Dannii, Twiggy, Lisa Snowdon, a Victoria's Secret model and Peter Kay... time for another M&S Christmas campaign

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By MAYSA RAWI

Girls on film: Lisa Snowdon, left, Dannii Minogue and VV Brown star in the new M&S Christmas campaign


The usual M&S suspects have rounded up again for a glamorous new Christmas campaign.
The feel-good advert, starring the retail chain's models Dannii Minogue, Twiggy, Lisa Snowdon, Ana Beatriz Barros, VV Brown also includes Jamie Redknapp - and Peter Kay.

The 90-second ad sees the celebrity cast dancing to a Bee Gees track You Should Be Dancing, but the comedian was reportedly kept in the dark about his dance routine until he arrived on set.


All star cast: Jamie Redknapp, VV Brown, Dannii, Twiggy, Peter Kay, Ana Beatriz Barros and Lisa Snowdon


Peter, who displayed his impressive dancing skills with two other models, said: 'Has anyone noticed that I'm the odd one out here?'

Despite his insecurities, he gained Twiggy as a fan, who claimed she couldn't keep a straight face during her scenes with the Phoenix Nights actor.

Ex footballer Jamie was let off the hook, opting to 'play the DJ' rather than have to put his lack of rhythm to the test.


Retro chic: Dannii, left, Lisa and Twiggy strike a pose in the new fashion collection


The dynamic sequence kicks off with the girls in a dance studio, choreographed by Peter Kay in a Fame-style scene.

The lively montage also sees X Factor judge Dannii and presenter Lisa in 1920s style flapper dresses, dancing the Charleston, and Victoria's Secret model Ana Beatriz strutting her stuff in sexy lingerie in a similar sequence to Beyonce's Single Ladies.

Dannii, Lisa and VV are seen in their pyjamas, singing into their hairbrushes, while Twiggy and Peter Kay tussle for the limelight dressed in slick tuxedos, reminiscent of Madonna's music video Vogue.

Jamie stars as a DJ, with Dannii, Ana Beatriz, Lisa, VV and Twiggy in glamorous party wear, shimmying in a Seventies style dance-off as they show off the new collection.


Party time: Some of the dancing sequence takes place in the disco to Bee Gees track You Should Be Dancing


The final scene sees the entire cast united together and surrounded by more than 50 dancing Santas, as the scene cuts to the line, 'Don’t put a foot wrong this Christmas.'

The extravaganza was directed by Vaughan Arnell, famous for his collaborations with Robbie Williams, having directed Rock DJ, Angels, Let Me Entertain You and Supreme.
The new ad comes as M&S launches a dedicated Christmas microsite to help guide customers organise their Christmas celebrations.

Presenter Myleene Klass fronts the store’s dedicated Christmas videos.

Steve Sharp, Marks & Spencer’s Executive Director for Marketing, said: 'This is one of the best Christmas campaigns we’ve ever put together.

'It is very glamorous and lots of fun, truly capturing the spirit of the Christmas party season.

'This is also the most integrated campaign we’ve ever put together.

'There’s a seamless transition from TV to online and we have a strong presence across all media, from mainstream TV right through to social media.'





source: dailymail [endtext]

Belle Amie accuse mentor Simon Cowell of spending more time with boy band One Direction following their X Factor exit

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By LIZ THOMAS

Exit: Belle Amie were voted off The X Factor last night after facing Katie Waissel in the final showdown


Thrown together because he did not think they would make it on their own Belle Amie struggled to make an impact on The X Factor.

Now the failed girl band have accused Simon Cowell of caring more about the ‘cute boys’ in One Direction.

Blonde Sophia Wardman insisted that they needed more help because girl groups notoriously always struggle to win over the voting public on the talent show.

The 23-year-old claimed Cowell should have spent more time helping them because One Direction - made up of five handsome teenage boys - were always going to be a hit with the audience.

The group, made up of Niall Horan, 17, Harry Styles, 16, Zain Malik, 17, Liam Payne, 17 and Louis Tomlinson, 18, already have huge fan base of teenage girls, which dominate the voting for this kind of show.

Hundreds queued up outside the Wembley Fountain Studios for a chance to glimpse them at the weekend.


Doing their thing: The girls performing during the Hallowe'en-themed show


Favourite: Belle Amie have accused Simon Cowell of spending too much of his time on One Direction


Miss Wardman explained:‘I think it’s a lot easier for the boys to do well because they’re five cute boys and the girls are always going to love them and they are really good.


‘I think for us, we just wanted a little bit more help, just because it’s harder for us to get people to like us, to get the right song and the right styling.


In an interview with Viking FM, she added: ‘You could put the boys out there in bin bags and sing Baa Baa Black Sheep and they’d go through with flying colours. I think it’s just a lot easier for them than us.’

Publicly Miss Wardman, and fellow bandmates Esther Campbell,17 Rebecca Creighton, 21, and Geneva Lane, 20, have insisted that Cowell was a great mentor but it is understood privately they felt that they needed more attention from him.

Last month, Louis Walsh accused him of only being interested in the boy band, which he manufactured at the Boot Camp stage from five individual singers.

Belle Amie have repeatedly appeared in the bottom two prompting Walsh to say on the show: ‘You've got a problem because you're on your own in this competition.

'Simon is putting all his energies into One Direction and it's not fair. You have no mentor. It's not right. They may be too afraid to say anything but I'm not.’

The group were voted off the show on Sunday night after a sing off with controversial contestant Katie Waissel.

The judges went to deadlock with each having two judges vote each, prompting producers to look at the amount of public votes each act had – with the lowest being axed from the show.

The girl group made a great show of praising Cowell after their departure claiming they had a ‘good working relationship’ and he was ‘very hands on’.

But insiders have said the music mogul knows that One Direction will be the big stars of this year’s series and are his priority.

It has also been claimed that Belle Amie simply struggle to fit together as a band – as they all wanted to be solo singers.


With their mentor: Belle Amie with their mentor Simon Cowell


The group have insisted they will stay together and try and make a career as a band but in the past month there have already been arguments behind the scenes about singing parts and styling.

Show stylist Grace Woodward said: ‘I feel Belle Amie are pulling in different directions. They are four solo girls I am not sure they have gelled as a band. ‘

Fellow contestant Matt Cardle predicted the group would split up within a few months because they ‘simply do not get on well enough’.

One Direction, mother of two Rebecca Ferguson, and Matt Cardle are the main contenders to win this year’s series.







source: dailymail
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X Factor 2010: Cher Lloyd suffered 'pikey' taunts at school because of gypsy roots

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By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

From rags to riches? Cher Lloyd, pictured here performing on the X Factor on Saturday, started life travelling around in a caravan with her parents


Cher Lloyd's family have revealed she started life on the road as a gypsy - and endured 'pikey' taunts by her cruel classmates at school.

The X Factor star was just four months old when she went to live in a second-hand caravan with parents Diane and Darren.


They lived in a Buccaneer six-berth caravan in lay-bys around Wales, towed around with a battered Ford Transit Mark II pick-up.

Cher was given hand-me-downs by her Romany gypsy aunt Lisa and was branded a 'pikey' at school by her fellow classmates.

It's a far cry from the lifestyle she is living now, where she hoping to make the big time as a pop star.

The 17-year-old hopeful, who is mentored by Cheryl Cole, was praised for her performance on Saturday, which saw her break down after singing the 1992 Shakespears Sister hit Stay.


Humble abode: A Buccaneer caravan similar to the one Cher and her young parents lived in


It was a particularly emotional night for the contestant, who is grieving the recent deaths of her great-grandmother and her uncle Edward, 34.


Safe for another week: Cher leaves the X Factor studios last night


It's the second time the fragile star has broken down on camera after initially losing the plot at the judges houses stages of the contest.

Cher's uncle, Jessy Smith, 37, lifted the lid on her Romany roots, revealing how proud he was of his niece for overcoming the hardship of her early life to make it on to the X Factor.

He told the Mirror 'Cher must be one in a million. You never see a traveller doing well on TV, let alone become a pop star. All you hear about travellers is that they leave litter, go out robbing and start fights.

'From the age of two all she wanted to do was sing. Now she's just the same as any other teenager.'

Cher's family lived the Romany lifestyle for generations with her maternal grandmother Liz, now 56, being born in a wagon.

She raised her eight children in traveller traditions before accepting council accommodation when Cher's mother Diane turned 11.

They went to live in Malvern, Worcestershire, where Diane eventually met Darren and aged 19 gave birth to Cher.

At just four months old she hit the road with her young parents and lived the gypsy lifestyle for a year.

'The caravan had a toilet, shower and gas cooker,' Jessy recalled.
'They set off around Wales, parking at the roadside for a week at a time around Swansea, Brecon and Merthyr Tydfil.

'Darren and Diane were in constant fear of someone throwing a brick through their window or of being stoned by locals who didn't want them there.'


High praise: Cher was given the thumbs by the judges following her rendition of the 1992 song


Jessy said the couple liked to dress Cher in pretty dresses with frills and lace and were given clothes handed down by Diane's sister Lisa.

Jobless landscape gardener Jessy also told how his mother's side of the family sold pegs and scrap metal while Darren did gardening work.

'When it came to Christmas there was just enough to buy Cher a rattle or a teddy bear,' he added.

But after a year on the road Cher and her parents moved back in with her grandmother Liz before later moving into a two-bedroom flat in Malvern, becoming neighbours with Jessy and his wife Hayley.

But despite settling in a house, Cher and family still visited their Romany friends and family members, and attended annual travellers' fairs in Appleby, Cumbria.

As a result Cher was often branded a 'gypo' and a 'pikey' at school, Jessy said.
Speaking of his hopes for his niece on the X Factor, he added: 'We're all rooting for her. If Cher wins I reckon I know the first thing she will do - buy her mum and dad a house of their own.'



Emotional: She broke down after her performance of Shakespears Sister hit Stay and is fragile after the recent deaths of her great-grandmother and uncle Edward


source: dailymail
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AKB48’s subunit, ‘No Sleeves’ (No3b) holds first live at campus festival

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AKB48’s subunit, ‘No Sleeves‘ (No3b) which consists of three members - Kojima Haruna, Takahashi Minami, and Minegishi Minami - delivered an energetic performance at Meiji University on October 31st. Although their main unit AKB48 visited Meiji University back in 2009, this was ‘No Sleeves’ first live event as a subunit.

They performed 9 songs, and the Meiji University was roaring that day due to the exultation of the audience.



To hear a sample of their sound, check out “Kiss no Ryuusei” from 2009:




source: tokyohive [endtext]

MBLAQ releases full music drama for Chapstick

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In late October, the boys of MBLAQ released two music videos for lip balm company Chapstick, which you can watch here and here. Many fans seemed a bit confused by those music videos, but now it has been revealed that it’s all part of a music drama that has just been released.

Check it out below!








source: allkpop
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Special online version of “Playful Kiss” will reveal steamy love scene

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Recently, we revealed that MBC’s official Youtube channel for “Playful Kiss” will release a series of special online episodes starting on November 11th.

On November 1st, Kim Hyun Joong hinted, “Expect a steamy love scene,” at the press conference in Seoul’s Coex mall earlier this afternoon.


He also commented about his “married” life, saying, “This is my second time being married because of the MBC show ‘We Got Married‘. But when it comes to dramas, it is my first time getting married.”



He added, “Since Youtube does not have strict restrictions, we were able to show a steamier love scene than on television. I believe that the couple will look more natural than on TV. Youtube is a place where netizens of the entire world can share and communicate. I hope ‘Playful Kiss’ can participate in the phenomenon and become an international icon.”


Kim Hyun Joong explained that the the Youtube episode will conclude the mini series. “The TV series ended with the marriage, but the viewers are probably more curious about the life of the newlyweds. We included episodes the viewers would have wanted to see.”

Meanwhile, the special episodes of ‘Playful Kiss’ will be divided into seven different videos, about 10 minutes each. The first episode will be posted on Tuesdays and Wednesdays starting on the 2nd.


Wait, but that’s not all! On the 17th and 18th, making-of films including special NG cuts will also be released! Although the drama itself ended, it seems like the hype has yet to fade.

Subscribe to the Youtube channel now if you haven’t done so yet!




source :allkpop [endtext]

JYJ’s “Ayyy Girl” MV is finally here!

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We know you’ve all been waiting a long time for this, but it’s finally here – Jaejoong, Yoochun, and Junsu are making their grand entrance into the international market with their “Ayyy Girl” MV!

The boys delivered an interesting video based off the ‘Gods of Olympus’ theme. Perhaps it’s a nod to their TVXQ days as the “Rising Gods of the East”? In any case, we’d love to hear about your thoughts on the MV.


source: allkpop

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