Perdita
06-11-2008, 13:04
She's a singer, actress, model, Loose Women panellist and reality show veteran, but Sinitta is probably best known for being Simon Cowell's right-hand woman on The X Factor. With this year's series sparking more rumours than ever, we gave her a call for the insider view on how everyone's really getting on. If you're reading, Mr. Cowell, you might want to look away now...
What did you make of this week's result?
"Just ridiculous! Austin's such a great vocalist but people didn't really fall for him, did they? It's because the talent is so strong this year. If that boy had turned up any other year and sung 'Billie Jean' the way he sang it, everyone would have been blown away and he would have been a potential winner."
How do you think Daniel managed to avoid the bottom two?
"Daniel?! I mean, what's going on with that? Disco week was supposed to be when it went horribly wrong for him, but for some reason it went horribly right. I think the more Louis and Simon beat him up, the more votes he gets - he's this year's MacDonald Brothers. To be fair though, if you closed your eyes and listened to him sing this week, he did produce a perfect vocal for the track."
How did Simon react to Saturday's result?
"Well, it was a rough week for poor old Simon, wasn't it? He didn't get his award at the NTAs, his girlfriend dumped him and then he lost Austin, his best singer. Luckily, the 'Hero' record has done fantastically so I think he's really happy about that. Things can only get better after last week, right?"
How does he feel about having just one act left?
"I think he's absolutely humiliated, particularly because cocky, gorgeous little Cheryl Cole still has her three acts in the competition, and so does Dannii, who's been telling us since week one that she's going to win again this year. Simon found it hilarious when Louis only had one act left, but it's not so funny now."
Why's Dannii so confident?
"I think because she came in last year and wiped the floor with everybody. Plus she thinks she's got the best talent. She has this arrogant self-belief that we normally only see in Simon, but she's kind of adapted it and all power to her, it's working. They say that the power of positive thinking works, and she's taken the power of deluded thinking and turned it into a triumph."
Why is there tension between Dannii and Simon this year?
"It's 100% Dannii's attitude and nothing else. Instead of being in awe of the master, she's there saying, 'I whipped your **** last year and I'm going to do it again'. He can't bear it."
Do Cheryl and Dannii get on?
"You know what, they do get on but they're not chummy-chummy and hanging out in each others' dressing rooms. Cheryl hangs out with Simon quite a lot, just as Dannii did last year. I think when the girls are new, they lean on Simon for guidance, but once they know what they're doing they're back in their own room with their own friends. They start talking about beating him rather than learning from him."
Is it true you bagged a modelling contract after wearing a gold bikini on the show?
"It is true! I got the offer after the judges' houses episode. It was really nice actually, because one of the papers had said I looked like a bondage version of C-3PO, and then that afternoon I got the call asking me to do the shoot. I'm very excited."
Can you ever see yourself becoming a judge?
"Well yes, but who would go? It would have been alright if I'd become a judge before Dannii came along, but now she's on the show it wouldn't be the same without her. But if anyone's busy I will definitely rock up and take their place - and I won't mind being the oldest girl!"
The X Factor continues Saturday at 7.20pm on ITV1.
What did you make of this week's result?
"Just ridiculous! Austin's such a great vocalist but people didn't really fall for him, did they? It's because the talent is so strong this year. If that boy had turned up any other year and sung 'Billie Jean' the way he sang it, everyone would have been blown away and he would have been a potential winner."
How do you think Daniel managed to avoid the bottom two?
"Daniel?! I mean, what's going on with that? Disco week was supposed to be when it went horribly wrong for him, but for some reason it went horribly right. I think the more Louis and Simon beat him up, the more votes he gets - he's this year's MacDonald Brothers. To be fair though, if you closed your eyes and listened to him sing this week, he did produce a perfect vocal for the track."
How did Simon react to Saturday's result?
"Well, it was a rough week for poor old Simon, wasn't it? He didn't get his award at the NTAs, his girlfriend dumped him and then he lost Austin, his best singer. Luckily, the 'Hero' record has done fantastically so I think he's really happy about that. Things can only get better after last week, right?"
How does he feel about having just one act left?
"I think he's absolutely humiliated, particularly because cocky, gorgeous little Cheryl Cole still has her three acts in the competition, and so does Dannii, who's been telling us since week one that she's going to win again this year. Simon found it hilarious when Louis only had one act left, but it's not so funny now."
Why's Dannii so confident?
"I think because she came in last year and wiped the floor with everybody. Plus she thinks she's got the best talent. She has this arrogant self-belief that we normally only see in Simon, but she's kind of adapted it and all power to her, it's working. They say that the power of positive thinking works, and she's taken the power of deluded thinking and turned it into a triumph."
Why is there tension between Dannii and Simon this year?
"It's 100% Dannii's attitude and nothing else. Instead of being in awe of the master, she's there saying, 'I whipped your **** last year and I'm going to do it again'. He can't bear it."
Do Cheryl and Dannii get on?
"You know what, they do get on but they're not chummy-chummy and hanging out in each others' dressing rooms. Cheryl hangs out with Simon quite a lot, just as Dannii did last year. I think when the girls are new, they lean on Simon for guidance, but once they know what they're doing they're back in their own room with their own friends. They start talking about beating him rather than learning from him."
Is it true you bagged a modelling contract after wearing a gold bikini on the show?
"It is true! I got the offer after the judges' houses episode. It was really nice actually, because one of the papers had said I looked like a bondage version of C-3PO, and then that afternoon I got the call asking me to do the shoot. I'm very excited."
Can you ever see yourself becoming a judge?
"Well yes, but who would go? It would have been alright if I'd become a judge before Dannii came along, but now she's on the show it wouldn't be the same without her. But if anyone's busy I will definitely rock up and take their place - and I won't mind being the oldest girl!"
The X Factor continues Saturday at 7.20pm on ITV1.