OLLY MURS is launching a bid to rival former mentor Simon Cowell as a broadcasting supremo.
I can reveal the singer, who has four No1 albums under his belt, has set up a production firm to work on new projects.
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Wrapped Up TV was founded just days ago after a year of planning, with Olly as a director and majority shareholder alongside former Strictly Come Dancing executive producer Andrea Hamilton.
Olly is joined in the new business by top music managers Richard Griffiths and Harry Magee, who run Modest! Management, which looks after Little Mix, the Spice Girls and several of the former One Direction boys.
Paperwork confirms the business will be involved in “TV programme production activities”, with sources saying Olly has been keen on the idea for a while.
A pal tells me: “Olly had the idea for a sports and entertainment show a while back, but since then things have picked up momentum and now he’s got big players involved.
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“Andrea has worked on massive shows for the BBC and Richard and Harry are influential in the showbiz world.
“The likelihood is Olly will appear on screen in the ideas they are floating around, but he’ll also have a role in running the business.”
It’s easy to forget Olly first hit the big time on Simon’s The X Factor in 2009.
He’s also co-hosted the show and its spin-off The Xtra Factor before landing a role as a coach on The Voice.
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The singer this week revealed a new slimmer physique after six weeks of weight loss.
He posted striking before-and-after snaps on Instagram which sent me running straight to my local gym in shame.
The new company is clearly not the only fresh start he’s making . . .
READ ON FOR MORE OF SIMON BOYLE’S BIZARRE COLUMN
An alien? It’s Gaga, stupid
LADY Gaga has launched her comeback with a one-minute clip of her huge pop banger Stupid Love, which sees her dressed as a Martian.
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Fans reckon her sixth album will be called Chromatica after seeing the word on a poster for the single.
Also out today are tracks by Jessie Ware, Diana Gordon – who wrote for Dua Lipa and Beyonce – Christine and the Queens and a Paloma Faith and Jonas Blue collaboration.
Better get my headphones on.
bizticker
- Roman Kemp, Myleene Klass and Kate Garraway to host Global Awards next week
- Sam Smith says new album inspired by ‘misery and bad men’
- Deep Purple announce new album, Whoosh!
Taylor’s The Man
TAYLOR Swift had an impressive makeover to become a woman hater.
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In her new video for The Man, which highlights the double standards women face, Taylor plays a bloke who parties, plays sports and is hailed as the world’s greatest dad.
Proving how talented she is, the credits read: “Directed by Taylor Swift, written by Taylor Swift, owned by Taylor Swift, starring Taylor Swift.”
James: I’ll win Eurovision
THE UK’s entry for Eurovision was revealed today – and he came out with fighting talk for his fellow contestants.
James Newman will perform his self-penned song My Last Breath at the May 16 event – and though our entrant Michael Rice finished 26th out of 26 acts last year, James fancies his chances.
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The Yorkshire hopeful said tonight: “This is already success for me, getting the opportunity to put music out and get such a good response.
“But, yeah, it’s going to change. We are going to win. I’m going to get the keys to London and an open-top bus.”
James, older brother of singer John Newman, is already an established songwriter, having penned tracks for Rudimental, Ed Sheeran, Backstreet Boys and Little Mix.
In 2014 he won a Brit Award for co-writing Rudimental hit Waiting All Night and he has been nominated for two Grammys.
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But he was still star-struck yesterday when he met Eurovision commentator Graham Norton to review his rivals for the contest, in Rotterdam, Netherlands, including Spain’s Blas Canto.
He said: “Me and Graham, my new best mate, we looked through a few videos, and I liked the Spanish entry. Maybe he’s a bit of competition.”
His mum Jackie added: “Twenty-nine years I’ve been waiting for this.”
James is our best entry in years – so good luck to him.
The odds
- Lithuania 4/1
- Italy, Romania 8/1
- Sweden 10/1
- Bulgaria 12/1
- Denmark, Germany, Norway, Malta 16/1
- UK 20/1
Snow way to dress, Roxy
THEY say getting the cold shoulder is a bad thing, but looking at Roxy Horner that couldn’t be further from the truth.
The Brit model ignored the forecast of snow and chose to venture out without a coat to a make-up party in London.
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Roxy, dressed in a blue two-piece, pulled her best catwalk pose to reveal this sexy, backless top on Wednesday.
It has been three months since her split from singer Jake Bugg. They decided to call time on their two-year romance after their busy schedules caused them to grow apart.
Before she started dating Jake, Roxy was linked to a number of eligible bachelors including Leonardo DiCaprio.
I doubt she’ll stay single for long.
Give us a new-tini LP
LEWIS Capaldi sparked a search for Paolo Nutini this week, but it will be a while before he is back.
Paolo, possibly the only Scottish musician more well known than Lewis, hasn’t released an album since 2014’s Caustic Love, and I’ve heard there’ll be no record in the near future.
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His break from music prompted fan Lewis to tweet: “Right, enough’s enough – where the f*** is paolo nutini?”
Somehow I doubt that will make him hurry back.
A music insider said: “Paolo’s made it clear he will only make music on his own terms.
“He has had a break from the industry for a while and is now back in the studio but there’s no set plan for a new album yet.
“He’ll do it when he’s ready.”
Paolo hasn’t been on social media since August but a fan tweeted that he was seen last week at his home town Paisley’s book festival.
Come back soon, Paolo. A warm welcome awaits.
bizmeter
- THE Vaccines pair Timothy Lanham and Justin Hayward-Young drop the debut album by their new group Halloweens on March 20, called Morning Kiss At The Acropolis. New single My Baby Looks Good With Another is out tomorrow.
- Indiana Jones 5 won’t be directed by Steven Spielberg after he pulled out. It will be the first film in the franchise’s 39-year history without him behind the camera. James Mangold, who made Logan and Le Mans ’66, is in talks to do the job. Filming begins this year.
- After getting hooked, Daniel Radcliffe had to put himself on a gaming app detox. He said: “I used to play tons of games and I had to stop. I was pushing away the people I love. I wasn’t doing anything else. It’s so easy when you’re on set and have a few minutes.”
- Elton John almost had an extra fan at a gig in Oz. At the same venue in New South Wales on Wednesday he said: “Last night someone nearly gave birth during Tiny Dancer. They were rushed to hospital and had a beautiful little boy. That’s what we do to people.”
