X Factor: U.S Critics Slam Steve Jones Labeling Him ‘Utterly Irrelevant’!

I was wondering how long it would take before the U.S media started tearing into X Factor host Steve Jones, after Simon Cowell handed the Welsh hunk the job of a lifetime.

Disappointingly, Jones’ performance on the show has received less-than-positive feedback, with reviewers who appear to be lining up to slam his presenting skills.

The 34-year-old ex-model was poised to become as big as American Idol star Ryan Seacrest, but so far hasn’t received many plaudits of the show, which launched in America on Wednesday night.

The New York Times has described Jones as ‘utterly irrelevant,’ while The Boston Herald‘s Mark A Perigard said he ‘is so far in the background, he might as well be on another network.’

Initially Jones was set to team up with Pussycat Dolls star Nicole Scherzinger, but she has since moved to the judging panel after Cheryl Cole was axed from the position.

But to be fair on poor Jonesy, it is only the first week and most of what we saw on the fist show was filmed months ago, the real test for Steve will come when the show goes live. By then hopefully his nerves would have had time to calm down and we’ll get to see him shine the way us Brits have on telly back in the UK… Personally, I didn’t think ol’ Stevie-boy was all that bad!

• 

Cheryl Cole is ‘Devastated’ After Being Kicked off U.S X Factor

Former Girls Aloud beauty Cheryl Cole is inconsolable since being axed from her role as a judge on U.S X Factor in favor of ex-Pussycat Dolls singer, Nicole Scherzinger, according to my close sources.

Cheryl’s mother Joan Callaghan has been by her side trying to comfort the star who flew back to the UK two days ago and is now reportedly in hiding.

A friend of the ex-judge told me, “It’s not good at all, and she is so devastated and embarrassed by the whole thing.” Adding: “This is humiliating for her in the same way it was for Kelly Brook when she was booted off Britain’s Got Talent a couple of years back, but Cheryl is a tough cookie, she’ll pull through, she is with [her mother] Joan now.”

A show insider told the Sun Newspaper yesterday the reasons for Cheryl being replaced was that she was feeling ‘homesick’. But now it’s very clear that couldn’t be further from the truth. Cheryl has had her sights set on this job for almost a year and couldn’t believe her luck when she was finally hired; it was like a dream come true. Now however, that dream is shattered and she has gone home with her tail between her legs.

My spies tell me that Cheryl’s accent was only part of the problem and the decision to pull the plug on her £1.2m contract came from the top, claiming it was a network decision and out of Simon Cowell’s hands, saying: “Simon had done everything within his power to land Cheryl the job, I’m sure he is just as disappointed.”

Both X Factor and Cole’s spokespeople are still refusing to comment on Cheryl’s unceremonious departure, but on a brighter note, having a ‘thick’ Geordie accent is hardly a crime and albeit brief, Cheryl’s connection to X Factor has certainly raised her profile here in the U.S, she is a talented girl and could easily turn this nightmare around with a bit of positive thinking. She’s still Cheryl Cole, number one popstar, former X Factor judge and Vogue covergirl…

My advice to Cheryl is pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again… I do it all the time!

UPDATE: Despite what the UK tabloids are reporting, Cheryl has made NO decision on whether or not she is to return to the UK X Factor, though disappointed (naturally) she is not snubbing ITV, nor is she furious with Simon Cowell.

• 

Simon Says Cheryl Cole’s Got the X Factor!

We have been writing about this one for ages, and finally it’s been announced that Cheryl Cole is being signed up as a judge on the US version of the X Factor, in a deal worth a whopping £3 Million…WOW!

The 27 year old former Girls Aloud singer is the first judge to be revealed on the eagerly anticipated show, aside from Simon Cowell of course. Cowell stated recently that he would “make an announcement within three or four weeks, which is going to tell everyone everything. There will be some surprises.’

Well Cheryl certainly is a surprise, as her US career is only really just starting to take off… but what a platform for the singer to make it big in America. She must be delighted.

However, there are still 2 more places on show’s US panel and as you’d expect the rumor mill is going crazy with Nicole Scherzinger being one of the favorites to also join Simon. The former member of the Pussycat Dolls stood in for UK judge, Dannii Minogue, earlier this summer and made such an impacted on Mr Cowell that she returned to the series to replace Cheryl as she recovered from Malaria back in July.

Whatever the final line up may be, I’m sure it will be a success… It’s got Mr Simon Cowell behind it… So it’s going to be HUGE when it finally hits our screen next year.

There’s just no stopping Cheryl Cole at the moment… Good luck Chezza, we’re right behind you!

• 

Kelly O: Dannii Minogue is “The Devil!”

As is to be expected, Kelly Osbourne is defending her mom (mum to our readers in the UK) Sharon by calling Dannii Minogue’s claim that Shazza is a bully false.

The feud between Minogue and mother Osbourne began when the Aussie singer worked with Sharon on The X Factor (UK) back in 2007. From early on, it was rumoured that, for various reasons, Dannii and Sharon did not see eye to eye. Shortly after Dannii joined the popular talent show, Sharon quit and was replaced by former Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Cole.

In 2009, Sharon appeared on Piers Morgan’s Life Stories and admitted she in fact quit because of her contentious relationship with Dannii. In the interview Sharon said: “I didn’t enjoy working with [Dannii] at all and didn’t fancy the prospect of spending six months sitting next to her.”

In Dannii’s new autobiography, My Story to be released on September 30, regarding her interaction with Sharon on The X Factor, Kylie’s younger sister wrote: “About 30 minutes before the live broadcast, there was an urgent knock on my dressing room door, and in bowled Sharon… Sharon demanded to know why I hadn’t gone to the press to tell them what a nice person she was… The minute she left, I burst into tears. I’d managed to hold it together while Sharon had been there, but once she’d gone I couldn’t hold it in, and I wept into my hands.”

In response to Dannii’s story, Kelly tweeted: “the best thing to happen to dannii’s career was that my mother hated her[.] she needs to shut her mouth and concenterate on motherhood! i will be the first one to admit that my mother did not play her cards right when came to dannii but trust me when i say dannii is the devil[.]”

Kel added: “Dannii you are so lucky that i respect simon enough to not tell the truth about what really happened. wa wa wa you poor middle aged victum. to the 12 dannii fans out there i ask you this question what would you do if someone wrote a book of lies about your mother? sorry i have just had to deal with this bullshit 4 years and i have kept my mouth shut but i am sick and tired of her lies enough is enough. i think you all forget i was there i saw everything and if my mum was the “bully” why was she the one [who] left [The X Factor]?”

Harsh words Kel!!! I know you’re defending your mum, but it’s a good thing you’ve been hanging out with the Pussycat Dolls, because it looks like you have a severe cat fight on your hands.

I say, let the bitchfest begin, meow!

• 

Matt Goss in Vegas: Life in the ‘Old’ Crooner Yet!

Matt Goss kicked off his new show at Caesars Palace on Friday night with support from his A-List VIP friends, Leona Lewis, Natasha Bedingfield & former Spice Girls singer Mel B, who were flown in especially from L.A to join Goss at his debut.

The show is produced by Pussycat Dolls founder Robin Antin and Matt has been rehearsing with his nine-piece band, including a new trumpet player, at Cleopatra’s Barge; he also has his sexy Dirty Virgin dancers and two backup singers.

I was quite surprised to see Matt’s chiseled face staring out at me on Vegas billboards, does this mean he might just make it America?

Crowds turned up hours before to watch the wannabe crooner prepare for his opening night, even some of his die-hard fans from back in the eighties couldn’t resist catching up with the former boyband star. Some had flown in from as far as England and Germany.

Matt said: “I think vocally I can hold my own pretty much. I’m just going to be myself and hopefully connect with the American public organically rather than being too contrived.”

I’m told the locals are hailing Goss the ‘new Sinatra’ (er, steady on people), but Matt did manage to woo the audience proving that the ex-Bros singer still hasn’t lost his touch.

One couldn’t help tapping ones toes to the tunes being belted out. However, I was rather hoping Gossy would burst into song with ‘When Will I Be Famous’, um… Again!

Check out a clip of Matt’s performance below:

•