Mad About Celebrity

I think so. From a purely singing point of view Joe McElderry is by far the best. From an entertainment point of view then Olly Murs should have won, but I doubt he’ll have to wait long for a recording contract.

It was a nail biting final with some great guests including last year’s winner Alexandra Burke and runners up JLS. Then we saw Leona Lewis who is head and shoulders above EVERYONE, though as a singer rather than an entertainer. Not wearing a mini skirt and prancing about on stage didn’t stop her meteoric rise to fame. She had the talent after all.

We also had George Michael (looks a bit weird these days doesn’t he) and Sir Paul McCartney playing a psychedelic piano and performing Live and Let Die.

It was a great evening’s entertainment. Just Strictly Come Dancing to go now. The final is next week with Ricky and Natalie and Chris and Ola, the fantastic Ali and Brian (who scored five 10s for their American Smooth) having been eliminated last night thanks to the GBP (Great British Public) yet again. Once more it will be ability v popularity. Which will prevail this time? We shall see next week.

This morning I was watching GMTV before going to work when my son came in the room and declared that Joe would win X Factor on Saturday. No, I said, it would be Olly. He said no chance as Olly had been in the bottom two and Joe hadn’t. Fair enough. So I said that I would bet him the fiver he owes me that Olly would win. We shall see. Neither of us bet on Stacey I’m afraid. Just had a quick look at the bookies and I think that according to them Joe is the favourite and I’m going to be £5 worse off but I’m still confident -ish. It turns out that no-one who has been in the bottom two has EVER gone on to win.

As for Strictly Come Dancing, I confess I haven’t a clue. Any of them could do it, even Chris and Ola who have the popularity vote. Should be an exciting final the following week.

Joe McElderry to win X Factor?

Last night ex-Footballers’ Wives star Laila Rouass and her partner Anton du Beke went out of Strictly Come Dancing after facing the dance off with Ricky Whittle and his partner Natalie Lowe. It was no contest really. Had they faced Chris and Ola they might have stood a tiny chance, but not against Ricky. I thought the judges were unfair to criticize her dancing, particularly Darcey Bussell, who as the newcomer surprised me with her remarks.

With all racist accusations against Anton put firmly behind them, I thought they looked better and better together each time and have given us weeks of entertainment. I am truly sorry to see them go. And I’m not remotely biased because Laila’s cousin is a friend of my son.

Then tonight we had the X Factor quarter final. At last we are left with four people who can actually sing and no longer have to endure the ‘entertainment’ factor of the likes of Jedward – a polite way of saying they just can’t sing. In fact I can sing better with two glasses of wine and a karaoke tape.

When the results were announced and it was clear we were losing Danyl, I have to confess I shed a tear. Only a small one I hasten to add, but a tear nevertheless. He was so gracious in defeat, no shouting or crying or the usual X Factor histrionics. Maybe he knows they’ll be queueing up to give him a recording contract anyway. Lots of runners up have done better than the eventual winners – Leon where are you now? And Steve er what was his name? Michelle McManus – or was that Pop Idol. Hey, what’s the difference. My money’s on Ollie.

Finally. Is this a wind up? Apparently the bella Gino and Stuart ‘Hollyoaks’ Manning have been arrested on animal cruelty charges after killing and eating a rat on the I’m a Celebrity show.

Ch Insp David Oshannessy, from the RSPCA in New South Wales, told BBC Radio 5 live there was a “code of practice” which dictated how animals could be used in theatrical productions and films. The rat murder happened on a day no animals were featuring in the show, so there wasn’t an officer there. He went onto say, “The killing of a rat for a performance is not acceptable. The concern is this was done purely for the cameras.” I suppose eating live insects, squashing them to death in small enclosed spaces and eating kangaroos testicles (well someone killed it first) don’t count.

Danyl and Simon on X Factor

It’s been an interesting weekend on reality TV. Firstly Natalie Cassidy went out of Strictly last night. There were tears and more tears and that was just Vincent. They had ended up in the bottom two with Ricky Whittle and his partner, also called Natalie. The two couples had been dancing the Rock and Roll but the dance, making its first appearance on Strictly, didn’t appear to please the judges or the public. The Charleston, also making its first appearance, faired much better. And the dresses were fabulous! Laila’s dress was gorgeous darling, one to add to my list when they get sold off in some charity sale next year.

Over on the other side, X Factor competition was hotting up. Now down to the final five, with one more due to go tonight, they all sang their little hearts out, hoping for a place in the semi final.

This evening opened with a brilliant rendition of the Scissor Sisters I don’t feel like dancing . When the votes came in and it was down to Lloyd and Ollie, I was holding my breath! When they announced that Ollie was going forward to the semis, I felt really bad for Lloyd, but hey ho, the boy looks good, but I have a friend whose dog Sid sings better when he plays the violin. The friend that is, not the dog…

As for I’ll Be a Celebrity When I Get Out of Here, even my son thinks it’s boring now Katie Price has gone and he can’t stand her! Apparently viewing figures have dropped by 20% since she left the show. Was it her sense of humour? Was it the unbearable pathos of her desperate pleas to Peter to take her back? Was it all that closure rubbish? I’ll bet there’s another couple of reasons more likely.

Lloyd on X Factor

I don’t know what to say about X Factor tonight. Olly in the bottom two. Whatever next? But at least the terrible twins left tonight – even though they were quite fun, especially doing their Ghostbusters routine. The only trouble is, the rest of the contestants seem to get worse every week instead of better. As my son said, the Wham intro was the best bit of the show. And when a Wham tribute is the best part of the show……

Just when you thought there weren’t enough reality shows on TV (funny yeah), like the buses, three came along at once. First of all we had Strictly Come Dancing which has become more like an episode of Casualty this year and which as you probably guessed by now I love. Then we had the farce which passes for X Factor, judged by Mr Nasty, two fashion victims and a leprechaun and defies belief with some of its remaining acts. And then finally we had I’ll be a celebrity when I get out of here. Trouble with the latter is that the formula is just not funny any more. Too many bugs and nothing new. I actually admire some of the celebs like Kim and George, but when you’ve seen one kangaroo testicle you’ve see them all.

In fact I think my problem with all these shows is the GBP (Great British Public) being given the vote (after all these are the same ‘public’ who voted three times for a Labour Government and look where that’s got us). Strictly at least has the good ones left though Zoe and James should be there. X Factor still has Jedward – need I say more? Even poor little Lloyd may be sweet but he just can’t sing and who voted out Lucie and Jamie? As if the public aren’t bad enough, even the judges have gone completely barking.

As for I’m a Celeb, the pubic voting for Katie every time to do the bushtucker trial is starting to look like bullying again.

I despair. So why am I still watching? Maybe it’s beacuse there’s just nothing else on TV right now apart from Spooks. But I have to say, the real talent was on Thursday night at the BBC Children in Need concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Take That, Robbie Williams, Paolo Nutini, Mika, Leona Lewis, Paul McCartney, Shirley Bassey, the list is endless. It was strictly fantastic!

In case you missed it, X Factor finalist Lucie Jones was wearing the Motel Rocks Linda vertical rose blue dress on Saturday night, while getting singing tips from mentor Michael Buble. Funny, because I thought she might wear the Zoe dress (see my article on the right), but in actual fact I think this dress was a far better choice. Rachel was also wearing a Motel dress but you can’t see it so well in the pictures.

You can get Lucie and Rachel’s celebrity style and 10% off Motel using the discount code Autumn – just click here or on the Motel banner on the right.

Lucie Jones with Michael Buble