After her long stint on the West End playing the lead role in Breakfast at Tiffany’s I’m glad to hear Anna Friel’s finally had some rest and recovery with her family. The star’s just returned from a wonderful holiday in Malaysia with daughter Gracie and partner David Thewlis. Speaking at the launch of the new Vue cinemas at London’s Westfield Centre Anna told me: “I was there for two weeks and it was amazing. It was nice to lay back in the sea swimming and I was totally safe from any paps. The only thing I got chased by were monkeys! I had no make-up and my hair scrapped back. Gracie learnt to swim and I did yoga at breakfast and swam a kilometre a day. I did it every single day without fail and it was an Olympic-size pool. It was great perfecting my breaststroke.”
And it sounds like after a few years of being in LA for Pushing Daisies and back-to-back work ventures, Anna’s finally ready to put family life first. She added: “I’m not going to allow it to be another three years until I get away again. It was hard because there were days where I didn’t get to see Gracie even though I did the best I could. She would be at school and then by the time I had got back she would have been in bed. David was on Harry Potter so I promised, promised her that as soon as we were finished we were going to have a big family holiday. So we did!”

Today is the live final of Sky 1 HD’s brilliant new show Got To Dance and I was thrilled to have a surprise phone call from the show’s host Davina McCall.
The show’s the best thing Davina’s done for years and marks her first major venture that will hopefully continue after Big Brother’s death at the end of this summer. “I think our show’s great – the judges are the key too,” she said. “They are all individually amazing. They make the show feel fresh. I have every finger crossed that it’s recommissioned for a second series. I’m trying to set up my life for the future so that I have programmes that I love doing for when everything changes. It’s going to be life changing when Big Brother goes.”
The star tells me she’s planning a big family adventure to Canada next summer.
I asked her whether she’d return to Big Brother if it were to come back. She revealed: “I just don’t know. I’d feel very weird if they did it again and I wasn’t doing it! It would depend on whether they were going to radically change it. I wouldn’t go back unless it was the original format. I’m a true Big Brother fan and wouldn’t want them to try and do it differently.
“I think everybody saw from the Celeb show that it could have more left to do. But I just don’t know where – or what channel. I’m not in those talks and don’t know where it would go.”
She also joked her Sport Relief training for her huge bike ride in aid of the charity is a little painful. Davina, and celebs including Patrick Kielty, Fearne Cotton and David Walliams, are embarking on a 1,000 mile chairty ride for the cause. Davina winced: “I’m doing three hour training sessions. My noony is not great. I’ve got a shammy and chave ease that I put on my nether regions before we start training. That helps a bit. But I tried a double shammy and it feels weird like you’re wearing an adult nappie. That’s not pleasant at all.
“I’ll tell you one thing – my husband Matthew is not going anywhere near that noony for a few weeks after that bike ride. I think that if you heard that I was pregnant on the grapevine then you’d know that it was a heavenly mistake. Let me put it that way. There’s no way I want any other sprogs.” Watch Got To Dance on Sky 1 HD tonight at 6pm.

I popped down to see the JLS boys today as they performed exclusively for Nokia Comes with Music and T-Mobile at the Hammersmith Apollo. And they told me they couldn’t wait for this week’s Brit Awards. Aston said: “This week could potentially be a good one for us. We’re up for three awards and we’ll have to see how we get on.” Marvin added: “Our fans never let us down and we hope they’ve been out voting – to win a Brit would be awesome.”
JB from the band told me he’s more than a bit thrilled to be on tour now with the boys. He said: “Getting out there on stage for the whole of the UK is something we always dreamt of so to be doing it is like a dream come true.”
JLS live literally reminds you of early nineties boyband hysteria. The screams are deafening, the lads themselves bump and grind and the tunes are huge. Good luck to them at the Brit Awards!

Those thoughtful folk over at www.fifty100.com have worked out a genius gift for your loved one this Valentine’s Day! They are offering you a dozen free downloads from new emerging artists in all genres. My personal favourite is i-94. I’ve watched them a zillion times before and they rock! But you can also grab tracks from Elevaters, Amber Ojeda, Babystone, John West, Jimetta Rose, Robert Kyle and Adam Stern. Just simply log onto the site and retrieve your free downloads! Enjoy!

*I hear Sarah Harding’s been on a strict bikini body diet whilst out playing in the Barbados surf. A source tells me: “She’s been on a strict no carbs diet and is only eating fresh fruit, vegetables and quaffing champers.” Alright for some. The Girls Aloud star paid for eight of her pals to fly all expenses to Barbados with www.lastminute.com – and apparently got an uber cheap deal!

*James Blunt knows how to party. Fact. All these stories about him being boring and geeky are just utter tosh. I spent an evening with the star at Raffles nightclub this week and he’s a right giggle. He tells me he’s been working flat out on his next album’s and it’s going to be a corker – and I don’t doubt him!

*Actress Lisa B and model Yasmin Le Bon have been busy setting up charity Mothers4Children lately. They’ve even teamed together with Elemis to give a percentage of takings to the ladies that fund children charities mainly in the UK! Lisa told me: “We want to give every child in the UK love – and love starts right at home. So we’re funding UK based charities first and foremost.” Good for them!

*Those celebrities love dem ribs! In fact Chicago Rib Shack in London’s posh Knightsbridge is becoming a haven for the A-List. In the past few weeks they’ve played host to Jimmy Page, James Corden, Jamie and Louise Redknapp and Alexandra Burke. I can’t think of anything better than tasty ribs with a dollop of celeb on the side. Yum!

*Jude Law and Sienna Miller’s rekindled romance continues to spark a flame. The pair looked romantic and close as they dined with friend at Blakes Hotel last week. Good for them. I hope it works for them this time around!

*Congratulations to fashion creative and stylist Grace Woodward. I hear this lucky lady – who’s worked with everyone who’s anyone as a stylist in the industry – will be joining the panel on the next series of Britain’s Next Top Model this series alongside new host Elle Macpherson. The show’s having a proper shake-up before the start of the new series later this year – and Grace will be a great addition.

*Reality takes another pigeon step into the ridiculous with a brand new show called 71 Degrees North where celebrities with be dumped in freezing conditions and forced to find their way to the North Pole. I hear the show will be shown during the World Cup in June and celebs are being approached right now to take part. Contracts are on the table for GMTV front man Andrew Castle and Rolling Stone offspring Tyrone Wood. It sounds like compulsive viewing!

Jodie Kidd’s been having a rough old time lately. The supermodel turned telly presenter told me she “nearly died” last week after a fairly simple appendix removal went drastically wrong. Speaking at the uber glamorous 135th Birthday party for Piccadilly restaurant The Criterion she revealed: “I’d been on morphine for the pain in hospital and was taking pills too and the nurses were regulating that. But I woke up during the night and in my dozy state had taken two extra pills. I stupidly forgot to tell the nurses so I basically took far too much and I was very poorly. It was my own fault but I was bloody sick from it.”
She went on to have her appendix removed without a hitch and has since made a full recovery. And it’s just as well – because Jodes needs to be fighting fit to take part in the London Mararthon this Spring. The former Strictly contestant revealed she’s doing the marathon alongside Army hero Phil Packer who lost the use of both of his legs after being injured in Iraq. “We’re going to do it together and raise money for charity,” she revealed. “Phil will be on crutches and wants to do a mile an hour and finish it in 26 hours. I really want to support him – he’s incredible. I’ve never been into running – I did two miles today and I’m exhausted.

Also at the Criterion bash to mingle with the party people was model Daisy Lowe. Wearing a rather see through dress that her mum Pearl designed – check it out below!

Secret Circus Clothing held their launch party this week at London’s exclusive Wellington Club.  Guests including Chipmunk, Lemar, Poppy Delevingne, Mini Viva and Simon Webbe were in the house for the launch of the brand. The latest fan of the brand is none other than Sting and Trudie Style my spies tell me. “Trudie’s wearing her cashmere hoodie wherever she goes lately,” says my mole. Same here! Check out www.secretcircusclothing.com for details!

*Kelly Brook has clearly remained good chums with her ex boy toy Jason Statham. The pair look happy as larry when they were spotted sharing a bottle of wine and lunch at the Soho Hotel this week. My chum, dining nearby, revealed: “They were laughing and joking and looked like old friends catching up. It wasn’t romantic and Kelly looked ecstatic to have seen him. They’ve stayed in touch after all these years apart.” I used to like them as a celeb couple – and from what I hear Jason’s extremely single right now too. Kelly’s current beau Danny Cipriani must be immune to the little green monster….

*Prince Harry and Chelsea Davy continue to look more in love than ever before in this current reunion of their on/off relationship. My spies spotted them at Chelsea’s Bumpkin restaurant this week enjoying an intimate dinner. My snitch reveals: “They were really low-key and cool and kept going outside the front for ciggies.”
The pair left via the back entrance to avoid paparazzi snaps of them together. I’m told Harry in particular is being extra vigilant when it comes to snappers catching him out on the town drinking. “Harry’s been told to stop being caught leaving nightclubs and being pictured,” says my guy in the know. “He’s not going to venues where paps lurk these days. It’s fine if he’s on Royal visits but he wants his private life to remain private.” I hate to say it Harry – but you’re a Prince and unfortunately you have to lump it!