Queen of the Jungle: Stacey Solomon is named winner of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!
Singer Stacey Solomon has been crowned queen of the jungle after beating Shaun Ryder in this year's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!
The single mother, known as the 'diva from Dagenham' after coming third in X Factor last year, had been the bookies favourite to win since the 10th series began on November 14.
The 21-year-old broke down in tears and hugged former Happy Mondays singer Shaun, 48, when she was named winner of this year's show.
Shock: Stacey admitted she was 'lost for words' after beating runner-up Shaun Ryder
After being crowned by Caroline Flack, the down-to-earth apologised for her 'bad breath'.
Clearly stunned by winning the show, she said: 'What the hell just happened? Thank you so much, I dunno what to say.'
She then ran over the bridge to be reunited with her boyfriend Aaron Barnham, son Zach and mum Fiona.
Reunited: A tearful Stacey hugs her boyfriend Aaron Barnham
Reflecting on her time in the jungle before finding out she had won, Stacey enthused: 'I've had the best time ever and Lord only knows I'm annoying so thank you for having me.'
Shaun was also a popular contestant and proved his 'hardman' credentials by famously keeping his cool when he was bitten by a snake during an overnight trial.
Reflecting on the bite, he said: 'I wanted to pull it out and smash it to bits... but it's an animal.'
Down to earth: Stacey apologised for her 'bad breath' after she was crowned by Caroline Flack - who presents ITV2 spin-off I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here Now
Addressing his stormy relationship with Gillian McKeith, he admitted: 'Gillian's me, me, me, me... people like that really bug me.
'It was a series of things that built up.'
He acknowledged it was a 'turning point' when Gillian was voted off, describing it as 'fantastic'.
He admitted 'never in a million years' would he believed he would have lasted until the final.
Be patient: Stacey had to be covered in a 'sham-poo' of meal worms and crickets for 30 seconds during the last Bushtucker Trial
Keeping his cool: Shaun tries to relax as he's showered with 'cockroach conditioner'
The winner was unveiled after the two finalists went head-to-head in the last live Bucktucker Trial, entitled the 'Bush Spa'.
They were warned they would have to put up with being covered in various jungle critters and insects for 30 seconds at a time, with former campmates Dom Joly and Lembit Opik being punished by being covered in slime if either of them failed.
The pair started off in hairdressers chairs, with Stacey receiving a 'sham-poo' by having her head covered in meal worms and crickets while Shaun kept his cool during his 'cockroach conditioner'.
Eeeeeek: Stacey had a biting ant manicure and a yabbie pedicure
Next up, a screaming Stacey just about managed to last 30 seconds during her pedicure of yabbies and biting ants.
Shaun also successfully endured the rat sauna, but admitted he was concerned the vermin would be attracted to a bleeding wound on his leg.
All of this year's campmates were back in the studio to see Stacey being crowned queen of the jungle, including Alison Hammond, Aggro Santos, Kayla Collins, Linford Christie, Sheryl Gascoigne, Britt Ekland and Jenny Eclair - who finished in was third place on Friday's show.
Relieved: Dom Joly and Lembit Opik faced the prospect of being covered in gunge if Stacey and Shaun failed the Bushtucker Trial
The gang's all here: Their former campmates Britt Ekland, Alison Hammond, Dom, Lembit, Gillian McKeith, Jenny Eclair, Aggro Santos, Kayla Collins, Linford Christie and Sheryl Gascoigne were all back
'Not my best performance': Matt Cardle admitted he struggled during his second song on tonight's X Factor
He's been favourite to win this year's X Factor, since the live shows began in October.
But tonight Matt Cardle's potential to clinch the title wasn't looking so certain after he gave a 'safe' performance of Billy Joel's Always A Woman.
After missing most of the week after falling ill with the flu, the 27-year-old admitted his second song of the night was 'not my best performance'.
After suffering from the flu all week, the Essex-native received more positive criticism to his first rendition of You Got The Love by The Source and Candi Staton than his second song.
Following his first song, Louis said: 'Who would have thought you were sick? You are a true professional, you’re consistent every week, consistently good! I think you can win the competition I really do.'
But Simon wasn't so sympathetic, reminding the public that, he too, was sick this week, leaving Cheryl to mentor his group One Direction.
Mixed reviews: Matt received praise for his first song You Got The Love by The Source and Candi Staton, but his second (right) to Billy Joel's She's Always A Woman wasn't so strong
He said: 'Look forget about the fact that you had flu, because I don’t think anybody cares. It was a brilliant choice of song and I like the fact that you were on flavour on it...
'Can I mention that I had a cold this week as well. Having got to know you over the past weeks, I want to vouch for the fact that you are a very sincere, cool contestant!
But his second song didn't go so well, with the former decorator admitting 'that was not my best performance'.
Cheryl admitted she could see his bad health in his eyes: 'I can see by the look in your eyes you feel so ill. Everybody loves you, you've got the support. I hope I see you in the final.'
Divided: Matt's mentor Dannii Minogue accused Simon Cowell of being 'tactical' when he criticised the Joel song
Having praised his first song, Simon wasn't so impressed with the second: 'Unfortunately this was your worst song. It is exactly what you're not.
You're not that safe artist. You shouldn't be singing a song like that you can't put your stamp on...'
After Matt's mentor Dannii accused him of being 'tactical', he replied: 'It's not tactical, I didn't like the song.'
Rebecca Ferguson kicked off the show with powerful rendition of Robin S Nineties dance classic Show Me Love.
After previously being criticised for just standing still during her performances, the Scouse singer, 24, moved around the stage accompanied by a troupe of dancers.
Rebecca finally moves! Rebecca Ferguson performed an energetic ad powerful rendition of Robin S Nineties dance classic Show Me Love
Amid rumours she was getting enough support from her mentor Cheryl Cole, the Geordie judge made sure she was fully appreciative and enthusiastic of her act.
Cheryl told her: 'This song came from Rebecca and we fought and fought and fought for it and it worked people. I'm so proud of you.'
Simon tipped her for the final: 'I loved that this is a side of you we have never seen before. It was so cool, so controlled, your vocals were on the money and this is the first time that you are showing me that you don’t just want to get into the final, you want to win and I like that.'
Her second song saw the single mother-of-two perform Amazing Grace backed by a choir.
'Class act': Rebecca was tipped for the final by all the judges after her second song of the night, Amazing Grace
Louis said: 'You're my favourite contestant ever. You're likeable, you're lovable. you've got star quality. I think you're amazing.'
Simon agreed: 'Absolutely stunning - beginning, middle and end. No tricks, pure sincerity. You are a class act.'
Repeating the same superlatives used by her fellow judges, Cheryl said: 'You are such a sincere, beautiful person inside and out. When you sing you just ooze class and beauty. You're amazing.'
Disco diva to tearjerker: Mary Byrne performed Never Can Say Goodbye before slowing it down with The Way We Were
Favourite to be the next elimination after ending up in the sing-off last week, Mary Byrne initially steered away from the usual ballads with disco classic Never Can Say Goodbye, before slowing down the tempo with Barbra Streisand's The Way We Were.
Overcome with emotion, the Tesco checkout worker, 50, broke down when she revealed it was her late mother Elizabeth's favourite song that she hadn't performed for 15 years.
Although there was a mixed response to Never Can Say Goodbye, the judges universally praised the second slower number.
Emotional: Mary broke down in tears after the Barbra Streisand song, admitting it was her late mother Elizabeth's favourite song
Before finding out Mary's personal link to the song, Dannii said: 'Mary that was a beautiful performance and you look stunning. I don’t know why you’re crying.'
Simon said: 'This is not a time for tears, this is about you. You should be very proud, it was much better than the first song and you are a good singer and it’s about finding the next big pop star.
'I think whatever happens you will sell records, you will have concerts. You are not going back to the Tesco checkout sweetheart.'
Hi-energy: One Direction started off with Rihanna's Only Girl In The World, which Cheryl thought was a 'bit risky' because it was so current
One Direction were the last act of the night to sing with both their first and second songs.
They had limited practice with bandmember Zayn Malik, who spent a lot of the week at home in Bradford after his grandfather died.
The five-piece were also missing their ailing mentor Simon, so were supervised by Cheryl.
They initially performed Rihanna's Only Girl In The World, before Snow Patrol's Chasing Cars.
Maturity: The group won over all five judges with Snow Patrol's Chasing Cars after bandmember Zayn Malik missed a lot of rehearsals after his grandfather died
Even though she had mentored them, Cheryl admitted she wasn't so sure about their Rihanna cover.
She said: 'I love you guys. I thoroughly enjoyed mentoring you. That song was a little bit dangerous cos its so current right now as Rihanna's record that you have to completely make it like it was never ever written for her. I don’t know if it quite worked for me but I hope to see you in the final.'
But Chasing Car did go down well with all four of the judges.
'New twist to English music?' Cher Lloyd performed chart newcomer B.O.B's 2010 hit Nothin' On You
Dannii said: 'Guys, you’ve had a really tough week and that was such a classy classy performance. You’ve grown up before our eyes and we’ve never had such a good band on the X Factor. I’m so proud to see you five on the show.'
Cher Lloyd also received mixed comments from the judges, but defied judge Dannii's comments when the Australian questioned the teenager performing two rap songs.
The 17-year-old tackled two tracks from 2010 - B.O.B's Nothin' On You and Rihanna and Eminem's duet Love The Way You Live.
Following her Eminem rap, Dannii mused: 'It was such a tricky song choice tonight. The rapping was great and with the singing you hit your stride at the end of the song. I would have liked to hear you sing a ballad to get you through to the final.'
Steering away from ballads: Cher tackled a second hip-hop song for her second performance - the Eminem and Rihanna duet Love The Way You Lie
In defence, Cher said: 'Ballads have been done and I wanna bring a new twist to English music and I wouldn't wanna change myself for the world.'
Simon disagreed with Dannii, saying: 'It was a risk taking on Eminem and Rihanna but for me it worked. Again, I don’t think that you’ve sold out. You’ve stuck to the type of music that you believe in and are passionate about.
'There weren’t really any gimmicks, other than the fire and I liked the fact that it was you, raw, doing what you do best. I’m a huge fan, you know that.'
Fashion face off: Dannii Minogue (left) looked elegant in a beige Aurelio Costarella gown, while Cheryl Cole kept it flirty in a white asymmetrical tiered mini-dress
The rivalries are hotting up: All the judges are hoping to see their acts in next week's final
Looking a bit peaky: Cheryl Cole arriving at the X Factor studios this morning in north-west London. She went home early yesterday suffering flu-like symptoms
Cheryl Cole exhausted as Simon Cowell battles flu
Mary Byrne, Matt Cardle and Harry Styles have lost voice
Cher Lloyd's meltdown as she lashes out at camerawoman
The X Factor has been thrown into crisis as Simon Cowell, and two of the show favourites are on the brink of missing tonight’s crucial semi-final after falling ill.
Bookmakers favourite Matt Cardle – who is at odds of 8/11 to win the ITV talent hit – and Mary Byrne both missed yesterday's soundcheck and are desperately battling to be well for this weekend's performances.
There were also renewed health fears for Cheryl Cole, who was sent home yesterday suffering flu-like symptoms.
The 27-year-old singer, who nearly died from malaria this summer, was said to be looking 'tired, drained and exhausted' during the soundcheck.
Arriving at the studios today in a red cardigan, scarf and jeans, Cheryl looked a little bit pale.
Meanwhile, One Direction singer Harry Styles attended yesterday's soundcheck with a scarf around his neck and was forced to communicate through writing notes because his throat was so sore.
Stylish: The judge bundled up in a red cardigan and white scarf, teamed with jeans and black heels
Today he arrived for rehearsals with a sign stuck to his top reading: 'I'm on vocal rest. Can't speak. Thank you.'
Matt, 27, is suffering from tonsillitis and is so unwell that he has gone home to his parents in Essex to try and recover.
Mary, 50, has been suffering from an inflammation of the throat and a source said: ‘She is really ill, she has a temperature and is panicking.’
Feeling the strain: One Direction member Harry Styles is suffering from a sore throat and wore a sign round his neck as he arrived to rehearsals today
Sweet treat: One Direction's Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan enjoy some icecream outside Fountain Studios this morning
Frantic X Factor chiefs spent yesterday locked in talks to come up with a contingency plan if they are hit with this unprecedented situation in the penultimate weekend of the show.
Meanwhile, multi-millionaire Cowell, 51, is suffering with a flu-like virus and spent the day taking mediation, drinking ginger tea and wrapped in a scarf.
A doctor was called to the north London studio and a show source said: ‘Simon is really unwell – he’s desperate to be okay for the show.’
On BBC1 show Strictly Come Dancing performers are allowed to miss one week of the show through health problems.
Running on empty: Show boss Simon Cowell is also under the weather and has been holed up at home recovering from flu
But the same could not really happen for the ITV contest as if Matt and Mary miss the show, then that will leave just three acts to perform tonight.
And with just one week before the live final, set to be watched by more than 20 million fans, it would undoubtedly spark controversy if either contestant were allowed to miss the show.
The plan is that one singer will be voted off the X Factor tomorrow, which means for the first time in the show's history, there will be four contestants vying for the winner's title next Sunday.
The source added: ‘Mary has a fever and we’ve had to bike some antibiotics over to Matt at his parents.
We want our voices back: Mary Byrne is ill with a temperature and suffering from an inflammation of the throat while Matt Cardle has tonsillitis
‘Matt is with his parents and he was not well enough to come to the soundcheck and Mary is ill in bed, which is the best place for her. I don't think we have ever been in this situation before.'
Matt had earlier this week pulled out of a secret concert in London because he was not well enough to perform.
Meltdown: Cher Lloyd smoking earlier this week
He is the favourite to win the show – and the £1 million recording contract with Cowell – and insiders say that he is way out in front in the voting every week. While Tesco checkout worker Mary did perform at the event but is now understood to have lost her voice.
Meanwhile Cher Lloyd reportedly though a wobbly during yesterday's soundcheck. Mentor Cheryl Cole is said to have been forced to step in when her act entered a screaming match with a camerawoman.
Having earlier fluffed her song, Cher is said to have screamed at the production staff member: 'Get out of my face. I'm not a caged animal.'
Last week's rejects Katie Waissel and Wagner, meanwhile, were hitting up the nightclub scene last night with Katie performing a set at London's G-A-Y and Wagner entertaining crowds at a club in Maidstone, Kent.
Throughout his time on the X Factor, Matt has been extremely outspoken. And speaking ahead of tonight's programme, he appeared to criticise the younger acts on the show who 'cry for votes'.
He said: 'Some people say "I've wanted it all my life". You're 16 years old! You've wanted it for a couple of years since you figured you could sing.
Crowd pleaser: The star bonds with the enthusiastic audience
'Try hammering away at it for 12 years, then you can say you've always wanted it. But I am not going to cry about it because I am a man.'
He also seemed to take a dig at last year's winner Joe McElderry, admitting last year's winner was not taken as seriously as other chart stars.
Matt said: 'Bless Joe, he's done so well, but I don't think he's seen like Paolo Nutini or James Morrison and that seems like its because he was on TV.'
Centre of attention: Wagner Carrilho was also doing the rounds, performing at Liquid nightclub in Maidstone, Kent
He added: 'I just want to come out the other side of it credible and be respected for doing what I do. If that can pave the way for other people like myself who have previously thought X Factor is a bit naff and a bit plastic, then brilliant.'
Singer Diana Vickers was forced to miss a week after being hit with laryngitis in the 2008 series. But that was at a much earlier stage in the competition.
Missing a week now would have a crucial impact in the outcome of the result of the competition and any decision would as a result be highly charged.
Ladies outing: Reese Witherspoon and her mother Betty spent time shopping for Christmas in William Sonoma in Beverly Hills yesterday
It looks like the Witherspoon family are getting into the Christmas spirit.
Reese and her lookalike mother Betty started their shopping for the festive season yesterday at William Sonoma in Beverly Hills.
The 34-year-old actress and her mother picked up various gifts and Christmas theme kitchen accessories from the high end culinary goods store.
The Oscar winning actress, who looked chic and slim dressed all in black, looked happy and relaxed as she chatted with her mother as they browsed the store.
The comedy queen appeared to be her jovial self as she pulled confused faces while paying for her purchases.
She was seen buying Christmas theme oven gloves, festive red and white T-towels, and scented candles.
The women left the store with a huge bag of goodies and returned to Reese's car before heading home.
Huh? Reese looks confused as she chats with her mother at the cashier
The star's family came into town to watch her unveil her star on the Hollywood walk of fame on Wednesday.
The Sweet Home Alabama star received the 2,425th star as family members and close friends looked on proudly.
The actress posed with her two children Ava, 11, and Deacon, seven, during the Induction Ceremony in front of the W Hotel in Los Angeles.
Santa's sack: Reese left the store with a huge bag of goodies
The actress has always maintained momentum in her career shooting four films this year alone.
She has starred in 25 films and produced five - not to mention receiving an Oscar for her role in Walk The Line in 2006.
Next year she is already lined up for six more with another seven more in development.
Her latest film How Do You Know hits theatres on December 17.
Close bond: Cheryl's mother Joan is a non-negotiable part of her life and, according the Cheryl herself, the only person she actually trusts. Joan is tipped to follow her daughter to Los Angeles - if lawyers can get her a visa
You see her walking a few paces behind Cheryl at the airport and watching her carefully from the other side of the room at parties and nightclubs.
They sit together in Cheryl’s Rolls-Royce Phantom as she travels to and from the X Factor studio.
And she’s in Cheryl’s dressing room every week, supervising the team of assistants who wait on her daughter.
Determined: Cheryl has come a long way since her childhood growing up on council estates in Newcastle, but people who know Cheryl say that without her mum she would not be able to cope
The rule is this: where you find Cheryl Cole, there you will also find her redoubtable and determined mother Joan Callaghan.
Joan, a diminutive figure who is even shorter than her 5ft 3ins daughter, has been sharing Cheryl’s high life for years now.
So much so, the 51-year-old mother-of-five is now enough of a ‘face’ in London to have been invited on her own to the relaunch of the Movida nightclub in 2008, where she hung out with a selection of C-list stars.
Formidable: Joan likes fake tan, Louboutin shoes and Chloe jackets but her devotion to her daughter Cheryl is unquestionable
She likes fake tan, Louboutin shoes and Chloe jackets — but is mostly devoted to her daughter with a remarkable intensity. It was Joan who told X Factor contestant Wagner to get lost when he knocked on Cheryl’s dressing room door and tried to apologise for his comments to a journalist regarding her ‘council estate roots’ two weeks ago.
People who know Cheryl say that without her mum she would not be able to cope. ‘I’ve come to the conclusion that I don’t trust anybody in life except my mother and my dogs. I love having her there,’ she told an interviewer.
Three's a crowd: Joan moved in with Ashly Cole and Cheryl soon after their marriage. Ashley would escape to his bespoke games room whilst Cheryl and Joan would cosy up on the sofas and watch TV
Anyone who doubts that their bond is special need only note that Joan will be going with Cheryl when she moves to Los Angeles next year.
Cheryl will relocate for several months to film X Factor USA, after signing a £3million deal. She is relying on the legal experts hired by Fox to iron out any visa difficulties, which remain over her conviction in 2003 for assaulting a nightclub toilet attendant.
And these same experts will also have to come up with a job description which will permit Joan to become a California resident for a time.
Firm friends: Cheryl and Will.i.am became close after her split from husband Andy Cole. Will.i.am described Joan as 'a great lady. You can see why Cheryl is such a good girl, she gets it from her mum.'
How might you describe what she does? Cheerleader, hand-holder, minder, personal assistant, cook, nursemaid and agony aunt — she is all of these and more.
Joan’s sister Ann said this week that the two of them are ‘very close’ and recalls the many sacrifices which Joan made to help her daughter achieve the stardom she craved.
‘She was quite pushy when Cheryl was little — but only because she wanted the absolute best for her,’ said Ann.
Will mum approve? You can only hope that American dancer Derek Hough, Cheryl's much rumoured new love, is happier than Ashley Cole was to share his life with Mrs Callaghan
Joan moved in with Cheryl and Ashley Cole just after they married, and Cheryl relied on her more and more as her marriage crumbled.
Ashley, it turns out, would escape to a ‘gaming room’ which he had put in, with its own spiral staircase, to get away from his ever-present mother-in-law.
Meanwhile, Joan and Cheryl would cosy up on the sofas and watch television with a packet of Hob Nob biscuits.
[starttext] The FNS Music Festival airs live today, and since the list of artists participating in the event is long and impressive, tokyohive will be providing coverage.
In particular, the joint rehearsal of two popular idol girl groups, AKB48 & Shoujo Jidai (SNSD), has caught the attention of fans and Japanese media alike.
Having released their title track, ‘Miss You’, last month, SM Entertainment’s project quartet, S.M The Ballad, has finally made their debut on Music Core!
Consisting of Super Junior’s Kyuhyun, TRAX’s Jay, SHINee’s Jonghyun, and rookie Jino, the group performed another track from their new album, ‘Hot Times‘, instead of ‘Miss You‘.
This urban soul track has an R&B base that fits well with the rhythmical sound of the vocals. This love song is about thinking preciously of all the time able to be spent together and to never test one another.
Queen of the Jungle: Stacey Solomon is named winner of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!
Shock: Stacey admitted she was 'lost for words' after beating runner-up Shaun Ryder
Reunited: A tearful Stacey hugs her boyfriend Aaron Barnham
Down to earth: Stacey apologised for her 'bad breath' after she was crowned by Caroline Flack - who presents ITV2 spin-off I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here Now
Be patient: Stacey had to be covered in a 'sham-poo' of meal worms and crickets for 30 seconds during the last Bushtucker Trial
Keeping his cool: Shaun tries to relax as he's showered with 'cockroach conditioner'
Eeeeeek: Stacey had a biting ant manicure and a yabbie pedicure
Relieved: Dom Joly and Lembit Opik faced the prospect of being covered in gunge if Stacey and Shaun failed the Bushtucker Trial
The gang's all here: Their former campmates Britt Ekland, Alison Hammond, Dom, Lembit, Gillian McKeith, Jenny Eclair, Aggro Santos, Kayla Collins, Linford Christie and Sheryl Gascoigne were all back
