dead! (It's Just Been Crudely Absorbed Into the Machinery of Capitalism)

June 18, 2015, 6:48 am

≫ Next: Gemma Chan: 9 Facts In 90 Seconds On The 'Humans' Star

≪ Previous: 'Twilight' Star Ashley Greene On The Most Surreal Aspect Of Fame, Plus Playing A Zombie In 'Burying The Ex' (INTERVIEW)

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So. Artwork designed for the sleeves of Sex Pistols records 'Anarchy in the UK' and 'Never Mind the Bollocks' are now being featured on Virgin Money credit cards. The age-old cry of 'punk is dead!' has gone out across the internet as what were once potent symbols for all that was anti-establishment have been neutered and repossessed by 'the man'. Why does this feel faintly inevitable? And is this really such a loss, the death of something authentically 'punk' (whatever chin-stroking broadsheet-fillers might decide 'punk' is)?

Commentators point out that Virgin Money's decision-makers can hardly have overlooked the incongruity of sploshing the words 'Anarchy in the U.K' all over a MasterCard -- emblematic of the digital capital that it provides accesss to, the credit card is thus also an emblem of the social superstructures that support and reinforce capitalism. Few things could seem less anti-establishment or anarchic. Few things could better represent the dominance and prevalence of capital.

So hip! So ironic! Cut to an image of a delighted Richard Branson, dressed in the sort of semi-smart-casual manner that so usefully belies his multibillionaire status, giving a goofy middle-aged thumbs-up to Virgin's latest wheeze. And for double the postmodern points, Virgin have chosen to rehash already reappropriated imagery: Unions Jacks, the queen's face, collages of torn-out typefaces. The whole tone of a Sex Pistols track like 'God Save the Queen' is one of searing sarcasm, testament to punk's perceived ironic stance in general. Virgin have tamed and reframed this irony, folding it inside out and watermarking it with their own name.

Is this so new, and does it mark the death of punk after all these years? Well, no. For one thing, Virgin have partly chosen to use the images by way of tribute to the history of the larger Virgin family -- the Sex Pistols only really exploded in reputation when Branson himself signed them to Virgin Records. A mainstream label brought them mainstream success, and John 'Johnny Rotten' Lydon has since never been short of a few quid. The truth is, the Sex Pistols have always been used as shorthand for an imagined punk scene by those who haven't cared to look further. A conveniently mainstream symbol for a supposed countercultural scene.

This is hardly an isolated case of punk-gone-commercial. Iggy Pop's car insurance ads broke hearts across the country. The inexplicable ubiquity of the Ramones logo on t-shirts sold in shops like Topman has been a puzzle for the last decade. Even the post-Cobain, post-break-up life of a band like Nirvana has been one of logos plastered onto every conceivable garment -- completely to the contrary of the wishes of the sincere and tragic frontman. The anthem to this tendency in the modern age is surely Propagandhi's excellent and scathing 'Rock for Sustainable Capitalism'. "Remember when we used to believe that music was a sacred place, not some fucking bank machine?". Quite.

Is punk uniquely cursed to become its antonym? Of course not. Rather, this is the classic gesture of capitalism: to recognise an opponent or possible threat, and, rather than attempt to quash it, to embrace it wholly, to absorb the threat entirely within its own workings, and to put it to work for profit instead of ideals. You can be anti-capitalism, but capitalism won't allow you to be outside of capitalism. A case in point might be the very notion of charity. Slavoj Žižek argues that charity itself reinforces the dominant framework of capitalism when it serves to convert philanthropy into a cash transaction. This tendency is only sharpened when companies program the charitable act into an existing consumerist gesture -- for instance, when Starbucks reassure you that when you buy their coffee you are already doing a little good with your money. Charity might actually perpetuate the very conditions which necessitate charitable donations, a cycle which in no way threatens to challenge the conditions. Give a man a fish, and he'll feed for a day; teach him how to fish and he'll smash capitalism. Or something. At any rate, it is a favourite habit of capitalism to make its enemies into itself, and it is only natural that the counterculture of punk should be constantly drawn towards the mainstream rocks by the siren-song of big money.

So up with your anti-establishment slogans! Right on brother! Here, we'll even help you out with the cause, we'll print your slogans on our credit cards. Lost intention? Gained profits! This is entirely the way Virgin is currently operating, and has always operated. It sets itself up as the outsider, the underdog -- but look closely, and you'll notice it is outside nothing, under nothing. Virgin Cola is still just tooth-rot in a can. Virgin is the wolf in punk's clothing. It's the Tory M.P without a tie on, eating a Cornish pasty, and telling you he's of the people, and not of the politicians. All the while, Virgin operate within the bowels of the current capitalist paradigm,non-threatening, non-radical. Virgin are the pigs at the table at the end of Orwell's Animal Farm, eating alongside the humans they claim to despise and oppose: "The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again: but already it was impossible to say which was which."

Creatures on the outside, unite! Punk is probably a real thing, a real spirit of counter-culture. And effective and authentic anti-establishment attitudes are probably demonstrable in the aesthetic realm as well as the ethical, without punk becoming 'another stale cartoon', to quote Jello Biafra. But it is at least equally probable that you aren't going to discover the meaning of punk on the front of your credit card any time soon, no matter what Virgin tell you. The Sex Pistols were lousy, anyway.

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Gemma Chan: 9 Facts In 90 Seconds On The 'Humans' Star

June 18, 2015, 7:22 am

≫ Next: Gemma Collins 'Hits Out At 'TOWIE' Producers' In Cryptic Instagram Post, Following Her Rumoured Axe From ITVBe Series

≪ Previous: Punk's Not Dead! (It's Just Been Crudely Absorbed Into the Machinery of Capitalism)

Gemma Chan helped Channel 4 launch is biggest original drama in over a decade as the star of new series ‘Humans’, with over four million people tuning into see the first episode of the sci-fi series.

While the actress - who plays robot Anita on the show - has been a regular TV fixture since 2009, many fans will have been scratching their headsm and wondering where they recognised Gemma from.

Well, let us get you up to speed with 9 Facts In 90 Seconds on the star...

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Gemma Collins 'Hits Out At 'TOWIE' Producers' In Cryptic Instagram Post, Following Her Rumoured Axe From ITVBe Series

June 18, 2015, 7:39 am

≫ Next: 'Britain's Got Talent' Judge Alesha Dixon Defends Jules And Matisse Amid Ofcom Investigation: 'They're Worthy Winners' (EXCLUSIVE)

≪ Previous: Gemma Chan: 9 Facts In 90 Seconds On The 'Humans' Star

Gemma Collins has posted - and swiftly deleted - a message on her Instagram page, which appears to hit out at producers of ‘The Only Way Is Essex’.

SEE MORE:

Gemma Collins Springs To Dan Osborne's Defence

Why Jungle Quitter Gemma Wants 'I'm A Celeb' Return

It was claimed on Thursday that Gemma had been suspended from the show, following a bust-up with fellow cast member Vas Morgan, which reportedly saw her storming out in the middle of filming.

Although a representative for GC has insisted she isn’t facing the axe, the notoriously gobby reality star’s latest Instagram post seems to be telling a different story.

Gemma Collins

As reported by The Mirror, Gemma uploaded a photo on Thursday afternoon, bearing the message: “Never apologise for trusting your intuition - your brain can play tricks, your heart can blind, but your guy is always right.”

As if that wasn’t enough ‘TOWIE’ shade-throwing, she added in the caption: “New pathway so excited got to be me from now on won't be controlled or portrayed as no one but myself anymore and when you stand up people don't like it.”

However, we’re guessing someone didn’t approve of Gemma’s comments, as the post has already vanished from her page.

How mysterious - and we wonder what “new pathway” she’s referring to?

Earlier this year, it was reported that, after four years on ‘TOWIE’, she had landed her own reality show, where she’d be giving her fashion tips to plus-sized women.

Of course, it’s quite possible she’s also referring to the upcoming series of ‘Celebrity Big Brother’, which she’s also been rumoured to be appearing in.

If that is the case, we’ll be interested to see how she gets on, given her stint in the ‘I’m A Celebrity’ jungle didn’t exactly go to plan...

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'Britain's Got Talent' Judge Alesha Dixon Defends Jules And Matisse Amid Ofcom Investigation: 'They're Worthy Winners' (EXCLUSIVE)

June 18, 2015, 9:05 am

≫ Next: BRITS BLITZ: Veteran Music Promoter Harvey Goldsmith Reveals Why One Direction Made It Overseas, But Certain British Bands Never Do

≪ Previous: Gemma Collins 'Hits Out At 'TOWIE' Producers' In Cryptic Instagram Post, Following Her Rumoured Axe From ITVBe Series

‘Britain’s Got Talent’ judge Alesha Dixon has leapt to the defence of this year’s winning act, Jules and Matisse.

SEE MORE:

'BGT' Winner's DOG Targeted By Online Death Threats

'BGT' Voting Stats Reveal Final Was Closer Than We First Thought

Jules’s ‘BGT’ victory was a particularly controversial one, as it later emerged that she had used a stunt dog for one of the performance’s more difficult tricks, which Ofcom revealed this week they are now launching an investigation into.

However, Alesha has spoken out in defence of Jules, claiming she’s a “worthy winner” of the talent show.

Alesha Dixon

Speaking exclusively to HuffPost UK Entertainment, Alesha explains: “I just felt really sorry for Jules, because I thought she did a fantastic job. Yes there was a bit of confusion at the end… I mean I knew that there was more than one dog, because she had more than one dog in the semi-finals, and in hindsight, yes, that probably could have been made a little bit clearer.

“I do think she’s a worthy winner, and I wouldn’t want that to be taken away from her. She’s so transparent, because there wasn’t anything to hide. It was probably a little bit of a mistake on the part of us, and we should have made it a little bit more clear.

“But I still think the public did the right thing in picking her to win. The dog was still amazing, Jules does incredible things for animals, and the whole show was received so well, I just wouldn’t want something like that to cloud what was an incredible series.”

matisse

Jules and Matisse

‘BGT’ boss Simon Cowell previously defended Jules, insisting that she wasn’t to blame for the incident, adding: “There’s a cloud over her and I want that cloud to go. I want people to feel proud of her and that she did well and she should be happy.”

Alesha also commented on the recent announcement that Nick Grimshaw and Rita Ora would be judging on the next series of ‘The X Factor’, with the latter jumping ship from ‘The Voice’, in a similar move to when Alesha moved from ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ to ‘BGT’.

rita ora nick grimshaw

Nick Grimshaw and Rita Ora

When we asked whether she had any tips for Rita, she said: “I wouldn’t say I had any advice for her, all Rita has to do is be herself.

“She’s got a great personality, she’s charming, she’s got a great voice, she knows what she’s doing. And, you know, she’s a young girl who’s just living out her dreams. She’s having the time of her life! So I just wish her the best of luck and I know she’ll be brilliant.

“I think Nick and Rita will really refresh things, and I think that’s what was needed, so I’m looking forward to it. I think they’re going to live up to the hype in the end.”

Alesha’s new single, ‘The Way We Are’, which she performed during the ‘BGT’ semi-finals, is released on 19 June.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

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