By Owen Tonks

Konnie Huq and Charlie Brooker have married in a quickie ceremony in Las Vegas.

The Blue Peter presenter and TV critic are said to have chosen Las Vegas to avoid the attention that comes with a showbiz wedding in the UK.

A source told the Daily Mail: “Charlie didn’t want a big, tacky celebrity wedding because he doesn’t see him and Konnie as a celebrity couple.

“They are very much in love but when it came down to it, he wanted the wedding to be low-key.

“He is finding it hard to accept the level of interest in their relationship.

“If it was up to him, they would lead a totally private life, enjoying playing PlayStation games at home together and eating in.

“But it is different for Konnie. She is used to all the attention her job brings her and doesn’t mind being in the public eye.”

Konnie is currently presenting The Xtra Factor on ITV 2.

By Owen Tonks

Cheryl Cole has decided to release her next album under her married name, reports suggest.

The singer is currently separated and will soon be divorcing her footballer husband Ashley Cole but is to keep his surname rather then returning to her maiden name Tweedy.

A source told The Sun: “Cheryl has decided her married name will stay. She feels the most successful period of her career has been under the name Cole.

“She’s established in Europe. Going back to her maiden name Tweedy would be confusing.

“It also shows she is bigger than Ashley and prepared to be grown up about a difficult time in her life.”

The move is said to be influenced by Tina Turner after the star kept her husband’s name after their 1976 divorce.

The source confirmed: “She is a fan of Tina Turner. Tina was divorced during her career but decided to stick with her married name because it was how she was best known.”

Cheryl is due to perform the first single from her new album on the X Factor in October.

By Owen Tonks

Geri Halliwell is reportedly disappointed by the backlash over her recent appearance as a guest judge at the X Factor auditions.

The Spice Girl stood in for pregnant Dannii Minogue at the Glasgow auditions and was allegedly booed throughout the day and at one point walked out.

A source told Now: “She was really excited when Simon Cowell asked her to guest judge. She’d expressed interest in this role ages ago and seemed to be pinning everything on it. But her appearance turned into a disaster and she’s gutted.

The source continued: “She tried playing the baddie judge, but only Simon Cowell has the charisma to get away with that. She made too many ill-thought out comments and failed to gauge the audience’s mood.”

The pop star had hoped to be offered a permanent position as a judge on the US version of the show.

By Owen Tonks

Simon Cowell banned X Factor twins John and Edward from becoming Celebrity Big Brother housemates, reports suggest.

The pair were keen to appear on the Channel 4 reality show and were supported by their manager Louis Walsh but Simon Cowell had final say and put a stop to the appearance.

A show source said: ”We were going to have them in the house for the first week, because they had other commitments. The boys were keen and so was Louis, but Cowell put his foot down.

“He may have berated them for weeks on the X Factor but when it came to them appearing on C4, he said, ‘They belong to us’.”

Jedward appeared on Big Brother’s Big Mouth and Big Brother’s Little Brother throughout last week.

By Owen Tonks

Cheryl Cole has turned down a place as a judge on the US version of the X Factor, reports suggest.

Simon Cowell recently announced that he is leaving American Idol to take the X Factor to the states and despite begging her to join him Cheryl has refused turning down a huge fee in the process.

Speaking to The People, Cheryl’s mum Joan said: “No, she’s not going to America, she’s staying here. She will not be going there for that.”

Rumours have been circulating that she is planning to start a family with her footballer husband Ashley Cole.

A source said: “Cheryl is really in favour of working mums but knows that would be quite hard to do in America.

“She also wouldn’t be able to bear leaving Ashley for too long – not because she’s worried he’ll cheat but because she doesn’t like not being with him.”

By Owen Tonks

Rage Against The Machine have beaten X Factor winner Joe McElderry to the UK Christmas number one spot having sold over 500,000 copies.

A Facebook campaign was launched earlier this week to urge the record buying public to boycott the X Factor and make Rage Against The Machine’s 1992 single Killing In The Name number one.

In a statement the managing director of The Official Charts Company, Martin Talbot said: ”Congratulations to Rage Against The Machine on their number one – as we have seen in recent years, overhauling any X Factor winner in the race for Christmas number one is no mean achievement. The public support we have seen for the record this week has been truly amazing – and handed them two all-time records.

“But congratulations too should also go to Joe McElderry. In taking the number two spot, he has still achieved one of the highest weekly sales of any single this year – in almost any other year, 450,000 copies would have given him the Christmas number one.”

In a message on Twitter, Joe said: “Hey guys thankyou to everybody that bought the single and supported me! Well done to RATM for an interesting chart battle.”

By Owen Tonks

X Factor winner Joe McElderry has criticised Rage Against The Machine single Killing In The Name.

Joe’s song The Climb is currently in a chart battle with Killing In The Name to reach the top spot after a Facebook campaign was launched encouraging people to boycott the X Factor single.

Speaking to The Sun, Joe said: “They can’t be serious! I had no idea what it sounded like. It’s dreadful and I hate it. How can anyone enjoy this? Can you imagine the grandmas hearing this over Christmas lunch?”

He added: “It’s a nought out of ten from me. Simon Cowell wouldn’t like it. They wouldn’t get through to boot camp on X Factor – they’re just shouting.”

The singer added that he hasn’t taken the situation personally and believes that it is aimed more at Simon Cowell and the X Factor than him.

By Owen Tonks

Simon Cowell has claimed that he is helping the entire music industry by claiming the Christmas number one spot every year with the X Factor winner’s single.

The credit crunch and illegal downloads have seen a downturn within the music industry but Simon believes he is responsible for an uplift in record sales.

In an interview with NME, Simon said: ”However you look at it, every record label was looking at it in a very cynical sales-based way.

“There’s a tradition of quite horrible songs. I think I’ve done everyone a favour. I do! And, by the way, anyone is entitled to have a pop at us one year.”

Joe McElderry and Rage Against The Machine are currently battling for the Christmas number one spot after a Facebook group was created in an effort to stop Joe’s The Climb reaching the top of the charts.

By Owen Tonks

A spoof video of the X Factor contestants singing a Rage Against The Machine song has appeared on the internet.

A Facebook group has been made to encourage people to buy Rage Against The Machine’s Killing in the Name over Joe McElderry’s The Climb.

The video sees Joe accompanied by Olly, Stacey, Danyl, Jedward, Susan Boyle and Simon Cowell.

Simon Cowell has allegedly described the campaign as spiteful and has claimed that it is directed at him and that Joe should not be used as part of a game.

Joe’s The Climb and Rage Against The Machine’s Killing in the Name are both out now.

View the video below.

By Owen Tonks

X Factor twins John and Edward are to appear as housemates in the final series of Celebrity Big Brother, reports suggest.

The controversial brothers divided public opinion on their X Factor performances but Channel 4 has allegedly offered the pair €300,000 to take part.

Herald.ie quotes a show source as saying: “The first TV deal that they take is really crucial as it will literally make or break them in terms of their career so they have to be cautious about what they agree to do.

“Some of the things they’ve been offered would turn them into total laughing stocks, but Celebrity Big Brother is definitely a possibility.

“They’re both so energetic and have such big personalities, they would be a great addition to a celebrity line-up.”

The final series of Celebrity Big Brother to appear on Channel 4 begins on January 3rd.