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Simon Cowell reveals singer Cheryl turned down Britain’s Got Talent judging role
Updated / Monday, 17 Feb 2025 21:00
Simon Cowell has labelled Amanda Holden the “Britain’s Got Talent queen” as he revealed singer Cheryl turned down a judging role on the show.
The popular ITV talent show returns for its 18th series on Saturday with judges Cowell, Holden, singer Alesha Dixon and former Strictly Come Dancing judge Bruno Tonioli.
TV duo Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly return to host the show, with social media star and musician KSI joining the panel as a guest judge.
Cowell said of 54-year-old TV and radio presenter Holden, who has been on the judging panel since the first series, that the secret to her BGT success is that she “loves the acts”.
He explained: “That’s her, she honestly loves it. You know, every time I talk to her it makes me laugh because I say, ‘you are loving this, aren’t you?.’
“Because there are days where I’m knackered and there’s still an hour to go.
“And I’m like, wow, it’s been a long day, and she’s like, ‘yeah, but it’s brilliant, isn’t it?.’
“She is our Britain’s Got Talent queen and she deserves that crown.”
The music mogul added: “And you know what? She was an interesting booking because we’d offered the role to Cheryl Cole, as she was known in those days.
“A week before filming, she calls me and goes, ‘I just can’t do it’ and wouldn’t give me a reason. I think she was freaked out.
“We literally had two judges and a week to book someone. I just knew it had to be Amanda because I’d met her and I really liked her, she was very funny and I just thought she’d fit the show perfectly.
“Fast forward 18 years and she’s still a huge success and we have become great friends. I do consider her one of my best friends.”
Girls Aloud member Cheryl has previously been a judge on Cowell’s former ITV singing show The X Factor, serving on its panel from 2008 to 2010, joining the show’s US version in 2011, before returning between 2014 and 2015.
Syco Entertainment boss Cowell went on to speak about a near death experience he went through while filming the latest series when he was asked to lay next to a line of watermelons as a contestant smashed them with a sledgehammer.
The 65-year-old said: “It’s that feeling when you kind of think somebody doesn’t want you on the show anymore. It was that.
“It was the closest, genuinely, where I’m thinking, ‘they actually want to kill me.’
“And I swear to God, that’s how I felt because this guy got really nervous and he’d slipped and was shaking as he was smashing these watermelons.
“The health and safety guys, normally quite annoying, actually stopped him. Thank god, they saved my life.”
Host McPartlin said he and the rest of the cast were “scared for Simon Cowell’s life” and added that there is “a lot of danger” in this year’s series.
Last year’s series of Britain’s Got Talent was won by singer Sydnie Christmas, who sung Somewhere Over The Rainbow in the show’s final winning with 27.2% of the vote.
She beat out numerous other contestants including runner-up Jack Rhodes, a magician, and third-placed dance duo Abigail And Afronitaaa.
The show has run since 2007 and has produced winners including Susan Boyle, Paul Potts and Diversity.
The series’ champion receives £250,000 in prize money and the opportunity to perform at the Royal Variety Performance.
Britain’s Got Talent will return on Saturday, 22 February, at 7pm on Virgin Media One.
Source: Press Associationc
World’s most expensive home to be worth US$1 billion
Kylie Dulhunty News RoomOctober 26, 2023
1 minute read
Ken Griffin is building the world’s most expensive home. Image: Stoev Design Group, Courtesy Town Of Palm Beach
Ken Griffin is building the world’s most expensive home. Image: Stoev Design Group, Courtesy Town Of Palm Beach
Ken Griffin is building the world’s most expensive home. Image: Stoev Design Group, Courtesy Town Of Palm Beach
Ken Griffin is building the world’s most expensive home. Image: Stoev Design Group, Courtesy Town Of Palm Beach
Ken Griffin is building the world’s most expensive home. Image: Stoev Design Group, Courtesy Town Of Palm Beach
Ken Griffin is building the world’s most expensive home. Image: Stoev Design Group, Courtesy Town Of Palm Beach
Ken Griffin is building the world’s most expensive home. Image: Stoev Design Group, Courtesy Town Of Palm Beach
Ken Griffin is building the world’s most expensive home. Image: Stoev Design Group, Courtesy Town Of Palm Beach
Ken Griffin is building the world’s most expensive home. Image: Stoev Design Group, Courtesy Town Of Palm Beach
Ken Griffin is building the world’s most expensive home. Image: Stoev Design Group, Courtesy Town Of Palm Beach
Ken Griffin is building the world’s most expensive home. Image: Stoev Design Group, Courtesy Town Of Palm Beach
Ken Griffin is building the world’s most expensive home. Image: Stoev Design Group, Courtesy Town Of Palm Beach
Ken Griffin is building the world’s most expensive home. Image: Stoev Design Group, Courtesy Town Of Palm Beach
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Billionaire Ken Griffin is raising the bar on luxury living with plans to build the world’s most expensive home in Palm Beach, Florida.
Known for his financial acumen as the founder and chief executive officer of hedge fund Citadel, Griffin is a familiar face in this elite coastal enclave.
Griffin has acquired more than 20 acres of prime real estate in a town famous for its wealth and extravagance.
But he’s not stopping there.
The mogul has demolished the existing structures on the property, planning to spend an eye-watering US$150 million to US$400 million to construct a home estimated to be worth US$1 billion upon completion, according to the New York Post.
This ambition outshines even Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trump’s famed residence, in terms of acreage.
The estate, positioned a mere quarter mile south of Mar-a-Lago on the stretch known as “Billionaires’ Row,” will sit on 27 acres of beachfront property that Griffin has amassed over the years.
The house alone will cover 4645sq m, including a service basement, and will feature contemporary architecture and lavish amenities.
Initial plans suggest a grand swimming pool stretching from the residence to a sprawling lawn, providing a tranquil, picture-perfect setting.
Although the project’s exact cost remains undisclosed, Griffin has allocated hundreds of millions for its construction.
His spokesperson, Zia Ahmed, attributes the soaring property values in South Florida to the region’s pro-growth and pro-business policies.
“Palm Beach real estate is among the most valuable in the world,” she told the New York Post.
The colossal estate will initially serve as a residence for Griffin’s mother, Catherine Gratz Griffin, before ultimately becoming Griffin’s retirement home.
His decade-long, US$450 million investment in acquiring and preparing the land underscores his long-term commitment to this monumental project.
Renderings of the property reveal opulent designs that include intricately landscaped gardens and a caretaker’s cottage.
Large windows framing the Atlantic Ocean give a glimpse into the life of unparalleled luxury that awaits.
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This venture marks a milestone not only in Griffin’s real estate endeavours but also sets a new benchmark for high-end properties globally.
Construction is already underway, and the world watches with bated breath as Griffin’s billion-dollar vision comes to life.
