Simon Cowell

Sinitta thought she ‘would marry’ Simon Cowell and was hit hard when he moved on.

I’m A Celeb star Sinitta has revealed the secrets of her on-off romance with Simon Cowell – and how she thought they would marry one day. The singer, 62, insisted to her I’m A Celebrity campmates she had dated former X Factor boss Cowell “on and off for 40 years”, but the relationship was not the most straight forward as during that time Cowell also had other girlfriends and “was not faithful” according to the singer.

The conversation began when Gemma Collins said she was loving not having her phone and she now understands why Simon Cowell doesn’t have a phone. Mo Farah asked Sinitta if that’s true. It was true and Gemma added: “Sinitta tries to call him and she’s got to go through two PAs, housekeepers just to get a message to him.”

Sinitta agreed and said: “And then he’ll call you”, Gemma added: “As and when he fancies.” Sinitta then told the group she had dated Cowell “on and off for 40 years”.

She added: “He wasn’t a faithful boyfriend. He won’t mind me saying it, because he knows, and I was very possessive. But he kind of likes that we can all just hang out and be friends.

“Women act crazy around Simon, especially in the American Idol, I’ve been burnt on the shoulder with a cigarette when we were dancing in a club because some woman, gorgeous model was trying to get to him.”

She reflected: “I feel like Simon loves me and cares about me, but it’s just, I think I romanticise everything. And then you see him with his partner(Lauren) and his baby, well, he’s a big boy now, and it’s like, ‘wow, okay’. Like everyone really does have their proper person.”

Cowell, 66, has been with Lauren Silverman now for over a decade and they have a 12-year-old son Eric. Sinitta said: “I was the right person for a time, but they’ve just got this whole level that we didn’t have. I think I was just probably too needy.

“I genuinely believed that we were going to get married. You know, I’m such a romantic that I think that was going to be our happy ever after, and then it wasn’t. So that was pretty hard. But then you stop growing up quickly. I have to have something that’s just from me.

“When you are In showbusiness and you are all over the place, you have to have something that’s just for me.”

Reflecting in the Bush Telegraph, Gemma said: “She was in an on and off relationship with him for over 40 years and when Sinitta rings he replies and says ‘I’ll call you tomorrow Sinitta’.

“I mean, if someone did that to me, they’d be blocked, scrubbed off the Christmas card list and yeah, I ain’t waiting around for no man to call me back.”

During the conversation it appeared that Sinitta and Gemma were talking on friendly terms. This was a sharp contrast to the previous day in camp when the pair clashed over the musical Chicago.

The pair clashed over the musical show which Sinitta has starred in and Gemma had been due to appear in 2022. Both women had the role of Matron ‘Mama’ Morton.

After the two Im A Celeb camps merged, a conversation started between the pair and Sinitta said: “What happened with Chicago? Because you were supposed to follow me as Mama Morton in Chicago, it was like announced and everything.”

Gemma replied: “I had a terrible injury… it was something to do with the insurance.” But Sinitta seemed unsure if she believed her, saying: “I’m sorry, but I’m going to admit it, when I heard you were going to do it, I thought it was a joke announcement.”

“I think you’d just presented something at an awards show and fell off the stage. It was like you were more of a comedian.”

Angry Gemma then replied: “It is not a joke Sinitta, I auditioned for it and got it fair and square. I did all the training and the voice coach.”

Posting on instagram underneath a clip of the video on Friday, Sinitta blasted ITV bosses and said the footage had edited out some of the conversation to make it look a bigger bust up. She said ITV “edited out us speaking amicably”.

She added: “We actually bonded over discussing Chicago, I didn’t call her a joke, I said I thought the announcement was a joke at the time as I had not been aware that she sang and danced etc .There was lots of gossip about it in Theatreland when she didn’t do the show.

“I gave her a chance to tell her side from the horses mouth! Think about it…. That is not rude, it’s called conversations. why do people fear open conversations ?”

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Britain’s Got Talent has been accused of a ‘fix’ after one if it’s contestant has been revealed as a West End star who appeared in the musical Lion King

A Britain’s Got Talent star’s West End past has been revealed. But now, Nic Vani has shared his dreams of finally being centre stage in a production, rather than in the background.

During his audition, Nic impressed all four judges with his impressive rendition of Circle of Life, taken from the hit musical, The Lion King.

But one explanation for his outstanding performance is the fact that he starred in the production as a performer. And according to reports, he played the iconic role of Simba.

Nic received a standing ovation from the judges, Stacey Solomon, who is standing in for Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, KSI and Alesha Dixon. And he received four yesses.

READ MORE: Amanda Holden, 55, dubbed ‘hottest girl in Miami’ as she poses in tiny string bikiniREAD MORE: Britain’s Got Talent viewers fume singer was ‘robbed’ of Golden Buzzer

Nic, a father of three, described himself as a singer, without mentioning his professional past. And the reason for appearing on the show was that he finally felt ready to take his career to the next level. During his audition, Nic said: “In my current music career, I’ve always been at the back – so now I think that it’s time for me to be on the spotlight.”

However, after his performance, viewers started to do a bit of digging and found out he was a professional singer. A source said of Nic: “Nic loves performing and has been grafting in musical theatre for decades, but he has always been the swing player waiting in the wings and never the headline West End star. BGT has opened doors for all kinds of stage talent and Nic stepping out of the shadows to show his singing to the world could be the moment to change.”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson said: “Anyone can apply for Britain’s Got Talent whether they are professional or amateur, irrespective of their experience. All contestants are auditioned on merit and judged on their performance on the day. Some of the acts appearing on the show may have tasted a level of success in their craft, but are not household names. All enter the contest with the hope of elevating their career to the highest level.”

As well as starring in The Lion King, he also landed a role in The Book of Mormon and has toured with former Strictly Come Dancing star Oti Mabuse. Fans were not happy about the revelation as they believed the show should be about discovering untapped talent. Taking to X, one person wrote: “Nic vani.. the guy who literally played Simba in The Lion King.. why are they letting people like this on #bgt ??”

And his celebrity links were also on full display as Oti took to Instagram and wrote: “I love you so much and I hope this is the start of a beautiful journey for you.”

Although many were unhappy about his inclusion, others celebrated his talent as they felt he should have been given the coveted golden buzzer.

Another viewer said: “This man was phenomenal!!!! And should have had the golden buzzer!!! His performance made the hairs on my neck and spine stand on end!! Amazing!!!!”‘

Another act that was given Stacey’s golden buzzer was a primary school group who performed a unique version of All Things Bright And Beautiful. But within the song they then paused and performed a comedy skit.

Nic may be wanting to follow in the footsteps of BGT legend Susan Boyle, who shot to fame back in 2009 with her rendition of I Dreamed A Dream.

Following her performance, she made it to the final but lost out on winning the competition to dance group Diversity. Susan is now worth an estimated £22 million and has finally moved out of her childhood home.

Susan, who recently celebrated her 65th birthday, showed off her transformation. And fans were so taken aback by her news look, they said that the TV personality was ageing “backwards.”

Sharing a snap of her in a football shirt, showing off her blonde hair she captioned the post saying: “I’m so proud to support the wonderful charity, Street Soccer Scotland. I’ve absolutely loved getting my hands on this beautiful limited edition Street Soccer Scotland x Timorous Beasties football shirt.”

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Emma Chawner, a legendary contestant on The X Factor, shared her impressive 16 stone weight loss journey amid the tragic loss of both her mum and dad as well as her dog

One of The X Factor’s most unforgettable contestants left fans stunned after revealing an astonishing 16-stone weight loss. Emma Chawner first captured public attention aged just 17 when she and her family had a memorable encounter with judges Simon Cowell, Dannii Minogue, Sharon Osbourne, and Louis Walsh after being turned away from the competition in 2007.

Now in her late 30s, Emma has achieved a stunning transformation, emphasising that her dramatic weight loss was accomplished entirely without surgery, as she revealed during a 2019 appearance on ITV’s Lorraine. Taking to Instagram at the time, Emma also shared striking before-and-after photographs, captioning one: “5years down and 16st 4 lost im still losing it but very slow now.”

Admirers were swift to praise her achievement, with messages including: “Fantastic, you look amazing,” and “You look so beautiful and pretty! Please remember weight can not be defined by age, weight, or gender. Your beauty has always shined through! I’m glad to see you! Bless you love!”

Speaking candidly to Lorraine, who had previously extended support to help her family tackle their weight struggles, Emma revealed that her motivation stemmed from the heartbreaking loss of her beloved pet dog and the emotional turmoil surrounding her parents’ separation. Tragically, Emma’s mother died aged 73 in January 2024, with her father passing away in December that same year.

Sadly, Emma was forced to start a GoFundMe in an attempt to raise £2,200 for her dad’s funeral, but only appeared to raise £820 through the website. At the time, she posted her appeal, saying: “I would appreciate any help towards he funeral because at time it’s really hard for me and to pay for it and I really want my dad to have a good send off any amount of money would be greatly appreciated.” Heartbreakingly, she continued: “I don’t have any family left people that know me I hate asking for help put this time i have no choice.”

In a candid conversation with Lorraine, Emma emphasised her weight loss resolve, stating: “No one’s pushed me to do it, I’ve done it all myself. I was always out of breath and diabetic.”

She refuted suggestions from doubters that she had undergone weight loss surgery and voiced her intention to shed a few more pounds, affirming: “I’m happy with how I am and it’s not far to go.”

Emma initially took a shot at fame on The X Factor in 2007 but was met with a firm rejection. Undeterred, she returned to the stage in 2009 alongside her sister Samantha, who married in XXX.

However, Emma faced another setback as she was handed four no’s from the judges, with Cheryl observing, “Emma, I have to say, you’re definitely more confident when you’ve got your sister with you. But nothing else has really improved unfortunately.”

With her singing aspirations momentarily put on hold, Emma participated in Lorraine Kelly’s Big Fat Challenge, a weight loss initiative. She continued her slimming journey after the show, attributing her success to a 30-day detox and healthy habits such as eliminating snacks and staying hydrated.

Prior to joining Lorraine’s programme and seeking advice from diet experts, Emma believed her size was due to genetics, asserting, “It’s not because of what I’ve eaten. It’s because of the genes in my family. Mum’s big, dad’s big, my sister’s big. No-one’s thin in our house.” She had previously been forced to live in a car after her family was reportedly booted out of their home.