Size 32 mother who struggled to take daughter to playground without getting out of breath loses 17 STONE

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

New look: Viikki Billingham stands proudly in a size 12 black dress after losing a whopping 17 stone

A mother who struggled to take her young daughter to the playground without getting out of breath is celebrating after losing an incredible 17stone.

Vikki Billingham, who tipped the scales at a staggering 27 stone, could barely manage a trip to the shops and was embarrassed to go out most of the time.

The mother-of-two from the West Midlands found it difficult to get clothes to fit her size 32 figure and her weight was preventing her from being active with her young daughter.


Before: Vikki used to tip the scales at a staggering 27 stone before her weight loss


Before, she said, her diet was full of ‘all the wrong things’ - a lot of bread, fried food and takeaways, and very little fruit and vegetables.

Now she cooks everything from scratch eating fresh fruit and vegetables and fish.

As well as the diet, Vikki said she started going on three walks a week, and in January this year joined a gym to improve her fitness and lose the two pounds that will take her to her ideal weight.

‘It has changed my life completely - I do things now that I never would have dreamed of doing just a few years ago,’ she added.

source: dailymail

Pictured: Michael Douglas and wife Catherine Zeta-Jones smoking... seven months after he beat throat cancer

By CHRIS JOHNSON

Up in smoke: Michael Douglas smokes what appears to be a cigarette while aboard a yacht in the Italian Riviera last month

In January Michael Douglas proclaimed he was confident he'd beaten throat cancer.

But as these photos show, it seems the 66-year-old is struggling to keep his nicotine addiction under control.

The Hollywood actor is seen here smoking what appeared to be a hand-rolled cigarette while aboard a yacht on a recent holiday in the Italian Riviera.


Double trouble: His wife Catherine Zeta-Jone was also seen puffing away during the break

His wife Catherine Zeta-Jones, who supported her husband through his stage IV cancer battle last year, was also clocked with a cigarette in hand during the break.

To many, the image of the couple smoking just seven months after Douglas returned to health may come as a something of a shock.


Hard habit to kick: A recent study showed that it is not uncommon for cancer patients and their family members to continue smoking after diagnosis

However, statistcs show it is not uncommon for people who develop cancer to continue smoking after diagnosis.

A recent U.S. study by Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center found that up to 18 per cent of lung cancer patients continue to smoke after discovering they have the illness.

And around 25 per cent of family members also kept up the habit, despite having watched their loved one's battle the condition.


source: dailymail

Woman, 22, grows full-sized nipple on the sole of her FOOT

By FIONA ROBERTS

Unique: Extra nipples are usually found above the bellybutton, and doctors say it's the first time they have ever seen one on somebody's foot


Lily Allen proudly showed hers off on television, Mark Wahlberg's famous for his and just last week, Zac Efron was forced to deny he has two.

But a 22-year-old woman has trumped them all - by growing a full-sized extra nipple on the sole of her foot.


Read more...

Light as a feather! How Pauline Quirke shed a third of her body weight

By LIZ THOMAS

Super slimmer: Emmerdale star Pauline Quirke shed a third of her body weight after she was told she was obese


It was the shock she needed after her weight hit 19st 6lb.

Pauline Quirke was told she was 'severely obese' and warned that one her hips had worn away because of the weight on it.

Seven months after that wake-up call the actress says she is a new woman after losing a third of her body weight.


Big star: Pauline as she was ten years ago


The 51-year-old former star of Birds of a Feather revealed she dropped an astonishing 6st 6lbs and is now 13st.

She confessed the discovery that she was categorised as severely obese made her take stock of her life.

She was also told by doctors that, because one of her joints had worn away, she needed a hip replacement.


Acting up: Currently starring in Emmerdale, Pauline plays mourning mother Hazel Rhodes


'I hadn't weighed myself for many, many years. Then just before Christmas, I got on the scales and it said 19st 6lbs. I was so shocked,' she told Woman magazine.


The latest issue of Woman is out now


She opted to go on the controversial 500 calorie-a-day Lighter Life diet, in which meals are switched for shakes, soups and snack bars, put together in food packs.

Those going on the programme need to have medical approval and have to have a health check every month.

Miss Quirke, who is now the face of the brand, said: 'I've never been hungry.

source: dailymail

How to tame your tum: Is yours a spare tyre or a stress bulge? Finding out your tummy type is the key to getting a perfect midriff

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER


Get a flat stomach: First you need to identify your tunny type


For many women, getting bikini ready means tackling one dreaded area in particular — our tummies.

Most of us still think the best way to achieve a washboard stomach is by doing hundreds of sit-ups. Not so, says A-list trainer and body guru James Duigan.

James, who sculpts supermodels Elle Macpherson and Rosie Huntingdon-Whiteley among others, insists there is no ‘one size fits all’ method for getting a flat belly.

Instead, he’s identified five key ‘tummy types’, all of which require a different approach to achieve successful toning.

Once you’ve identified your type, you can transform it following James’ tailor-made plan and get that flat tummy fast.



THE SPARE TYRE TUMMY
The spare tyre: This is one of the easiest tummy troubles to eliminate because it's caused by eating the wrong foods and not exercising enough


HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE
These people are likely to lead sedentary lives, perhaps with jobs that keep them desk-bound. They may also have an emotional attachment to sugary foods.
Luckily, this ‘spare tyre’ is one of the easiest tummy troubles to eliminate as, according to James, it’s caused by eating the wrong foods and not exercising enough.

TYPICAL BAD HABITS
‘If you exercise very little, eat lots of sugar and refined carbohydrates in products like biscuits, cakes and white bread, or rely on starchy carbs like pasta and rice, you probably have an overweight tummy with accompanying fat on your legs and hips,’ says James.



THE STRESS TUMMY
Stress tummy: These types are typically over-achievers with perfectionist personalities


HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE
Stressed-tummy types are typically over-achievers with perfectionist personalities. They are usually also susceptible to digestive conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which can cause bloating and make their tummies look far worse.
‘Stress tummies are easy to spot, as the weight is specific to the front of the midriff and the umbilical area,’ explains James. ‘When stressed, we produce cortisol, a hormone which encourages the body to cling on to fat around the stomach.’
Stressed tummies will also be fairly hard to the touch, rather than wobbly.

TYPICAL BAD HABITS
It’s likely you skip meals, abuse your adrenal system with too much caffeine and grab junk food for convenience.



THE LITTLE POOCH
The little pooch: These women are likely to be busy mums or have demanding careers - hey may even be a gym junkie


HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE
These women are likely to be busy mums or have demanding careers. ‘They may even be a gym junkie, but stuck in a workout-and-diet rut, perhaps always eating the same foods and doing the same routine at the gym, which keeps you slim but leaves you with a lower belly that spoils your silhouette,’ says James.

TYPICAL BAD HABITS
‘Doing excessive crunches and using gimmicky gym items such as ab-rollers can place a strain on the hip flexors and the lower back, causing the tummy muscles to protrude so your belly sticks out,’ says James.



THE MUMMY TUMMY
The Mummy tummy: Women with these bellies have usually given birth in the past few years, and, being a typical mum, have little time for themselves


HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE
Women with these tummies have usually given birth in the past few years, and, being a typical mum, have little time for themselves. ‘After giving birth, the uterus drops and is much heavier than it was pre-pregnancy,’ says James. ‘It takes at least six weeks to return to its usual size, so don’t even think about trying to get a flat stomach until after then.

‘You need to re-train your pelvic floor and lower abs to increase blood flow and strengthen loose muscles.’

TYPICAL BAD HABITS
Rushing back to exercise too quickly. ‘I would suggest waiting around two to three months,’ says James. ‘Being stressed about getting rid of your baby weight will only make you cling onto it more. Give yourself a break!’



THE BLOATED TUMMY
Bloated tummies: These are often flat in the morning, but swell throughout the day with gas or indigestion


HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE
Bloated tummies are often flat in the morning, but swell throughout the day with gas or indigestion. Bloating affects both slim and overweight women. It is almost always caused by food intolerances and allergies, or sluggish bowels as a result of a poor diet.

TYPICAL BAD HABITS
You eat the same foods and may have done so for a lifetime without realising you’re intolerant to them.


source : dailymail

Boy with cerebral palsy walks for the first time after £45,000 operation in U.S.

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

New independence: Robin takes his first steps at home watched by his proud mother Natalie, after his operation in America


A football-mad six-year-old has walked on his own for the first time - after well-wishers raised £45,000 for life-changing surgery in America.

Robin Carter from Earby in Lancashire, needed a frame because he was born with a debilitating disease, but he has now taken his first 100 steps without help.

His mother Natalie said he's now desperate to have a kickabout with his pals after undergoing intensive physiotherapty sessions back at home.


Before the op: Robin, pictured here aged 5, could only walk with the aid of a special frame


Robin has spastic diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy that is caused by a type of brain damage at birth.

He nderwent two operations in St Louis, Missouri last month called selective dorsal rhizotomy and has amazed doctors with his progress.

Ms Carter said: 'We're just taking each day as it comes at the moment. I just keep thinking that come Christmas I'll be able to buy him his little wellies so he can play out in winter.'

She added: 'If he's looking at somebody else and we're telling him to keep his feet straight then he can do it, which is just brilliant.

A few days after undergoing his first operation, Robin had to go under the knife again.

Years of walking on his toes had caused them to shorten, so he needed surgery to have his hamstrings and heel cords lengthened.



Building confidence: Robin hopes with time he will be able to play football with his friends


Natalie, who made the trip to American with Robin's father Martin, said both operations were successful.

She said: 'The second operation went really well and he was out within the day.

'He keeps putting mirrors everywhere so he can see his feet because it really spurs him on - they look great.'

Robin was born eight weeks prematurely and diagnosed with spastic diplegia, a neuromuscular disease, when he was two.

Family and friends raised the £45,000 needed to pay for the surgery through a variety of events.

Natalie said: 'Everybody has been brilliant and we're so grateful.

'People are still organising things to help fund Robin's aftercare and we're hoping to get him a treadmill.

'Before the future would have seen him in a wheelchair, but now we will see him running around and playing with his friends, which is fantastic.'

source: dailymail

For Bea, what a difference three years makes as self-conscious teen is transformed into glam princess

By FAY SCHLESINGER

What a difference: Princess Beatrice shows off her glamorous frame which is the result of a strict fitness regime after an unflattering photo of her in a bikini was published in 2008


Growing up in spotlight is never easy.

But these days Princess Beatrice cuts a much more confident figure.

The 22-year-old student showed off the full extent of her stunning weight loss this weekend, as she holidayed with her long-term boyfriend Dave Clark on a £400,000-a-week super-yacht in the South of France.


Yippee! Beatrice leaps into the air on the end of this trapeze before plunging into the Mediterranean


As she sunned herself off the coast of Antibes, Beatrice’s black strapless swim suit displayed her slender frame to perfection.

And while the frills across her chest and hips highlighted the curves inherited from her mother the Duchess of York, the Queen’s granddaughter showed that she has kept up the regime developed with her personal fitness instructor in the lead-up to last year’s London Marathon.


Can't take my eyes off you: Dave Clark smiles as his girlfriend Beatrice leaves the water in Antibes, Southern France


Her toned appearance on Sunday was a far cry from pictures of the princess in a tight blue bikini in the Caribbean in 2008, which spurred her into vowing to shed her puppy fat.

Beatrice told the Daily Mail at the time: ‘It was such an unflattering bikini and I've got one that's so much nicer, so I could have kicked myself for wearing it.


Making a splash: Dave Clark leaps into the sea from a jetty where the yacht was moored in the Mediterranean


Slimline: The Princess's one-piece swimsuit perfectly showed off her frame with the frills helping to highlight the curves she has inherited from her mother


Surf's up! Beatrice and Dave also had fun on a pair of jet-skis


'I thought people were a bit mean, although I know it comes with the territory. The trouble is, I don't have much confidence so it can be quite upsetting. I could probably do with losing the odd pound though, so perhaps it is the kick I need.'

But this weekend the royal’s self-assurance was palpable as she changed into a bikini and let down her auburn locks.

Watched by admiring friends on the 195ft German-built Oasis yacht where she and 29-year-old Mr Clark are thought to have stayed as guests, Beatrice leapt into the air on the end of a trapeze before plunging into the Mediterranean.

An equally svelte Mr Clark, a millionaire’s son who works for Virgin tycoon Sir Richard Branson, executed an impressive back-flip from the boat’s second deck.

The six-berth yacht comes with a crew of 15 and a gym that transforms into a private nightclub. According to online advertisements, it can be chartered for between £285,000 and £418,000 a week.


Testing the water: Beatrice dips her toes into the Mediterranean before taking a dip with her boyfriend


That's enough: Following her swim the Princess returns to the boat - which houses a gym that transforms into a private nightclub


Luxury on the waves: The Princess and her boyfriend are staying on a £400,000-a-week yacht


Beatrice, who has faced a similar battle with yo-yoing weight as Sarah Ferguson, has previously put her transformation down to trainer Nadya Fairweather, whose help she enlisted in the lead-up to the London Marathon.

She is also understood to have embarked on a diet that centres on eating fresh fruit and drinking plenty of water.

Beatrice and her boyfriend have been dating for five years since meeting at a birthday party for Sean Brosnan, youngest son of James Bond actor Pierce, in 2006.

The fifth in line to the throne has just finished a three-year course in history and history of ideas at Goldsmiths College in South London.

Rather than becoming a full-time royal, she is expected to get a job once she has graduated, possibly in the field of art, fashion or charity work.



source :dailymail

An 18in waist and size three feet: Former anorexic's life-sized Barbie reveals bizarre - and dangerous

By TAMARA ABRAHAM

Scary figure: Galia Slayen's life-size Barbie is 5ft 9in tall, has a 39in bust, a tiny 18in waist and 33in hips. A real woman with the same dimensions would weigh just 110lb, giving her a BMI of 16.24

She's been a favourite with young girls for decades. But a life-sized Barbie is being used to demonstrate just how unhealthy the doll's proportions would be on a real woman.

The mannequin, which stands 5ft 9in tall, has a 39in bust, a tiny 18in waist and 33in hips. Even her feet would be disproportionate, at a tiny U.S. size 3.

Galia Slayen, who made the model, revealed that a real woman with the same dimensions would weigh just 110lb, giving her a BMI of 16.24 - a figure associated with eating disorders.


Unbalanced: If Miss Slayen's mannequin was a real woman, she would have to walk on all fours due to her proportions. The doll was made to highlight the dangers of eating disorders


She told the Huffington Post: 'If Barbie were an actual woman, she would be 5ft 9in tall, have a 39in bust, an 18in waist, 33in hips and a size 3 shoe.

'She likely would not menstruate... she'd have to walk on all fours due to her proportions.'

Miss Slayen, a former anorexia sufferer, knows the implications of being underweight all too well, and built the doll as part of her recovery and as a means of raising awareness about the dangers of eating disorders.

The giant Barbie, made from chicken wire and papier mache, is now on show at Hamilton College, Oregon, where Miss Slayen is a student, as part of its National Eating Disorder Awareness Week (NEDAW).


Painful reminder: The former anorexic dressed her doll in a size double zero skirt she wore at her thinnest


She told CBS News: 'The goal of Barbie is to get just get people's attention. [Eating disorders are] very prevalent and not talked about.

'It's sensationalised in the media every time a star loses weight, but this is a very internal struggle.'

Miss Slayen, who played with Barbie dolls as a child said that her own weight problems began when she was 15.

She revealed that a troubled relationship with her parents and pressure from her peers drove her to excessive calorie-counting and exercise - something that became an obsession.

She explained: 'I was living on my own and trying to figure out how I was going to survive. My life was completely out of control and it was the one thing I was able to control - the hours at the gym, the calories I was in-taking. It's a means to control your life.'


source: dailymail

'There is no need to suffer silently,' says Catherine Zeta-Jones as she heads back to work

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Feeling better: The actress looked relaxed and happy as she returned to work in Louisiana today, where she is filming Playing the Field alongside Gerard Butler


Just a week has passed since she revealed she was being treated for bipolar disorder.
But it was showbusiness as usual for Catherine Zeta-Jones when she returned to work yesterday.

The actress looked elegant and glamorous in a ruched silk top as she began shooting romantic comedy Playing the Field in Louisiana.


Smiles: The actress returned to work on the same day she appeared on the front cover of People
And yesterday, it looked


The 41-year-old’s appearance on the film set came after she revealed she went public with her diagnosis to help other sufferers.

And Zeta-Jones is hoping her admission will encourage others with the condition to seek treatment.

She told People magazine: 'There is no shame in seeking help.


Battle: Michael Douglas, who took his daughter Carys to school today, is recovering from throat cancer


'This is a disorder that affects millions of people and I am one of them,' she adds in a statement. 'If my revelation of having bipolar II has encouraged one person to seek help, then it is worth it.'

In early April, the star checked into Silver Hill Hospital, a mental health facility in Connecticut, where she spent five days receiving treatment for bioplar II disorder.

She sought help after struggling to cope with the trauma of husband Michael Douglas’s battle with throat cancer.


Treatment: Catherine is said to have checked in to the Silver Hill mental health hospital in Connecticut in early April


source:dailymail

Zeta tries retail therapy - with her little girl's help

By RYAN KISIEL

Support: Catherine Zeta-Jones, pictured for the first time since her treatment for bipolar II, with daughter Carys in New York


Just days earlier she was checking herself into a mental health clinic.

But as she was pictured in public for the first time since her treatment, Catherine Zeta-Jones appeared relaxed and cheerful.

And the troubled actress had plenty of support in the form of her seven-year-old daughter Carys, who clutched her hand tightly as the pair went shopping.


Cool and calm: Wearing a top that matched her daughter's, they visited a cafe with a friend and enjoyed the sunshine


Wearing matching blue and white striped tops, mother and daughter visited a cafe with a friend and strolled in the sun.

An observer who saw the pair in upstate New York on Friday said: ‘Catherine looked in astonishing shape considering she’s been through such a rough time.

‘Her daughter was clearly delighted to be with her. They look so happy together. It shows what a strong woman she is.’


Hand-in-hand: Michael Douglas takes daughter Carys to the New York Rangers game


The 41-year-old, who revealed last week that she has bipolar II disorder, spent five days at the £770-a-day Silver Hill psychiatric hospital in New Canaan, Connecticut, near her country estate.

She sought help after struggling to cope with the trauma of husband Michael Douglas’s battle with throat cancer.

‘She’s feeling great and looking forward to starting work this week on two upcoming films.’

On Friday, the couple were spotted ay a pizza take-away in Greenwich, Connecticut.
The actress, 41, and her 66-year-old husband stopped by Pizza Post parlour for their modest take-away snack.

Onlookers say that the couple looked happy as they waited for their meal.


BIPOLAR DISORDER EXPLAINED: Catherine Zeta-Jones being treated


source: dailymail

Charlie Sheen's ex wife Denise Richards enjoys yoga by the sea

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Yummy mummy: Denise Richards shows off her beautiful form by the ocean in Nassau, the Bahamas


While her ex-husband Charlie Sheen continues his manic tour across the US, Denise Richards decided to go in search of inner peace in the Bahamas.

It's something that must be hard to find, with the father of her two daughters issuing forth blistering invective in venues across her homeland.

To make things worse, the venomous rants in his Torpedoes of Truth tour are frequently aimed at his former wife.


Yogi Bare: The actress looked stunning with minimal make-up on her face as she trained with master


Richards though, seems to have settled upon a spiritual solution to the turmoil and was quick to transport their daughters Sam, seven, and Lola, five , far away from news of their father's latest antics.

And the 40-year-old looked radiant and content for it, as she showed off her fine form in various complicated yoga positions in Nassau last Thursday.

Former Dancing with the Stars contestant, Richards, even had her own yogi to instruct in advanced positions and meditation by the beautiful ocean.


Inner peace: Richards looks calm after her session by the ocean, despite the turmoil in her personal life


Rant: Sheen has slated Richards


Richards is spending much time by the ocean in this tumultuous period and found unexpected inspiration in the form of former Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger's wife Maria Shriver, 55 , on the beach.

She tweeted to the journalist and author, who has been happily married to the Terminator star turned politician for 24 years: 'Great seeing you and your beautiful family. Everyone on the beach was talking about how pretty you are.'

Shriver returned the compliment by revealing her children had said she could take 'tips' from Richards, but the mum-of-two responded: 'thats very sweet. you don't need any! but next time I get married, I want marriage tips:)'


source: dailymail

How does 'addicted to fries' Kim Kardashian keep her killer curves? Reality TV star displays healthy appetite at lunch

By SARAH FITZMAURICE

Healthy appetite: Kim enjoyed a lunch date with a friend and tucked into a burger complete with french fries and a muffin washed down with a cola


As a glamour model and page three pin up she is the envy of many girls who wish they could have her killer curves.

But fans of Kim Kardashian may be surprised and pleased to learn just how she keeps her voluptuous curves.

The 30-year-old reality TV star showed a healthy appetite as she dined at a Breadbar restaurant with a friend yesterday.

Kim, tucked into a hearty meal of burger and fries, complete with ketchup and mayonnaise, before finishing off with a muffin.

And with most Hollywood starlets often seen pushing their salads around the plate it must have been refreshing for diners to see the TV star enjoying her food.

In fact Kim was happy for the meal to be filmed as part of her reality show and as she tucked into her food assistants fixed her mic.


Killer curves: Before lunch Kim indulged in a spot of retail therapy and showed off her enviable curves in a pair of tight leather trousers


The model joked on Twitter: ‘I am addicted to french fries! #help’
Whatever her diet and exercise regime, it is clearly working as she was looking slim but curvy in a pair of tight leather trousers white shirt and a grey jumper.

As usual she teetering on sky-high black Christian Louboutin shoes and had enjoyed a spot of shopping before stopping for the bite to eat.


Good food: After hitting the shops Kim joined a friend and enjoyed burger and fries, bread, coleslaw and finished off with a muffin


Tasty treat: As an assistant fixed her mike Kim enjoyed a muffin to end her meal


The socialite indulged in a spot of retail therapy at Diavolina and didn’t leave empty handed.

Earlier in the day Kim was spotted heading to the International Dance Academy studio for a little workout.

The singer went for a bright and bold look teaming and bright pink jacket with matching trainers for her trip to the studio and as usual she had her camera crew in tow.


Keeping shape: Earlier in the day Kim was spotted heading to a dance class with her camera crew in tow


But while she was dressed in comfy clothes, by her own standards at least, Kim was wearing a full face of make-up as she made her way to the exercise session.

The day before Kim had posted a snap of her 13-year-old self and long-time friend Nicole Ritchie, then 12 to her blog as a treat for fans.

Fresh-faced and sported a number of period haircuts which Kim was quick to dismiss.
She posted:'Look at how short my hair was!'


source: dailymail

The cat that got the dream: Nicole Scherzinger says goodbye to the Dolls

By LIZ JONES

'I don't really like the Wag tag because I think it's demeaning. I mean, I'm an independent woman, says Nicole


Having slogged hard to get to the top, former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger is a lot more relaxed on the diet and fitness front these days. But that certainly doesn’t mean her solo ambitions are taking a back seat to F1 beau Lewis Hamilton’s career, as Liz Jones discovers

I have a Pussycat Doll (well, a former Pussycat Doll) in my hotel room. She keeps ordering food, and glasses of white wine, which is something celebrities, especially female celebrities, rarely do. I keep thinking of all the men I could send a text message to who would be driven insane with jealousy that Nicole Scherzinger is perched on the end of my bed.

She is all in black – skin-tight jeans, curvy jacket – and she’s complaining about the cold: London is in the grip of a deep freeze. ‘I live in California!’ she cries. ‘Please can I shut the window?’


Nicole with F1 boyfriend Lewis Hamilton, left, and performing on The X Factor


If there is one woman in the world who can outdo Cheryl Cole in the incredibly, outrageously groomed glamour-puss stakes, it’s 32-year-old Nicole.

When she stood in for Cheryl as a judge on The X Factor, her lashes were longer, her black hair reached that impossibly round posterior, the clothes seemed airbrushed on to her naturally honeyed skin, and her affinity with the contestants bordered on the motherly. She was hilarious, rather than always being on the verge of crocodile tears.

To one clearly hopeless hopeful she said, deadpan, ‘You need to work on your vocals.’ She spotted the potential of eventual runner-up Rebecca Ferguson after about one perfect note. ‘She reminds me a little bit of Billie Holiday, maybe Aretha Franklin meets Etta James,’ she says today. ‘It’s just that really, really, you know, dirty-sounding voice.’


Nicole speaks in that slightly hushed, soft whisper beloved of so many American stars, but the gentle tones belie the fact that she possesses what is clearly an inner core of titanium. I’ve been reading her Tweets, and it seems 17-hour days are routine.

The morning after we meet she says she has to be up at five. When I ask what she is going to do with the one evening she has free in London, she replies, ‘I am going to watch a film in my room and order room service!’

But when I ask how on earth she finds the time to maintain a body like hers – she’s a UK size 8 – she says she has in fact become more relaxed about her body, and is 11lb heavier than in her Pussycat heyday. She used to do that Los Angeles thing of never eating after 7pm, but with me she is tucking into the olives as if there’s no tomorrow, and it’s almost 7.30! ‘I’m a perfectionist, but I have been trying to be a little easier on myself,’ she says.


‘I love my pasta, my chocolate; I cook when I can. I love making down-home Southern cooking, and just chilling and having cakes and pies and baking stuff, you know. I’m a pretty simple girl. I’m eating now with you because I haven’t had time all day. Not a second.’

Cakes? Pies? So does she work out all the time? I read that instead of feeling like a singer, she feels like an Olympic athlete. She shakes her head. ‘I’m taking a break now. For a couple of years, at the end of the Dolls, fitness was my life. I’m a lot more relaxed now. The choreography from the dancing keeps me in shape.

If I ever feel like I need to be stronger in my mind and body then I jog. I’m a runner, I like that. But I love to sleep. I used to not like to sleep but now I love it.’

On the day we meet, she gets the news that her single ‘Poison’ is number one on the UK iTunes chart. Sales were boosted by her live performance on The X Factor. Although she had huge success with the Dolls, you feel Nicole has still to prove herself as a solo artist.

Nicole’s new single ‘Don’t Hold Your Breath’ will be released on 13 March


Nicole Scherzinger ,HD 1080p , Poison ,live Daybreak



source: dailymail