The Brit Awards are notorious for snubbing certain artists over the years. And one new star isn’t taking a snub lying down! Step forward Paloma Faith.
The little firecracker gave me a call this week to discuss her Brits snub and she didn’t hold back – even standing up for Britain’s Got Talent Susan Boyle who despite having one of the biggest selling albums of 2009 also failed to get a nomination in any category. She fumed: “I just think everybody who got nominated deserved a nomination. But I think me and the Noisettes deserved a nomination. Not to win the award – but as a form of acknowledgment to what we contributed to British music this year. I’m not going to harp on about it because hopefully next year I’ll get one after my next album – but I was gutted.
“I think Susan Boyle deserved a Brit Nomination too. She’s had the biggest selling album in 2009 and got nothing. It’s ridiculous. She didn’t even get nominated for best breakthrough. Wild Horses blew me away. I’d love to duet with her.”
And it’s clear the star is struggling with being able to do what she wants with her career – because she hasn’t sold millions of records like Lady Gaga! “I’ll be brutally honest – Gaga has sold so many albums that she has the freedom to do as she wishes,” she admits. “I’ve not sold enough albums so I’m like Gaga on a lead – that’s how I like to define myself. I can’t wait to be off the leash.”
*Paloma Faith is part of a celebrity panel to find Nokia’s first ever entertainment reporter to celebrate the launch of the X6 16GB – the ultimate entertainment device. To apply go to http://www.nokia.co.uk/x6-all-areas

He was the big loser at the X Factor final when he failed to beat Joe McElderry. But Essex boy Olly Murs could be having the last laugh.
Despite Simon Cowell passing on the opportunity to sign him to his record label, Syco, the cheeky chappy is signing a six-figure deal with the EPIC records – the company that made JLS the star of 2008’s series.
My source reveals: “Olly’s been down in the dumps because Simon had turned down working with him and it didn’t look like anybody else would want to sign him up. But Epic have come to his rescue and really believe he’s the ‘JLS’ of this year. They think he has the talent and the longevity and commitment needed to make it as a pop star. So they’ve offered him a one-album deal to start with and he’s signed. He’s already working on new tracks in the studio and trying to work out who to write with. The label want him to come up with an album of original music – just like the boys from JLS did.
“The plan is for him to be a cross between the UK’s Justin Timberlake and Robbie Williams. There’s a big gap in the market for a trendy cool new solo male singer with a pop edge – and Epic believe Olly has what it takes.”
The 25-year-old was widely expected to be snapped up by Simon Cowell after the series finished in December. But things failed to work out with Simon and he opted to concentrate just on winner Joe McElderry’s career. He’s planning to turn little Joe into the new ‘Zac Efron’ if rumours are to be believed with a Hollywood career beckoning.
Last week a spokesman for Simon’s label wished Olly all the best with his career – along with Danyl Johnson and Stacey Solomon. The statement read: “We never guarantee contracts for anyone other than the X Factor winner and this year we’ve decided to focus on Joe.
“However, we understand there is interest in other finalists from many parts of the musical industry and we hope they all do very well.”
The big question is will Mr Cowell have regrets about not signing up Olly? And could he become the true success story of the series just gone?! I think he stands a chance.

I used to be irritated by Coleen Nolan but she won me over with a classic one liner when I visited Popstar to Operastar with my mum this Friday. Talking about her decision to finally stop starring in those Godforsaken trashy Iceland adverts the Loose Women star told me: “I got sick to death of people in the street chuckling as they asked to see my prawn ring.” Quote of the century.

Princess Beatrice is going to have a little bit of help running the London Marathon in the shape and form of Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson. I hear the buxom babe will be joining the Princess as she joins Sam and Holly Branson’s ‘Team Snake’ to run the Virgin London Marathon on April 25. Scarlet and Bea will be among 40 runners forming a giant snake to form the Branson’s team. Good luck to them all!

JLS star Marvin Humes is the pop world’s hottest single male hunk right now.
But despite people like Rihanna recently speaking out to say she thought he was ‘hawt’ and couldn’t wait to meet him on her next trip to London, the singer has the hots for another singer.
Step forward newly single Saturdays band member Rochelle Wiseman – who I’m told the six-pack clad man about town is infatuated with. There’s only one problem – Rochelle’s not wanting to pursue his advances….yet. A source close to the pair tells me: “Marvin loves Rochelle’s personality and thinks she’s sexy as hell but she just isn’t interested right now.
“She’s only recently single and had a tough break up recently – she’s not ready for a relationship right now. She finds him attractive but she wants to be a single lady for now.
“They text each other and Marvin’s made his feeling clear that he’d love to get together with her – but she’s not going to be letting him into her life right now.”
So ladies, breathe a sigh of relief. Marvin’s still available for you all!
Meanwhile JLS are the band of the moment – and with three Brit Award nominations they could reach new dizzy heights in the pop stratosphere. But let’s face it – they’re not The Beatles. I caught up with band member JB this week when the boys were about to play their Margate tour date and he told me they’d love to try and achieve a portion of what the legendary sixties band have. JB told me: “People have said with our fans that it reminds them of Beatlemania – but we just find it incredible that people have even included us in the same sentence as The Beatles. If we can do a quarter of what those guys did or have done throughout their career then we’d be absolutely over the moon . It’s early days yet – we’re just thrilled to be on our first live tour and we hope to win at the Brits.”
The lads are in a tough category too for Best British Group – up against the likes of Kasabian and Muse. JB added: “We met the Kasabian boys and their kids are fans of ours! We’re hoping we can make an impression and two of our categories are voted for by the public. And our fans are amazing. Without them we’re nothing.” Indeed JB!

*Last year the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow and Sienna Miller partied for Warchild at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire – and this year the guest list looks set to be even bigger. I’ll be there to watch Kasabian, La Roux and Calvin Harris after the Brit Awards to deliver all the gossip! And so can you – prices are £50 and O2 customers can get Priority Tickets* from 9am Monday 1st Feb, for further information visit www.O2Priority.co.uk.

*This week sees the launch of Secret Circus Clothing. The luxury cashmere and leather fashion brand – who’s fans include Paris Hilton, Mel B and Robert Downey Jnr – have a swish bash at the Wellington Club on Thursday. Keri Hilson and Emma Bunton are expected to attend and are being made one-off diamante studded biker jackets! It’s going to rock…check out www.secretcircusclothing.com.

*James Morrison sounds like he had a frosty reception from SuBo when he met her recording his lines for the Hope for Haiti single, Everybody Hurts. He revealed: “She was cool. I leaned in and gave her a kiss – I don’t think she was too keen on giving me one back but I didn’t mind – I was polite and stuff – that’s all you can do really.”

*Ricky Gervais has gone so Hollywood these days. He’s lost weight, mixes with all the A-List and hosted the Globes recently. But now he’s discussing his work out regime in interviews! He told Capital’s Kevin Hughes: “I often do a bit of working out to Gaga – that’s on the shuffle. I’ve not got around to working out to Susan Boyle. Ha ha. Well maybe she’ll be on my iPod one day!” I don’t think I could work out to SuBo!

*Congratulations to ITV at the Movies host Lizzie Cundy and her footballer hubby Jason who renewed their wedding vows in a private Indian themed ceremony on Friday evening at London’s plush Taj Hotel. Guests included Sarah Cawood, Bianca Gascoigne and Vanessa Feltz. It’s good to know true love can last the distance!

*Abbaworld is the one stop pit stop for any Abba junkie. The exhibition at Earls Court Exhibition Centre had stars including Boy George and X Factor’s Lucie Jones there this week – as well as Frida and Bjorn themselves! Tickets are on sale for up until, March 28 at www.abbaworld.com.

*Eeeeek. Katy Brand wants to pull a Shakira in the next series of her comedy show. She said at the Loaded bash: “I’ve got a yearning to put a nude leotard and writhe about in a cage ala Shakira. Let’s hope the British public are ready for that. I’d love to do Prince too.” I’m not sure I’m ready for that one!

*What is it with comedians and running? First Eddie Izzard and now Frank Skinner has confessed he’s started working out. Frank revealed at the Loaded Laftas: “Eddie Izzard told me that he was running and he was doing a marathon. I said I hadn’t run since 1987. He said it would all come back to me – which is not necessarily true. Anyway I ran with Eddie and did six and a half miles and since then I’ve started running again.” Good for him!

Thousands of pounds were raised at the Help for Haiti charity event this week at Circus in Covent Garden. The event, organised by Salmon’s son Zafar Rushdie, featured a fantastic performance by The Correspondents and attracted everybody from Princess Beatrice and her beau Dave Clark, model Olivia Inge, The Saturdays and Zoe Salmon. Guests were asked to donate on the door into the event and Bea and Dave both gave £40 each. She even filled her address out as: “Beatrice York, Royal Lodge, Windsor Great Park.” She’s a charming, normal and down-to-earth girl, people!

Brian Friedman has been a busy boy choreographing Got To Dance judge Kimberly Wyatt’s dance set for this week’s show. And he tells me she’s one of a kind. Brian says: “I’ve worked with her for years and she’s incredible. She can cut it solo and she’s going to be on stage for three and a half minutes of pure dynamite dancing. She’s a hard worker and a great judge on the show.”
The X factor creative director also tells me he has his own ideas for who should be on the judging panel for the US version of the X Factor. “They need to bring Paula Abdul back to television and she’d be brilliant on the panel,” he says. “Ideally I think it should be Simon Cowell, Paula, either Dannii Minogue or Cheryl Cole and me. Ha ha. But we’ll see. I’ll definitely be working on the show and it’s exciting. No judges are anywhere near set in stone yet.”
Watch Kimberly performing Brian’s handy work on the live semi-final of Got To Dance tonight at 6pm on Sky 1 HD. It’s the best show on TV!