Ten Things About... Jason Gardiner

Dancing On Ice has created some controversy this week thanks to its very own Mr Nasty - judge Jason Gardiner. His scathing remarks about this year's celebrity skaters have had some viewers up in arms over his verbal bashings. The Australian choreographer is never one to bite his tongue and he has developed his own unique way with a colourful metaphor. But how much do you really know about the gobby Aussie? Keep reading for ten fast facts about the infamous reality TV judge.

1. Gardiner was born on June 11, 1965 in Melbourne, Australia. He was adopted at the age of 6 months by mum Pam and fireman dad Keith.

2. Gardiner's choreography credits include working with some of the world's greatest popstars. He's collaborated with Kylie Minogue, Björk, Shirley Bassey and Cher.

3. The caustic Aussie reality TV star has admitted to suffering from OCD during his youth. "For years I was obsessed with contracting respiratory illnesses. I had to have absolutely everything pristine clean because I was so paranoid about rhino viruses and germs on everything and everyone I came into contact with," he says. "I used to vacuum my bed every single morning. I still hate shaking hands."

4. Jason says that he would draw the line at getting Queen of the Jungle Kerry Katona on Dancing On Ice. "We've had some rude and very annoying people on the show but Kerry would sink us to an all new low," he explains. "We should be aiming for someone like Victoria Beckham, not Kerry at the other end of the scale."

5. Gardiner's theatre career, which started in the original cast of 42nd Street, has seen him perform in over 20 award-winning musicals in three continents.

6. When he was at dance school, Gardiner suffered from anorexia. "I was the only boy in a class full of girls and we were made to perform in front of mirrors all day long," he recalls. "The pressure to look your best was huge. You copy what you see around you. Girls would be in tears stuffing tissues down their throats. I'd skip meals and tell mum I had eaten... I wore layers of clothes to hide the fact I was losing so much weight."

7. OK, so here's the question you really wanted answering. Is Jason in Twilight's Team Jacob (Taylor Lautner) or Team Edward (Robert Pattinson)? "I don't get the whole Robert Pattinson thing, he's pale, pasty and pathetic," says the Australian. "Taylor Lautner would be my ideal dance partner because he looks amazing. He's big and strong, enough to turn me on!"

8. If you've ever been sat watching Jason on Dancing On Ice and wondered why he's allowed to make such nasty comments about the celebs, then you should probably look into his dance training. Gardiner learnt his trade at the Australian Ballet School, Broadway Dance Center, Steps NYC, the Actors Centre Sydney, London and New York, and earned a scholarship at the New York Performing Arts Centre. Not bad!

9. What is Jason's opinion on the furore surrounding Holly Willoughby's low-cut tops on Dancing On Ice? "I just don't get what all the fuss is about. She's a woman and women have t*ts. Big deal!" he says. "I think it is just jealousy. Miserable housewives with saggy t*ts were looking at her and going, 'Oh my God, my husband's mouth is on the floor and he's watching Dancing On Ice intently for the first time'."

10. Never one to bite his tongue, Gardiner has let slip in magazine interviews that he has been known to enjoy sexual relations with more than one person at the same time. "I can't believe I'm saying this but [the threesome] was in Ibiza. I have this couple who I have a bit of fun with out there," he admits.

Ten Things About... Adam Woodyatt

Ethel and her Willy have passed on, Grant Mitchell's departed to solve wars and fight gangs and Dirty Den has been killed twice. But one man has remained steadfast and loyal to Albert Square for its 25 year history - Ian Beale! But how much do you really know about the man behind Bealey, Adam Woodyatt? Keep reading for ten fun facts about the EastEnders icon and soap legend.

1. Adam Brinley Woodyatt was born on Jun 28, 1968 in Walthamstow.

2. Woodyatt was raised only a short distance away from where EastEnders is set in East London and attended Forest School in Snaresbrook. He went on to study at the famous Sylvia Young Theatre School, which also includes Denise Van Outen, Amy Winehouse and Billie Piper among its alumni.

3. Before he landed the job on EastEnders, Woodyatt took on a job as a butcher in Wales to keep himself in pocket.

4. Woodyatt is a huge sci-fi fanatic and has appeared on a BBC evening dedicated to Star Trek and made a cameo in a Doctor Who/EastEnders Children In Need special in 1993.

5. Despite being a proper Londoner, Woodyatt is a lifelong supporter of Liverpool Football Club. His favourite player of all time is former midfielder Ronnie Whelan.

6. When he's not busy serving up chip butties or fighting the Mitchell brothers in EastEnders, Woodyatt is an accomplished photographer in his spare time. He even won the Society Architectural Photographer gong in 2008 for a snap of St Pancras station.

7. Aside from EastEnders, Woodyatt actually has very few TV credits. The only work listed on his IMDB are two early roles in children's drama The Baker Street Boys and mini-series The Witches and the Grinnygog.

8. Adam's star sign is Cancer, his eyes are blue and his hobbies include cricket, fishing and golf.

9. It was hotly rumoured in 2006 that Woodyatt was going to bow out of soapland, but thankfully he stuck it out. At that time, he hinted in a tabloid interview that he might work on a cookery show! "I'm working on an idea for a cookery programme with the chef Kevin Woodford," he admitted

10. Adam has confessed that he wouldn't know what to do if he stopped playing Ian Beale, admitting that the character is "60% of my life". He also has a few opinions on how the Walford entrepreneur has been so lucky with women down the years - and it's not the size of his wallet. "We have a theory on why he's so popular with good-looking women," he says. "I'm afraid I can't say more than that."

Ten Things About... Liam Gallagher

Peter Kay might think he's a "k**bhead" and he's probably not on his brother Noel's Christmas card list these days, but we've still got a place in our hearts for '90s rock 'n' roll bad boy Liam Gallagher. His hair may be thinning and that snarl may be getting a bit croaky as he enters middle-age, but as we saw at the Brits last night, he's still knows how to swagger with attitude. Keep on reading to find out ten fast facts about the Oasis frontman and awards show hellraiser.

1. William John Paul 'Liam' Gallagher was born on September 21 in Burnage Manchester. He was the third and final child of Thomas and Peggy Gallagher. He has two older brothers, Noel and Paul.

2. Before forming Oasis with his brother Noel, Liam was a co-songwriter with Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs in Rain. The group only rehearsed once a week and the singer has since described the group as "s**t". Speaking about Liam and Bonehead's early songwriting skills, Noel joked: "If you think some of my early stuff is bad, you should have heard the stuff that those two were coming out with."

3. Does Liam think he could have had a successful music career without the help of his sibling Noel? He has a typically philosophical answer to that question. "Would Jesus Christ have been a f**king pervert if he'd had a crisp packet on his head? No one knows. Who knows, if I had carried on writing songs, I could have got better... I could have become a horse jockey in France."

4. What does Liam think is the lasting message and legacy of Oasis' music. "It's to F**kin' 'ave it. Our songs are about hope, man. They're uplifting. I wouldn't say it was all about drinking beer and f**kin' shagging birds and f**kin' football - there's a lot more to us than that. But in the early days it was basically about 'have a good f**kin' time'." Pretty simple really.

5. Liam insists that the only [relatively] new band that he has any interest in is Leicester group Kasabian. "The rest doesn't mean anything to me. And I'm not slagging 'em, it's just not my f**kin' thing, you know what I mean? I'm not gonna go and hang out with some f**kin' new bands just for the sake of it because it's good to be at out at gigs, man. I don't need to be f**kin' seen."

6. Where does Liam Gallagher do his shopping? The rock & roll destination that is Waitrose apparently. "I find meself in Waitrose a lot these days," he admits.

7. Liam is not too hot on all this new-fangled inter-web business. He owns a computer, but confesses that his wife Nicole does most of the work on it. "I don't get email. I wouldn't know how to do anything like that," he said.

8. Despite writing more songs on the last Oasis album than ever before, the singer insists that he will never go solo. "What's the point? The day you do that you might as well knock it on the head, innit? What's the f**kin' point? Just look at Richard Ashcroft. He's done loads, and where does he end up? Back in the same f**kin' place he started. Ten years of not making Verve music; what was the f**kin' point?"

9. During the '90s, Liam's spats with Noel, his bandmates and anyone else he came into contact with became notorious. His best bust-ups include a fight with his brother Noel - who used a cricket bat - when he invited a entire local pub back to the recording studio, and a scrap over a scone on a flight to Australia.

10. Liam's love for John Lennon is well documented, but did you know that the singer believes he has an actual spiritual connection with the Beatles legend. "I had an out of body experience when I was about 17 or 16, and as far as I'm concerned, that's when I started getting into music. That's when it all started going down, and I reckon it has something to do with him. He don't come and visit me - at least, I don't think he does. I wish he did."

Ten Things About... Amy Adams

Amy Adams is only 35, but she already has a movie CV of a Hollywood star twice her age. The likes of Enchanted, Sunshine Cleaning, Catch Me if You Can and, most famously, her turns alongside Meryl Streep in Doubt and Julie & Julia have made her a big screen banker. But how much do you really know about the Leap Year star? Keep reading for 10 fast facts about Miss Adams.

1. Amy Adams was born to parents Kathryn and Richard in Vicenza, Italy in 1974. She was raised with six siblings in Castle Rock, Colorado.

2. During her youth, Adams didn't dream of the silver screen - she wanted to be a ballerina! She preferred to focus on her school choir activities and dance company apprenticeship rather than on her education. "I trained as a ballet dancer, and so that's what I always thought I was going to do," she says. "But as I got into dance, I realised dance didn't really fit me. My personality goes better with musical theatre. Ballet dancing was too disciplined, really straining. And I was always talking and smiling."

3. Adams famously worked as a hostess in a branch of notorious US chain Hooters as her first full-time job. She earned $7-an-hour, but admits that she wasn't fully aware of the sexualised nature of her work. "There was definitely an innocence to my interpretation of what Hooters was about," she said. "Though I did learn, quickly, that short shorts and beer don't mix! The nicest guy walking in is not necessarily the nicest guy after two pitchers of beer."

4. Adams worked at a Gap in Atlanta before her acting career took off. She claims to have served Whitney Houston during her time at the store, and alleges that she performed the "Gap Act" for the pop legend. "Someone dared me to do 'the Gap Act' on her," she said. "So I went up to her like I didn't know who she was, and I said, 'Hi, I just wanted to let you know about our sale items and make sure to check out our new colours'. She looked at me like I was crazy."

5. Amy can't complain about the pesty media and probing paparazzi. According to IMDB, the actress's brother Eddie works on the tabloid TV show TMZ.

6. When Amy received her Oscar nomination for 'Best Supporting Actress' in 2006 - for Junebug - her mother was still working at a Starbucks. She recalls: "I was like, 'Mum, you cannot tell everybody who comes in to get a latte that your daughter is an Oscar nominee!'"

7. What does Amy Adams always have in her cupboards? Apparently she always has a lot of hot sauce. An exclusive fact that I'm sure will excite you! She also loves raw onions, garlic and garlic press.

8. Adams starred alongside the legendary Meryl Streep in the Oscar nominated Julie and Julia and Doubt. But what happened when they first met? "I just made a jerk out of myself. I don't remember what I said. I call it running downhill, when you start talking and you get so nervous that you don't really know what you're saying, but you can't stop," she says. "At this point, they're just looking at you with this slightly confused amusement."

9. Here's one for height fact fans - Amy Adams is a rather petite 5' 4".

10. Amy may be all happy with her fiancé Darren Le Gallo these days, but she hasn't always been so lucky with men. "When I look at my 20s, or when I look at any period in my life, I think about how much time I've wasted trying to find the right man," she says. "If I could go back and do it again, I would have taken guitar lessons or something. I would have put my energy into something that paid off in the end, instead of trying to improve myself for men. Oh, the time and the energy, trying to impress somebody who was actually a big jerk, you know?"

Ten Things About... Tim Burton

Edward Scissorhands, Beetlejuice, Batman Returns, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Mars Attacks!... the list of classic Tim Burton movies is a lengthy and extensive one. And this week another potential hit joins his impressive movie canon - an updated 3D Alice In Wonderland. But how much do you really know about the London-based film director? Here are ten quick facts about Mr B.

1. Timothy William Burton was born on August 25, 1958 in Burbank, California. His mother Jean ran a gift shop, while his father Will was a baseball player.

2. Burton might not look like a great sportsman, but he was an accomplished water polo player in his youth and he also swam for Burbank High School back in California.

3. According to IMDB, Burton was the original director tipped to helm The Fly in 1986, with Michael Keaton in the lead. Michael Cronenberg took over, offering Jeff Goldblum the famous starring role.

4. Back in 1997, another film that Burton was linked to was an updated version of Superman. The Californian was attached to work on the project with Nicolas Cage rumoured to be his favoured red pants-wearing superhero.

5. Burton is apparently a big fan of Al Pacino's performance as 'Big Boy' Caprice in Dick Tracy and planned to use the actor in a Batman movie. However, the director moved away from the franchise after 1992's Batman Returns.

6. We can't find any actual proof, but there are lots of rumours online that Burton very much likes infamous softcore movie helmer Russ Meyer - the man behind Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! and Supervixens.

7. Burton's adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was a box office success, but it didn't go ahead without a hitch. He had plenty of disagreements with Warner Bros, who wanted Johnny Depp's Willy Wonka to be "a father figure". "Willy Wonka is not a father figure! If that's your idea of a father figure, yikes. Willy Wonka's a weirdo," he reflected.

8. He may be portrayed as an odd and reclusive figure by the media, but Burton insists that he is a misunderstood character. "I've always been misrepresented. You know, I could dress in a clown costume and laugh with the happy people but they'd still say I'm a dark personality," he said.

9. Burton's professional and personal relationship with Johnny Depp is one of the most famous and profitable Hollywood partnerships of all time. Writing about his passion for the director, Depp wrote in the book Burton on Burton: "What more can I say about him? He is a brother, a friend, my son's godfather. He is a unique and brave soul, someone that I would go to the ends of the earth for, and I know, full and well, he would do the same for me."

10. Burton may be famous for overseeing dark, gothic films, but he actually started out his career as an animator at the cuddly Hollywood institution that is Disney. His first film with the company was the rather sweet Fox and the Hound in 1981.

Ten Things About... Craig David

Thanks to that bloody kestrel Kes and a certain Channel 4 sketch show, Craig David is often viewed these days as a pop flop. However, in the early '00s, the R&B star was briefly considered a groundbreaker when he moved from the UK garage scene into the mainstream. His star may have faded in recent years, but he is back this month with a new single ('One More Lie (Standing On The Shadows)') and album (Signed Sealed Delivered) to remind us of his musical worth. Keep reading for ten facts about Southampton's greatest musical export.

1. Craig Ashley David was born on May 5, 1981 in Southampton, Hampshire.

2. Music was always likely to be Craig's career choice. It was in his gene pool as his carpenter father George was the bassist in reggae group Ebony Rockers. The group are credited with bringing the reggae sounds of inner-city Southampton to the rest of the UK at the ends of the '70s.

3. Craig is a self-confessed trainer addict. There's nothing he loves more than a massive sniff of some fresh sneakers. "That box fresh smell is incredible," he claims. "I put them in a special cupboard in my dressing room. I'm excessive but never too excessive. There's four or five [pairs] of the same trainer - maybe that is excessive."

4. He may have become a figure of fun in recent years, but Craig has an impressive record of scoring hits. He became the youngest ever male artist to score a number one when he released his debut 'Fill Me In' in 2000. Since then, he has scored ten more Top 10 hits and released two multi-platinum albums. A record not to be sniffed at.

5. "Six nominations, no Brits for C.D," was David's infamous line at the 2001 Brit Awards, where he was cruelly snubbed six - yes six! - times. Despite being one of the biggest-selling acts of the early '00s, David has still never won a Brit gong. With 12 nominations in total, he can count himself pretty unlucky to have never done so. A1, Basement Jaxx, Ms Dynamite and Lemar are among the acts to have ruined Craig's parade.

6. He may not be popular with the Brits panel, but David has some indie credibility at least thanks to the Arctic Monkeys. The Sheffield band's drummer Matt Helders confesses to knowing all the words to CD's Born To Do It disc. "I don't know why I love it, but I just can't help but sing along," he said.

7. Oasis, Nirvana, Pixies, REM, Prince, Eminem, The Smiths... pah! Craig knocked back all these acts and many more in a recent MTV 'Greatest Album Ever' poll. David's Born To Do It debut finished second, with only Michael Jackson's Thriller beating it.

8. Q. Who are Craig's man crushes? A. Brad Pitt and David Beckham. "They're hot, you can't deny it," he admits. "Every guy in the world thinks so."

9. Give Craig David a football to kick around with and he can compete with the best of them. The popstar took the 'Man Of The Match' title at the 2008 Soccer Aid game, which featured major international footballers such as Alan Shearer, Paolo Di Canio, Teddy Sheringham and David Seaman.

10. Craig's efforts and impact on the music industry were finally rewarded in 2008 when he was given an honorary degree as Doctor of Music by Southampton Solent University. So show him some respect, people!

Ten Things... Nicollette Sheridan

For five seasons, Nicollette Sheridan was an essential ingredient in the bitching and high-drama of Desperate Housewives, playing the curvy man-eater Edie Britt. Her departure from the show in 2009 left a hole, which many argue still hasn't been filled. She's been back in the headlines this week, due to some controversy about her exit from the ABC series, but how much do you really know about Miss Sheridan? Keep reading for ten fast facts about the actress.

1. Sheridan was born on November 21, 1963 in Worthing, West Sussex. Her mother was British actress Sally Sheridan.

2. Before landing the role of saucy man-eater Edie Britt in Desperate Housewives, Sheridan originally auditioned for the part of the rather more prim and proper Bree Van de Kamp. We doubt the ABC show would have been as successful if Sheridan and Marcia Cross, who plays Bree, had swapped roles.

3. According to a reliable source (the appropriately titled Celebrity Sleuth magazine), Sheridan's much talked about figure has the important statistics 34B-24-35.

4. Did you know that Sheridan was very close to landing the title role in much loved NBC sitcom Will & Grace. Unfortunately, she was pipped to the post by Debra Messing. There was no hard feelings from Sheridan, however, who turned up for a cameo appearance as Dr. Danielle Morty in 2003.

5. In 1997, there was yet another role that Sheridan missed out on. According to IMDB, it could have been Edie Britt we saw romping and sinking with Leo DiCaprio in Titanic. Luckily for Kate Winslet, she didn't get the part of Rose DeWitt.

6. One of Nicollete's many talents is apparently her ability to speak fluent Greek. The actress was apparently encouraged to learn the language by her godfather Telly Savalas - TV's Kojack!

7. While she was on Desperate Housewives, Sheridan said that she enjoyed all the rumours of bitchiness and backstabbing between the show's stars. "People love controversy," she said. "When you have five women interacting, they love to think that there's all sorts of jealousy and competitiveness going on. It isn't... but I think it helps the show."

8. Sheridan has had her fair share of romances down the years. Her most famous partners include singer and actor Leif Garrett, actor Harry Hamlin, Swedish trainer Nicklas Söderblom and long-haired crooner Michael Bolton.

9. During her romance with Bolton, Sheridan made her pop music debut. She duetted with the soft rock singer on 'The Second Time Around', which appeared on his Bolton Swings Sinatra LP. Not surprisingly, the pair's romance fell apart shortly after.

10. Nicollette's willingness to flash the flesh has occasionally got her in trouble. She showed us a bum cheek in an campaign for coat-makers London Fog and has admitted that she enjoys nothing more in the summer than laying out naked with a good book by the pool. However, her appearance in an NFL Monday Night Football skit in 2004 caused the biggest stir, as she appeared to run nude into the arms of sports star Terrell Owens. Not surprisingly, Housewives viewing figures went through the roof the following week.

Ten Things... Claudia Winkleman

Claudia Winkleman's appointment as the host of Film 2010 earlier this week came as a surprise to many. However, for her fans, who have fallen in love with her witty, warm and idiosyncratic presenting style over six series of It Takes Two, she is the perfect choice to take over from Jonathan Ross at the BBC movie show's helm. But how much do you know about Miss Winkleman? Here are ten fast facts about the TV presenter and mother-of-two.

1. Claudia Anne Winkleman was born on January 15, 1972 to mother Eve Pollard and father Barry Winkleman. Her stepfather is former Daily Express editor Sir Nicholas Lloyd.

2. Winkleman has an impressive education CV. She attended the independent City of London School for Girls and has an MA Hons degree in history of art from New Hall, Cambridge. What a show-off.

3. If Winkleman could interview one celebrity dead or alive, who would it be? Well she'd quite like to meet Elvis, but it appears that Channel 4 news anchor Jon Snow may just edge it. "I've got a thing for Jon Snow. A man that bright who also isn't afraid of a jaunty tie is seriously attractive," she says.

4. Claudia notes that her worst ever interview came when she was working on This Morning as a showbiz reporter. The culprit - Harrison Ford. "[He] was a bit of a c**k. I was so disappointed," she explains. "I was excited about meeting Indiana Jones. But my expectations were too high. He ended up talking about his love for carpentry."

5. A lot of people have questioned Claudia's credentials since she was confirmed as the host of Film 2010. We're going to wait for the show to start before we judge, but apparently her favourite films are The Shawshank Redemption, the first two Godfather movies and children's classic E.T..

6. According to Claudia, TV presenting is the easiest gig going. "On TV, the researchers and directors are so brilliant, my job is basically to get a fake tan and do some reading," she says. "Work is b*llocks!"

7. Claudia has become the queen of reality TV down the years. Her long list of credits include Fame Academy, Strictly Come Dancing (and spinoff show It Takes Two), Art School, Eurovision Dance Contest and Hell's Kitchen.

8. Despite meeting celebrities every day, Winkleman admits that she still gets starstruck in the most unusual circumstances. "I walked past Christopher Biggins in the supermarket recently and almost couldn't breathe," she recalls. "I thought, 'I wonder if I can I get him to sign my left boob...?'"

9. Many people find chef Marco Pierre White to be a scary and intimidating chap. However, Claudia insists that she had a splendid time with her Hell's Kitchen co-star. "He is hilarious. He is passionate about food. Ask him how to bone a fish and he comes alive. I find him hypnotic, I still fancy him," she says.

10. I know you are desperate to find out what Claudia's favourite fruit is, so I won't waste any more of your time. Apparently it's a Granny Smith apple!

Ten Things... Andrew Lloyd Webber

Andrew Lloyd Webber launched his fourth TV West End talent show, hunting for a Dorothy with the assistance of Graham Norton, Sheila Hancock, Charlotte Church and John Partridge. The Wizard Of Oz-themed Over The Rainbow looks likely to be another hit series, which in turn will create a theatre smash for the popular composer. But how much do you know about the man behind Cats and Phantom? Keep reading for ten fast facts about Lord W.

1. Andrew Lloyd Webber was born on March 22, 1948. His mother Jean was a violinist and pianist, while his father William was a composer. Musical genes definitely run in the family - and his younger brother Julian is a renowned cellist.

2. From the age of 3, Webber is alleged to have developed a passion for music. As a 9-year-old he could reportedly play the organ and violin, and had already composed a series of musicals.

3. Despite playing a similar role on his BBC One talent shows, Webber has claimed that he doesn't approve of Simon Cowell's 'nasty' approach to reality TV. "Simon Cowell doesn't work with the artists like I do. I don't see any point in saying to some 18-year-old, 'You're useless'. It doesn't interest me," he says. "My job is to get the best out of people."

4. Webber famously secured a respectable fifth place finish for the UK at last year's Eurovision with 'It's My Time'. However, it wasn't the first time the songwriter had attempted to pen a track for the competition. In 1969, he teamed up with Tim Rice on 'Try It And See'. But the tune was snubbed and not selected as the UK's entrant.

5. Despite his considerable wealth and impressive art collection, Webber insists that he isn't a materialistic person. He claims: "Music, architecture and pictures have always been my passions, and all that material wealth has meant for me, is being able to have some of the pictures I liked."

6. In 2006, The Sunday Times ranked the Lord as the 87th richest man in Britain with £700m. By 2008, he'd fallen to 101st, but still it's not bad going, is it? You could probably afford to do your shopping at Waitrose with that lot.

7. He may be best known for his grand West End productions, but Webber isn't averse to the odd novelty track. In 1992, Webber and Nigel Wright were the men behind the Nintendo-meets-Eurodance single 'Tetris', under the pseudonym Doctor Spin. They were also involved in the thoroughly irritating 1990 Timmy Mallett/Bombalurina number one 'Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini'. He's got a lot to answer for!

8. Hold yourselves back, ladies! Apparently Lord Webber is incredibly well-blessed in the trouser department. His ex-wife Sarah Brightman confessed as much on Graham Norton's Channel 4 chatshow. He initially threatened legal action against her comments because of the embarrassment it caused his son, who was starting school at the time. We're not quite sure if he was disputing the accuracy of her comments or just the fact that she said them.

9. Lord Webber is a MASSIVE fan of Leyton Orient Football Club. So much so, he almost missed filming an episode of BBC One show Any Dream Will Do in 2007. The composer was determined to watch a relegation battle match against Bradford, no matter what the cost.

10. What was the first record that Lord Webber owned? Apparently it was 'Love For Three Oranges Suite' by Sergei Prokofiev. The multi-millionaire also confessed to having a soft spot for the Rolling Stones track '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction' during his rebellious youth. "It's the best record of the '60s," he argues.

Ten Things... Taylor Lautner

For some people the Twlight franchise is about just two things; Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson. However, for an equally sizable group, there is only one thing that matters when it comes to the fantasy vampire flick - that thing is Taylor Lautner. We're not quite sure if it's his bulging body and chiselled jaw or his acting skills that get girls screaming, but we'll take a wild guess that it's probably the first. But how much do you really know about the handsome Mr Lautner? Keep reading for ten fast facts about the New Moon star.

1. Taylor Daniel Lautner was born on February 11, 1992 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. His mother Deborah worked at a software development company, while his dad Daniel Lautner was a commercial airline pilot.

2. So how did Mr Lautner get that famous body of his? Steroids? A year's subscription to Fitness First? Well, apparently the key ingredient was beef patties. "Getting in the gym was easy for me, but the eating was pretty hard," he confesses. "It was just eating a lot. I found out that I had to consume at least 3,200 calories a day just to maintain... I literally would have to carry a little bag of beef patties, raw almonds, sweet potatoes. So it's not like every two hours I'm eating ice cream."

3. Taylor was not aware of the huge furore from online fans surrounding the countdown to his 18th birthday this year. "I don't even know what room in this hotel I’m going to after this!" he joked.

4. When Lautner signed up to star in the Twilight franchise, he insists that he had no idea what a big deal it was going to be. In fact, he'd never even heard of the books. "My agent told me, he's like, 'Yeah, this one's kind of big. This one's big'. And I was like, 'I've never heard of it. Oh, okay'....So then I get cast and I go do my research. 'Oh this is based off a book series. How big is the book series?'. So I check it out and it is just mind-blowing!"

5. Lautner believes that you can split the diehard Twilight fans in two categories, the criers and the hyperventilators. "We've definitely seen some passion," he says.

6. Rest easy, topless Taylor fans - Mr L claims that the biggest lie written about him in the press is that he never wants to bare all on screen again. "I didn't say that," he insists. "If I have to, if the character requires it, I will. It's just all what the character requires."

7. What would Mr Lautner do if he wasn't the hottest young thing in Hollywood right now? Apparently, he'd probably be a sports star. The Michigan-born actor's impressive muscles made him a dab hand at baseball and football.

8. Lautner's celebrity fans include none other than Oscar winner Jamie Foxx. The Ray actor even asked Lautner for an autograph on a red carpet, although he did try to pretend it was for his daughter. Yeah right Jamie!

9. Who would win in a real-life fight between Rob Pattinson and Taylor Lautner. Here's Taylor's verdict: "I don't know between me and Rob. He actually does a lot of boxing in his time off. It might be a good match-up!"

10. If you were worried that Lautner's career may be over when the Twilight franchise ends, fear not, because Mr L already has a string of big movies lined up. The most exciting project is his big screen 3D adaptation of Hasbro toy Stretch Armstrong.

Ten Things About... Pamela Anderson

To young TV viewers, Pamela Anderson's appearance on Dancing With The Stars may have been their first Pammie-experience. For older fans, the busty blonde bombshell will forever be Baywatch's CJ Parker, bouncing up and down along beaches and bobbing along the sea in her tight red swimsuit. Smuttier types may also recall her work on the post-apocalyptic cleavage-overload of Barb Wire, cheeky animation Stripperella and a certain ropey home video made with Tommy Lee. But how much do you really know about Pamela? Keep reading for ten fast facts about the Playboy legend.

1. Pamela Denise Anderson was born on July 1, 1967 in British Columbia to waitress Carol and furnace repairman Barry.

2. According to Gillian Anderson, Pammie was one of the first actresses considered for the role of alien-buster Dana Scully in The X Files. "They were looking for someone, bustier, taller, leggier than me," said Gillian.

3. When she's not busy acting, dancing and looking beautiful with not many clothes on, Anderson spends a large amount of her time campaigning with animal rights group PETA. During her protests against seal hunting, the use of fur and KFC's treatment of chickens, she has often made use of her sex appeal. She stripped off for adverts and in Stella McCartney's boutique shop window to complain about fur clothing, and even offered her own bust if the Governor of Kentucky took down a statue of KFC founder Colonel Sanders.

4. Anderson has never been shy of sharing her flesh and figure with the world, but it was only in 2005 when we found out what the Baywatch star calls her popular assets. Pancho and Lefty are apparently the correct terms to use.

5. Orange County rockers Lit made full use of Pamela Anderson in their video for pop-punk hit 'Miserable' in 1999. The band could be seen performing the track next to and on top of a scantily-clad giant Pamela. The bands "you make me come" line took on a whole new meaning for teenage boys around the world.

6. When Pammie met notorious Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee in 1995, it really was love at first sight. The pair married only 96 hours after their first meeting. They got divorced three years later, but they have reunited on various occasions since and have two sons together, Brandon and Dylan.

7. Anderson's first TV role came in the Scott Baio led sitcom Charles In Charge. It is rumoured that Happy Days star Baio proposed to Anderson in the shower, during a brief romance at the time.

8. It may shock you to find out that it wasn't until 2004 that Anderson actually appeared on a cover of a magazine fully naked. Not surprisingly, it was one of Pammie's regular employers Playboy who secured the deal.

9. Anderson has done many strange things in her career, but appearing as the Genie of the Lamp in Wimbledon's Aladdin pantomime last Christmas probably topped the lot. Starring alongside booming-voiced UK panto stalwart Brian Blessed, the former Baywatch babe strutted her stuff on the New Wimbledon Theatre boards.

10. The internet boom in the late '90s famously coincided with the leak/release of Pamela and Tommy Lee's well-documented sex tape. Available online for the world to see, the pair's rude antics were one of the first online sensations. But is Pammie concerned about her kids growing up with the videos freely available for anyone with broadband? "They're that age and, you know, people are going start saying things," she said. "I just said, 'Look, Mummy and Daddy were massively in love, we videotaped everything, everything was videotaped, and you're probably going hear about something at school'." We'd imagine her son's school friends will be more than happy to pop around for tea and homework sessions!

Ten Things About... Adrian Chiles

Adrian Chiles's exit from the BBC caused quite a stir in media circles last week. The new GMTV presenter's decision to abandon Match Of The Day 2, The Apprentice: You're Fired and The One Show for the famous ITV sofas, prompted many to speculate about the usually laid-back Brummie's frosty relations with Beeb producers and his long-time co-host Christine Bleakley. But how much do you really know about 2008's 'most watched person on TV'? Keep reading for 10 fast facts about Mr Chiles.

1. Adrian Chiles was born on March 21, 1967 to a Croatian mother and English father in Quinton, Birmingham. He moved to Hagley, Worcestershire, aged 4.

2. The Evening Standard's Victor Lewis-Smith has been fond of penning barbed, bile-filled columns about Chiles's blokey TV presenting style during recent years. It hasn't gone unnoticed by Chiles, who admits that the criticism hurts. "[Lewis-Smith] once said, 'Not only is Chiles the ugliest man on TV, but insiders tell me he also has a personality to match'. I thought, 'He can call me ugly, I don't f**king care, but while I'm sure I've upset some people along the way... fundamentally I think I'm quite a decent bloke."

3. Thanks to his mum's roots, Adrian can speak Croatian... badly. "I have a proud record of getting things calamitously wrong," said the TV host. "My personal best was telling a campsite owner that I had a small rat [mali stakor] rather than small tent [mali shator]."

4. Chiles's nickname at school was Eggy. He claims to have "no idea" where the name came from. "To this day, people stick the telly on and go 'f**king hell, it's Eggy".

5. Adrian Chiles is not only a talented TV host, journalist and passionate West Brom supporter, he is also a wannabe actor. He made his unfortunate big screen debut in the famously awful Brit-flick romp Sex Lives Of The Potato Men. His billing on IMDB is as the 'host of a sex party'. "It was harrowing because I was very overweight at the time. I didn't realise until I saw myself semi-naked on screen. I had a towel round my waist and looked like Joe Bugner in his declining years," he said. "I tried to hitch the towel up, Simon Cowell-style, to cover my spare tyre, but the French continuity woman - who was unspeakably beautiful - kept pulling it down. Humiliating."

6. In 2004, Adrian Chiles listed his hobbies as childcare, his wife, West Bromwich Albion, golf and cooking (in that order). Since his split from wife Jane Garvey, we presume West Brom have made it to number two on the list!

8. Chiles may occasionally be ribbed for his looks, but he has frequently been mistaken for other TV stars. Ray Mears and late comic Benny Hill are the most common names he gets thrown at him.

9. Before he pursued a career in journalism and broadcasting, Chiles was approached by MI5 for a career in the secret service. After an interview, MI5 opted not to employ Adrian, which he thinks looking back was the best decision for the safety of the country. "I would have been a crap spy, so they made a good recruitment decision," he said.

10. One of Chiles's many extra-curricular talents includes being able to play the double bass. He once performed a duet on the instrument with music icon Nigel Kennedy on The One Show. Don't let it be said there aren't plenty of strings to Adrian's bow! Boom! Boom!

Ten Things About... Ant & Dec

Ant & Dec have a list of credits which must leave TV commissioners salivating. Pop Idol, SM:TV, Britain's Got Talent, Saturday Night Takeaway were/are all mega ratings smashes and appointment TV viewing. They can also call themselves successful popstars, child actors and producers. In fact, there's apparently very little Ant & Dec can do which doesn't turn to gold. But how much do you know about the cheeky chappies from the North East? Keep reading for ten fast facts about the Geordie duo!

1. Anthony David McPartlin was born on November 18, 1975. Declan Joseph Oliver Donnelly was born on September 25, 1975. Dec was the youngest of seven children to Irish parents Anne and Alphonsus. Ant is the taller of the pair (at 5'8") and he is the one who always stands on the left of your TV screen.

2. Ant & Dec have no regrets about their successful foray into the world of music as hip-pop duo PJ & Duncan. "We did everything with a sense of humour, never took it as seriously as a lot of bands did," says Ant. "We did it all with a wink," adds Dec. The pair also claim that they partied far harder than their contemporaries. "[Boyzone would] go to bed early and we were getting p*ssed and not looking after our voices," jokes Ant.

3. As PJ & Duncan, the duo released two albums, Psyche and Top Katz. Pop classics such as 'If I Give You My Number', 'U Krazy Katz' and 'Stuck On U' all reached the Top 40, while 'Let's Get Ready To Rhumble' even broke the Top 10. Surprisingly, the pair's biggest hit came when they switched to performing under their real names and scored a No.3 smash with England football anthem 'We're On The Ball' in 2002.

4. Ant has a phobia of spiders, while Dec is afraid of birds. It's amazing that they manage to hold themselves together without squealing like big Jessies when they host the bushtucker trials on I'm A Celebrity....

5. They may be best buddies, but they don't agree on everything. Ant's best films include Die Hard, Indiana Jones and Sexy Beast. However, Dec prefers Jaws, Pulp Fiction and One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest.

6. Would either of them ever consider going solo and working on a TV project alone? "We have talked about it," claims Ant. "We don't have a hold over each other. There's not like, 'God, we must stay together for the career', we've never had that. It just so happens that the stuff we do together is what we enjoy. I think we're powerful together, and we're good together, and we bring out the best in each other. If one of us is passionate about doing something, if one of us said, 'Look, I want to do this West End show, and it's going to last six months', then you go, 'OK, fine'."

7. Diehard Newcastle United fans, the duo agree that striker Alan Shearer is the greatest player in their club's history.

8. Ant & Dec and the National Television Awards go hand-in-hand. They have won the 'Most Popular Entertainment Presenter' gong for nine consecutive years. That mantelpiece must be struggling to cope!

9. During his Byker Grove days, Ant's on-screen mother was played by his real mum. It must have saved on the BBC's budget!

10. They may seem like a dream partnership, but Ant & Dec don't always get on. "[We argue] usually when we're p*ssed. I think I get more argumentative when I'm drunk," admits Dec. The duo didn't strike up an immediate friendship on Byker Grove, either. "[Ant] just sat in the corner and was a bit miserable," claims Dec.

Ten Things About... Channing Tatum

Hollywood heartthrob Channing Tatum returns to the big screen this week in romantic drama Dear John. Almost certain to leave you teary-eyed - it's penned by The Notebook author Nicholas Sparks - the movie adds yet another string to Tatum's ever-lengthening bow (Street dancer, action hero...). But how much do you really know about the Step Up star? Here are ten fast facts about the 29-year-old hunk.

1. Channing Matthew Tatum was born on April 26 in Cullman, Alabama. His mother Kay was an airline worker, while his father Glenn worked in construction. He moved to Mississippi at the age of 6.

2. During his youth, Mr Tatum worked as an 'exotic dancer'. Videos featuring the GI Joe actor performing with his favourite G-string can be found online, if that's your sort of thing. "He was shy at first, but he really knew how to work the stage. The women went crazy for him," recalls a naughty nightclub owner.

3. Channing has no regrets about his days as a dancer, admitting that he wanted to talk about it with the media years ago. "It seemed like a fun thing to do at the time and I got out unscathed," he says. "It's nothing I'm ashamed of and I'm not proud of it either. I wanted to talk about it in the beginning of my career but my publicist wouldn't let me."

4. Anyone who has seen Channing without his shirt on can attest to his physical fitness. Apparently when he was younger, he was a dab hand at track & field, baseball, soccer and football.

5. How did Channing get his big break? Well, it was all thanks to Ricky Martin. Tatum's first screen role came in Martin's not-camp-at-all music video for 'She Bangs' (the not-so-great follow-up to 'Livin' La Vida Loca'). He was reportedly paid $400 for the cameo.

6. Tatum has claimed that he would be willing to reprise his talents as an 'exotic dancer' to perform a film role. "I've already got the director picked out. I'd like Nicolas Refn, who did the movie Bronson, to do it because he's insane for it," he insists. We're sure there'd be an audience for it, Channing!

7. Channing may have been a big screen regular in recent years, but he doesn't always get the part. He was tipped to play Gambit in X-Men: The Last Stand and Genghis Khan in biopic Mongol: The Early Years of Genghis Khan. He was replaced in the latter by Japanese actor Tadanobu Asano.

8. During his time in modelling, Channing worked for clients as diverse as Armani, Abercrombie & Fitch, Mountain Dew and Pepsi. However, he admits that during his Abercrombie days, he used to sport a comedy chicken outfit rather than stand topless flashing his six-pack in the entrance way.

9. Working in films may seem like the most glamorous job in the world, but would you be willing to work on a movie where you might get your private bits burnt by boiling water?! While filming The Eagle of the Ninth, a crew member left Channing in agony over his man-bits. "They poured scalding water down my [wet] suit," he remembers. "And I was trying to pull the suit away from my body to somehow get away from the boiling water, and the more I pulled the suit away, the lower the water went. It just went straight down and pretty much burned the skin off the head of my d**k." Fortunately, Tatum's bits are now "100 per cent recovered" and "fantastic".

10. Channing displayed his talents for dance as Tyler Gage in Step Up and Step Up 2. But he doesn't think he'd stand a chance on Dancing With The Stars. "I would probably be the first one booted. I can't do that whole ballroom dancing thing. I don't even know how to do that... It's a lot tougher to me than hip-hop."

Ten Things About... Christine Bleakley

Adrian Chiles has left her, Frank Lampard apparently loves her and Simon Cowell can't wait to get his hands on her. Christine Bleakley is definitely one of the hottest properties in TV today, but how much do you really know about her? Here are ten fast facts about the Northern Irish star.

1. Christine was born on February 2, 1979 in Newtownards, County Down to mother Mina and musician father Frederick.

2. Bleakley's favourite song is the Beyoncé modern classic 'Single Ladies'. We're not sure if Christine has tried performing the famous video routine, but she does admit to having a "girl crush" on Mrs Jay Z.

3. Christine was always destined to become a TV star. From a young age, she pretended to host her own programmes in her bedroom rather than play traditional children's games. "I asked for a video camera for Christmas one year so I could record my 'programmes'. You can just hear me bossing my sister about or whoever else I'd coerced into playing TV with me," she says.

4. The One Show host claims that one of her career highlights to date was being referenced in sitcom The Royle Family. "The family were playing the name-on-the-head game - David had Barack Obama written on his forehead, dad was the Pope, and Sue Johnston and Caroline Aherne were Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley," she explains. "I have watched that show from day one, and there was Caroline Aherne sitting there with my name on her head. It was absolutely incredible."

5. Last year, Irish funnyman Patrick Kielty revealed to the nation Christine's mobile telephone digits while on The One Show. However, Bleakley claims that the biggest shock about the incident was that she didn't receive a single text of abuse from viewers. "I thought there would be some saying, 'You silly bitch, we hate you', but it was just lovely, concerned viewers wishing me well."

6. What would Christine do if she wasn't a perky daytime TV presenter? "I'd like to fly helicopters," she declares. "Air ambulance or air sea rescue or something like that."

7. Christine may be engaging in a relationship with England and Chelsea star Frank Lampard, but does she understand the all-important football challenge - the offside rule?! Apparently not, but she insists that she still counts herself a fan of the beautiful game. "No, I don't understand the offside rule, but I do understand the passion for football."

8. If you've ever spotted a scar on Christine's right arm and wondered where it came from, the culprit was a naughty goose! "I got it years ago when a flock of geese on my granny's farm decided to sample me for lunch. I've been petrified of birds ever since," she says.

9. Christine has one of the weirdest hobbies imaginable. She loves ironing! "I know it's boring but I'm madly obsessed," she admits. Do you mind doing our T-shirts while you're at it, Christine?

10. Bleakley's hero in the media industry is fellow Northern Ireland native and TV/radio veteran Gloria Hunniford. "She came from a relatively humble background in Northern Ireland and quickly established herself here and, despite everything life's thrown at her, she's still going strong at the top of her game," says Christine.

Ten Things About... Russell Crowe

Russell Crowe's name is a guarantee of box office success and a single grunt from him has been known to make women go weak at the knees. His latest blockbuster outing finds him taking on the role of Robin Hood, which has caused controversy in regards to a slightly dodgy Nottingham accent - just don't tell him we said that! But how much do you really know about Mr Crowe? Keep reading for 10 fast facts about the New Zealander.

1. Russell Ira Crowe was born on April 7, 1964 in Wellington, New Zealand. His mother Jocelyn and father Alex were both movie set caterers.

2. According to IMDB, Rusty's favourite toy growing up was his Action Man doll.

3. Whatever you do, don't ask Russell Crowe to advertise your company. Putting it lightly, he's not a big fan of Hollywood endorsements. "To me it's kind of sacrilegious - it's a complete contradiction of the f**king social contract you have with your audience," he said. "I mean, Robert De Niro's advertising American Express. Gee whiz, it's not the first time he's disappointed me."

4. Russell has plenty of connections with the UK. His grandfather was from Wrexham and he's a well know supporter of Leeds United Football Club.

5. To capture the "big guy" presence of Bud White in the 1997 classic LA Confidential, the 5ft 11 Crowe spent some time living in a tiny flat with doors he could only just about squeeze through. He claimed that the living arrangements made him feel like a giant when he was on set. Now, that is what we call dedication to your art!

6. Russell Crowe, along with Sean Connery and Samuel L Jackson, was one of the many stars offered the role of Morpheus in The Matrix. The only problem was that Crowe thought the film sucked! "I just didn't get it. I couldn't get past page 42. That world was just not interesting to me," he said.

7. Other roles Crowe is rumoured to have snubbed include the lead in Oliver Stone's Alexander, roles in the Nick Hornby comedy About A Boy and Black Hawk Down and the part of Wolverine in X-Men.

8. Perhaps the biggest film that Crowe has ever turned down was the Lord Of The Rings trilogy. The burly actor was originally lined up to play Aaragorn in the Hobbit adventure. However, Crowe ended up choosing to do A Beautiful Mind instead, allowing Viggo Mortensen to take the part.

9. When he's not busy making millions in Hollywood, there's nothing Russell likes more than a good game of cricket. His cousins Martin and Jeff Crowe are former cricket stars, and Russell has been known to dabble with the bat occasionally himself. In 2006 he was even linked to a film about the 1932-33 Ashes, but the movie has never surfaced.

10. Crowe's other great passion in life is music. His outlets have included the pseudonym Rus Le Roq, the band Roman Antix and most famously his group 30 Odd Foot Of Grunts. The latter have released three studio albums, which have been panned by the critics and shunned by the public. You're best off sticking to the thespian stuff Russell!

Ten Things About... Ronan Keating

Over the past week, Ronan Keating has been hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons. The previously squeaky clean Boyzone star has had to face a barrage of accusations about his private life and the end of his marriage. Whether all the rumours are true remains to be seen, but what's evident is that there's more to Mr Keating than meets the eye. Here are our ten fast facts about the Irish boyband icon.

1. Ronan Patrick John Keating was born on March 3, 1977. His mother Marie was a hairdresser, his father Gerry a taxi driver. He has one sister, Linda, and three brothers, Ciaran, Gerard and Gary.

2. What have Ronan, Bob Hope, Judith Chalmers, Michael Aspel and Tim Vincent all got in common? They have all hosted the Miss World competition! The Irish singer helmed the beauty pageant in 1998 with Eden Harel.

3. Ronan has collected many awards down the years, but we're fairly certain the one he keeps polished and on the mantelpiece is his 2003 'Rear Of The Year' title. His pert buttocks are in good company, as previous winners include Charlotte Church, Gary Barlow and Rachel Stevens.

4. Ronan has been known to tell a few fibs about his private life in the past. During his youth, he maintained that he was a virgin until he married his wife Yvonne. However, in an interview with the Daily Mail in 2006, the Boyzone singer admitted that this story was "bulls**t". "I made a massive mistake by saying I was a virgin at 16," he said. "I was - and I hope all kids are at 16. But when I was on the road there were lots of girls around and I lost my virginity early on."

5. While growing up in Ireland, Keating showed potential as an athlete as well as a popstar. A talented sprinter, he triumphed in the All Ireland under-13 200m, finishing with an impressive time of 23.4 seconds. It proved useful later in life when he needed to run away from the pesky paparazzi!

6. If you watched Ronan and Boyzone boss Louis Walsh on last year's X Factor, you could easily believe that they have forever been the best of friends. But it wasn't always this way. When Ronan opted to go solo and ditched Walsh as his manager, the pair exchanged a nasty war of words in the press. "That man absolutely tried to ruin me and if he thinks we can ever hug and make up he can forget it," said Keating. "I haven't heard from him in three years and I wouldn't have a problem if I never saw him again. He's not a nice character." Ouch!

7. Ronan's lists his primary musical influences as George Michael, U2, Van Morrison and Cat Stevens. Sadly, Ronan still lacks the musical credibility of his heroes, despite an endless stream of hit records.

8. Before being discovered by Louis Walsh, Ronan kept himself afloat financially by working as an assistant in a shoe shop. It must have been the perfect stepping stone for the glitz and glamour of the pop industry.

9. He may have had some help from Chris Moyles, Gazza Barlow and Cheryl Cole, but let's not take anything away from Ronan's impressive Comic Relief feat last year when he trekked to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. You wouldn't get us up there in a hurry!

10. One of Ronan's most prestigious honours came in 1997 when he hosted Eurovision in Ireland. The year before A-ha's Morten Harket helmed the ceremony, while Terry Wogan and Ulrika Jonsson looked after proceedings in 1998. That's quite a tasty celebrity sandwich Ronan's involved in!

Ten Things About... Sarah Jessica Parker

The second Sex And The City movie may not have pleased all the critics, in fact it might not have pleased any of them, but that hasn't stopped the franchise's diehard fans snapping up tickets in their droves. One of the central reasons behind the TV show-turned-film's success is leading lady Sarah Jessica Parker. But how much do you really know about the lady behind Carrie Bradshaw? Here are 10 fast facts about SJP.

1. Sarah Jessica Parker was born in Nelsonville, Ohio on March 25, 1965. Her mother Barbara worked at a nursery school, while her dad Stephen was a journalist. She has seven siblings.

2. After training in singing and ballet, SJP's first stage role came in the Broadway revival of The Innocents. Shortly afterwards, her family moved to Cincinnati and then New York to help her career chances. Her family's hard work clearly paid off!

3. Playing Carrie in Sex And The City has had many benefits for Sarah, but she admits that she gets frustrated when she can't help people who come to her asking relationship questions. "I get the feeling people are disappointed with me because I don't have the answers for them," she says. "I have to remind them that I don't have a Ph.D. in sex or counseling."

4. Sarah's landed many great movie roles in her time, but she's also missed out on a few classics. She turned down/missed out on (depending who you believe) the lead in Pretty Woman back in 1990 and was also considered for the part of Carrie in Four Weddings And Funeral, which eventually went to Andie MacDowell.

5.Parker wasn't the only child star in her family, She appeared in a production of The Sound Of Music with four of her siblings in St Louis before finding solo fame.

6. During filming for genealogy show Who Do You Think You Are, Sarah discovered that her tenth great-grandmother Esther Ellwell was accused of witchcraft during the Salem trials. She was relieved to find out the Esther was eventually saved after the court disbanded days before the hearing.

7. Sarah is happily settled down and enjoying family life these days with fellow Hollywood star Matthew Broderick. But did you know that during her younger years, she also enjoyed romances with Robert Downey Jr and John Kennedy Jr?

8. She may have become an idol for many women thanks to her role in Sex And The City, but life isn't always perfect for Sarah. She was given the unfortunate tag of 'Unsexiest Woman Alive' by Maxim magazine in 2007.

9. One of Sarah's proudest screen moments came when she appeared in several episodes of Sesame Street spinoff Shalom Sesame. The show, which aired in the '80s, was aimed at introducing Israel and Judaism to children through their favourite furry TV friends.

10. After years of references in Sex And The City, Spanish designer Manolo Blahnik finally returned the favour when he named a new pair of shoes after the show's leading lady. The SJP is available in some good retailers.

Ten Things About... Elle Macpherson

She's graced the covers of magazines around the world for over 20 years, she's still considered by many to be one of the most beautiful women on the planet, and even more impressively she's a very successful businesswoman with her own lingerie and skincare ranges. Meanwhile, the original supermodel's latest project involves taking the helm of Living series Britain's Next Top Model. But how much do you really know about Elle Macpherson? Here are ten fast facts about the Aussie stunner.

1. Eleanor Nancy Gow was born in Sydney, Australia on March 29, 1963. Her father was former rugby league team Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks president Peter Gow and her mum Frances was a nurse.

2. Elle's many talents include being able to speak fluent French and conversational Italian and Spanish. What a flipping show-off!

3. Elle's first major modelling job was for the Cola brand Tab, which launched a TV commercial in Australia in 1982 playing on her "girl next door" image.

4. 1986 was a huge year in Elle's career. She got her first of many Sports Illustrated covers, Time magazine gave her the nickname 'The Body' and the Aussie tourist board became so enamoured with her that they offered her a role as an ambassador for the country.

5. In her first major film role - the rather saucy 1993 softcore Hugh Grant movie Sirens - Elle was so dedicated to her art that she actually put on 20 pounds. The model claims that the curvier figure was more appropriate for the movie's time period than her modern athletic physique.

6. According to Elle, stripping off and flashing her flesh is no big deal. "Nudity has never been an issue for me - I'm Australian," she says. "It's more of a thing in America. I mean people can buy guns, yet it's against the law to be topless on the beach."

7. Are you a long-haired grunge rocker? If you are then there could be a chance that Elle will take a shine to you. Apparently her secret crush is alternative rock icon and Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder.

8. Elle is generally considered one of the most beautiful women on the planet, but if that wasn't already enough to make every other female jealous, then the fact that it only takes her ten minutes to get ready in the morning should get them green with envy. "I don't look at myself in the mirror. I'll flash past a mirror in the morning to check how I'm dressed, that's it," she says. "Ten minutes to shower and get dressed - I don't do my hair and I only wear a tiny bit of blusher and lip gloss. I get my hair blow-dried a couple of times a week, but apart from that I just put it up in a ponytail. Focusing on the way I look makes me uncomfortable."

9. How much lingerie should a woman own? According to Elle, it should be at least one pair for each day of the week. "I believe every woman should have seven sets of beautiful lingerie. That's the absolute minimum," she states. "I have about 50, but if you have seven then you don't have to worry if it takes you a couple of days to wash a set."

10. Elle also claims to have the definitive answer on matching underwear. Apparently girls, it is "essential" and "a must" that the tops match the bottoms. "It just makes you feel better. I mean, you wouldn't walk around with one blue sock and one red sock, would you?" she says. "I will always wash the bra and knickers at the same time so the set never gets split up. If I'm wearing a bra that doesn't match the knickers, I feel like I'm walking with a limp. It just doesn't feel right."

Ten Things About... Konnie Huq

Former Blue Peter star Konnie Huq became the hot topic on Twitter last week with the double-header of news stories regarding her latest career move (the host of The Xtra Factor) and new romance (TV funnyman Charlie Brooker). But how much do you really know about the 34-year-old Londoner? Keep reading for 10 fast facts about Miss Huq.

1. Kanak 'Konnie' Huq was born on July 17, 1975 in Hammersmith, London. She grew up in Ealing with two sisters, Rupa and Nutun, and graduated from Robinson College, Cambridge with a 2:1 in Economics.

2. According to agent Jonathan Shalit, Konnie was once offered £500,000 to pose for Playboy. She also apparently snubbed an offer for a topless shoot with UK lads' mag Loaded.

3. Shalit initially claimed that Konnie turned down the offers to bare all because of her family's religious background. However, in a News Of The World interview, Konnie actually confessed that it was the size of her breasts that was the real problem. "I wouldn't mind, as long as it was classy and sexy. The problem is, when you have big boobs like mine, a topless photo shoot looks tacky," she said. "Whereas with someone like Kate Moss, who has a flatter chest, it looks arty."

4. Konnie takes over from Holly Willoughby on the Xtra Factor this year and she does have experience in singing reality shows. The ex-Blue Peter star competed in the 2005 series of Comic Relief Does Fame Academy. Sadly, she was the third act to exit after she underwhelmed with her version of Kim Wilde's 'Kids In America'.

5. Konnie is the third longest-serving Blue Peter presenter of all time, fronting the show for over a decade. Her list of co-hosts includes Stuart Miles, Katy Hill, Romana D'Annunzio, Richard Bacon, Simon Thomas, Matt Baker, Liz Barker, Zöe Salmon, Gethin Jones and Andy Akinwolere.

6. Before finding fame on Blue Peter, it was obvious Huq was destined for TV stardom. She appeared as a schoolgirl extra in BBC sitcom 2point4 Children as a child actress and also interviewed Labour leader Neil Kinnock for Newsround during the build-up to the 1992 General Election.

7. Konnie may be happily settled down with writer and broadcaster Charlie Brooker these days, but she has never been short of famous male admirers. Robbie Williams asked her for a date during his early Take That days and apparently even Pop Idol music mogul Simon Fuller attempted wooing her with some diamond earrings. She thinks her popularity with men stems from her time on Blue Peter. "It’s to do with being forbidden fruit," she says. "People who are perceived as goody-goody, who can’t go around snorting cocaine and getting their boobs out, are an attractive proposition."

8. Konnie lists her rather odd (and old) celebrity crushes as newsreader Dermot Murnaghan and London Mayor Boris Johnson. Whatever floats your boat, Konnie.

9. Many people were surprised by Konnie's appointment to The Xtra Factor, but followers of Simon Cowell won't be surprised by her landing the role. The 50-year-old has previously described her as his favourite TV presenter and even took her to one of Sir Philip Green's birthday parties as his guest a few years ago.

10. You want more Huq facts? Well how about these; Konnie's favourite meal is her mum's roast chicken. Her party-piece includes making her eye-lids disappear. She has a beauty spot on her bum. And she holds a Guinness World Record after managing to pin 17 Blue Peter badges on Andy Akinwolere's shirt in under a minute.

Ten Things About... James Corden

James Corden has got a busy summer ahead. He's got a footy anthem/Dizzee Rascal collaboration single, his own live ITV1 show, an episode of Doctor Who and various movies in the pipeline, including The Three Musketeers and Gulliver's Travels. Basically, you're going to be sick to the back teeth of him come the end of July. But how much do you really know about the Gavin & Stacey comic? Here are ten fast facts about JC!

1. James Kimberley Corden was born on June 17, 1978 in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.

2. Corden's mother was a social worker, while his dad was an RAF musician, before becoming a Christian bookseller in later life.

3. A great education isn't everything, kids. James left school at the age of 17 with only two GSCEs.

4. Corden claims that his confidence and boundless enthusiasm for life on stage and screen stems from his cosy childhood and wonderful parents. "Me and my sisters grew up in a cocoon which was filled with love," he said. "I could go to school and if I got bullied, or in a fight, or picked on, or lost all my mates, of course it is not nice, but ultimately it didn't really matter because I would go home to my parents who would just accept me and love me for whatever, and encourage me."

5. The comic has not done very well down the years in disguising his celebrity crushes and they have been well-documented in the tabloid press. Alexandra Burke, Lily Allen and Samantha Womack ("She'll always be the fit one from Game On to me") have all had Corden under their spell.

6. Gavin & Stacey may have been criticised for being too soft and cuddly, but James can't understand why anyone would want to write about anything other than love and happiness. "Why write about shooting and killing when you can write about love?" he argues. "That's far more interesting to me than people running around with guns, or any Matrix thing. I don't know why anyone needs to make anything up. It's all there."

7. Did you know that James was once in a boyband? Well, a boyband of sorts. He played Gareth in the David Walliams/Matt Lucas spoof cult comedy series Boyz Unlimited in 1998. He was 'the fat one in the band, who's only there because he writes the songs, although he doesn't actually write any songs'.

8. Some of Corden's favourite films include When Harry Met Sally and Jerry Maguire, while his favourite ever band is Take That.

9. If you ever meet James, make sure not to mention his brief stint in Hollyoaks - he wasn't a fan of the Channel 4 soap. "I'd rather die than go back. I can't tell you the sheer disdain I have for the place and people. It just breeds pr*cks - all these people walking around with this chicken-in-a-basket fame, talking about going to LA, you know?"

10. He may not be a conventional sex symbol, but James has had his fair share of admirers since he became a mainstream TV star. There's plenty of chubby-chasers who fancy an intimate meeting with the comedian. "Women I meet tend to make it quite clear what could happen if I wanted it to," he said. "I think it would be wrong to say exactly how. But, you know, women say things and there is no misunderstandings."

Ten Things About... Mike Myers

Whether rocking out as Wayne Campbell, hunting for his mojo as Austin Powers or digging out the green facepaints for Shrek, Mike Myers is one of Hollywood's most powerful and successful funnymen. But how much do you really know about the Saturday Night Live alumnus? Keep reading for 10 fast facts about the 47-year-old comic.

1. Mike was born on May 25, 1963 in Ontario Canada to former RAF member Alice and insurance worker Eric, who both hailed from Liverpool.

2. Did you know that Myers owns the last ever letter sent by late Beatles legend George Harrison? The Liverpool pop icon thanked Myers for his "funny movies" and asked him for a Mini-Me doll. The comic has the letter framed and admits that it is one of the most incredible moments of his life.

3. He may be very successful and very rich, but Myers's zany humour isn't to everyone's tastes. He picked up a Razzie 'Worst Actor' nomination in 2004 for The Cat In The Hat, while his 2008 stinker The Love Guru earned him the 'Worst Actor', 'Worst Screenplay' and 'Worst Film' titles. The only movie to take home more Razzie gongs that year was Paris Hilton's unforgettably atrocious The Hottie And The Nottie.

4. Myers might be a super-cool Hollywood star, but that hasn't stopped him from having some slightly geekish hobbies. The Austin Powers funnyman has confessed that one of his favourite pasttimes is building and painting toy soldiers. How rock and roll is that!

5. If that's not geeky enough for you, here's another shocking Myers fact. Apparently he loves role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons. Alongside fellow D&D fanatics Vin Diesel and Robin Williams, Myers took part in the Worldwide Dungeon and Dragons Game in 2006.

6. Myers was originally lined up for the '00s Pink Panther remakes alongside directer Ivan Reitman. However, both actor and director eventually ended up pulling out, leaving Steve Martin to cock up the Peter Sellers classic comedy franchise royally.

7. The inspiration for Myers's Austin Powers megabucks franchise was his late father, who introduced him to comedians such as Peter Sellers, Monty Python, Peter Cook and Dudley Moore. "My dad was a guy who loved to be silly; he had a highly prized sense of humour. When I would bring friends home to play table hockey in the basement, if my dad didn't think they were funny, he wouldn't let them in the house," he revealed in his biography. "'They can't come around', he'd say. 'They're not bloody funny!'"

8. Before Saturday Night Live, Wayne's World and the creation of Mini-Me, Myers's first big TV break actually came in the UK. The Canadian starred alongside such illustrious UK celebrities as Timmy Mallett, Michaela Strachan and Tommy Boyd on TV-am's Wide Awake Club.

9. You know you have made it when you have a street named after you, and Mike has such an accolade in Scarborough, Ontario. If you ever pay the area a visit, check out Mike Myers Drive.

10. As a tribute to his father, Myers apparently wears the Encyclopedia Britannica corporation ring that his dad was given for winning the Salesman of the Year gong. Who'd have thought that the man behind Austin Powers was such a sensitive soul!

Ten Things About... Bruce Forsyth

To see him is nice, he certainly knows a thing or two about a good game and he won't ever give you anything for a pair - not in this game! Who are we talking about? Well, if you haven't guessed already then you've clearly been missing out on the wit, wisdom and entertainment of 82-year-old TV star Bruce Forsyth. The host of Strictly and king of the gameshows, he's a genuine national treasure. But how much do you really know about Brucie? Keep reading for 10 fast facts about the definitely-not-doddery performer.

1. Bruce Joseph Forsyth Johnson was born on February 22, 1928 in Edmonton, North London. His mother Florence and dad John owned a car repair garage on Victoria Road, Edmonton.

2. Brucie may have had quite a colourful career, he may have met many stars and he may have made plenty of money, but he without question hit the peak of his powers in 1976. It was that year he landed a cameo role in The Muppet Show, where he performed a sketch with the comic puppet double act Statler & Waldorf. It doesn't get any better than that!

3. Bruce started performing from the age of 8 after he watched the movies of Fred Astaire. His first act was called 'Boy Bruce, the Mighty Atom' and involved him using a ukulele, an accordion and a tap mat.

4. If you want to annoy Brucie - why would you do such a thing? - then call him a light entertainer. He hates the term. "I don't know why they call it light entertainment," he said. "Were Morecambe and Wise light entertainment? The Two Ronnies? I think it was very heavy. It got millions and millions of viewers; it was heavy entertainment, giving the general public what they wanted. I've never liked the idea of light entertainment; I've never understood it and I never will."

5. How does Brucie stay so young at heart even in his 80s? The secret is apparently simple - a young wife! Brucie's partner, 49-year-old former Miss World Wilnelia, is apparently the secret to his long-lasting career. "We won’t talk about the age gap, that will make me feel tired. But she does keep me young," he says. "She's the most wonderful lady who has a career of her own. She's been at the forefront of keeping me young."

6. Bruce was immortalised in 1993 by the British pop group St Etienne, who referenced him in their single 'You're In A Bad Way'. The group joked about the track on their Too Young To Die compilation, claiming that it was "the one about Bruce Forsyth".

7. Brucie has one major regret about his career. Too. Many. Gameshows. While we may all have loved Hot Streak, You Bet! and Play Your Cards Right, Mr F would have preferred to have been working on grander projects. "I loved doing specials, like the one I did with Sammy Davis. I wish I'd done more of those. I wish I'd said no, or that I'd said: 'If I do six of those, will you give me six of these?'" he said. "The Price Is Right, I used to do eight a week. You could do a three-month series in two weeks. But I had an awful lot of power at the time. I should have said no."

8. How has Bruce maintained his impressive toe-tapping skills, which he always displays on Strictly, after nearly 70 years in the business? According to Bruce, a mixture of Tibetan stretches for 30 minutes a day and a flask of Complan (with a dash of sherry) have always worked wonders for him.

10. Before appearing on Have I Got News For You in 2004, Brucie admits that his career was like a "busted flush". "ITV had just axed Play Your Cards Right without telling me. It was brutal," he said. "Wilnelia suggested the guest presenting slot. They wrote the show round me as you can see in Play Your Iraqi Cards Right. It made people realise I wasn't ready to keel over. It was worth the risk - Strictly Come Dancing soon followed."

Ten Things About... Emma Bunton

She ruled the pop world as a Spice Girl, won over the nation with her dancing skills on Strictly and Emma Bunton is now trying her hand at TV presenting with Five reality show Don't Stop Believing. Multi-talented and quite possibly a bit of a show-off, she is one of the UK's best-loved celebrities. But how much do you really know about Miss Bunton? Keep reading for ten fast facts about the artist formerly known as Baby.

1. Emma Lee Bunton was born on January 21, 1976 in Barnet, Hertfordshire. Her mother Pauline was a karate instructor, while her dad Trevor worked as a milkman.

2. The first gig that Bunton ever went to was a Bananarama concert. The '80s pop trio were so good that it also ranks as her favourite ever gig!

3. Bunton was not actually in the original Spice Girls lineup. She was only brought into the girl group when Michelle Stephenson (who?!) and Abigail Kis (who?!) pulled out of the band's first incarnation, when they were known as Touch. After Bunton joined, the group renamed themselves and the rest, as they say, is history.

4. Before making it as a Spice Girl, Bunton enjoyed brief moments of fame with cameos in EastEnders, The Bill and drama To Play The King. Her parts included a mugger and a prostitute - very un-Baby Spice!

5. Did you know that during a break from pop music in 2005, Bunton landed two Bollywood movie roles? You can check the full details on IMDB, but if you keep your eyes peeled in comedy Pyaar Mein Twist and thriller Chocolate: Deep Dark Secrets you should spot her.

6. Although she is happily settled down with her boyfriend Jade Jones these days, Bunton used to be regularly linked to various hot male celebrities. Her rumoured attachments have included actor Nigel Harman, US popstar Justin Timberlake and, best of the bunch, 911's Lee Brenan!

7. Bunton's solo career may not have lit up the charts in quite the same way that the Spice Girls did, but she's probably got more hits than you thought. Baby Spice has made the Top 10 on seven occasions with the tracks 'What I Am', 'What Took You So Long?', 'Take My Breath Away', 'Free Me', 'Maybe', 'I'll Be There' and 'Downtown'.

8. So why has Emma never tied the knot with Jade Jones? They have a baby together and seem so happy, so why not have a big party? Explaining their decision, she says: "We've been rumoured to be engaged about 20 times, but we don't need a wedding to justify our relationship."

9. Don't mess with the Bunton. She may only be tiny, but she knows how to pack a punch thanks to her karate teacher mum. She didn't quite reach black belt, but she claims to have made blue after regular training sessions as a child.

10. With a nickname like Baby Spice and a height of 5ft 1" it is not surprising that Emma has occasionally been self-conscious about her size. The Dancing On Ice judge has previously admitted that she rarely heads out without "four to five inch" heels and when she goes out in the car, she loves her Range Rover. Speaking about her vehicle, she says: "I feel like a monster in it. Nobody messes with me. I just love it because you see everybody waits for you."

Ten Things About... Jonathan Ross

Tomorrow night, Jonathan Ross will be stepping out for his final ever episode of Tonight With... on BBC One. The floppy-haired chatshow host will no longer be making cheeky gags and telling US film stars how wonderful their latest movie is, as he is heading off for pastures new (some place called ITV apparently). But how much do you really know about the man they call Wossy? Here are 10 fast facts about the veteran broadcaster:

1. Jonathan Stephen Ross was born on November 17, 1960. His mother was actress and radio presenter Martha Ross, while his father worked as a lorry driver. His brothers Paul, Miles and Simon also all work in the world of TV.

2. Wossy was educated at Norlington School for Boys and studied Modern European History at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies. Who'd have thought he'd end up interviewing Lady GaGa and her teacup!

3. Don't bother trying to impress Jonathan if you look like a stick-thin model. He prefers his women to have a fuller figure. "I love fat birds. I, for want of a correct phrase, find women with fat stomachs very sexy," he once said.

4. When we think of Jonathan Ross, sexy isn't one of the first words that springs to mind. But apparently it is for Trojan condoms users. The firm conducted a survey which found Wossy to have the 'Sexiest Male Voice in UK Radio'. Quite an award!

5. Ross may be considered quite a gentle and friendly film critic, but he's not afraid of making a few nasty digs if a movie isn't up to scratch. In 2001, he said, "I'd rather have chewed my own arm off than sit through something as putrid as Pearl Harbor", while he claimed in 2005 that if V for Vendetta "had been called for V For Vasectomy, I would scarcely have found it a less enjoyable experience".

6. However, perhaps one of Wossy's biggest and most famous movie rants came in 2006, when he launched a scathing attack on Clerks II and directer Kevin Smith. "Mr Smith's latest work is breathtakingly shoddy. It's a real tribute to the man's shrewd use of the Internet to keep his profile alive that he's managed to sustain a career in the movie industry, as he has no detectable talent as writer, director, editor or actor."

7. This Week presenter Andrew Neil is apparently not a big fan of Wossy's. The former newspaper editor compared the BBC star's presenting style to football hooliganism.

8. We don't mean to be rude, but Wossy isn't afraid of being a bit outlandish when it comes to naming his children. Betty Kitten, Harvey Kirby and Honey Kinney must have plenty of fun in the playground!

9. According to his Radio 2 profile, Ross owns a dog, a cat, an iguana, two salamanders, two chinchillas and a number of ferrets. Plus, he hopes to get a fruit bat soon. He could probably charge house guests and call it a zoo!

10. What was Wossy's summary of the whole ManuelGate, SachsGate scandal then? Apparently the whole thing was just "silly". "It was quite entertaining," he said. "It was weird watching people get themselves into a lather over something so intrinsically unimportant as that. It was just silly. Silly people writing silly things."

Ten Things About... Benedict Cumberbatch

You have to be pretty special to make it as an actor with a name as silly as Benedict Cumberbatch. However, with the starring role in the latest BBC hit Sherlock, the 34-year-old is well on his way to putting the Cumberbatch name on the map! But how much do you know about the man helping to refresh the Arthur Conan Doyle detective brand. Keep reading for ten fast facts about TV star Benedict.

1. Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch was born on July 19, 1976 in London. He is the son of fellow actors Timothy Carlton and Wanda Ventham.

2. You've probably seen Benedict's mum on TV before, but not realised it. Wanda has appeared in shows such as Men Behaving Badly, The Two Ronnies, Hetty Wainthropp Investigates and she had a recurring role in Only Fools And Horses as Cassandra's mum Pamela Parry.

3. Cumberbatch has an impressive acting CV, but he hasn't been afraid of doing the regular TV rounds. He has even appeared in everyone's favourite Sunday night teatime drama Heartbeat, twice! Once as Toby Fisher in the episode 'No Hard Feelings' in 2004 and once as someone called Charles in 'The Good Doctor' way back in 2000.

4. Benedict met up with Stephen Hawking before taking on the role of the professor in the 2004 critically-acclaimed drama Hawking. The meeting was apparently a daunting one for the actor. "He's such a presence and you have to really know what you want to say to him or ask him because it takes such a huge, phenomenal effort for him to communicate with you. You think, 'I really don't want to waste this man's time'."

5. Benedict's acting debut reportedly came in his school production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, where he played Titania Queen of the Fairies. We just did the Nativity at our school!

6. So what preparation did Benedict do for the role of Sherlock Holmes? Apparently he did a bit of violin practice and, slightly oddly, started trying to investigate people in real life. "You can't help but cast an eye round you and think about people and the explanation that might lie behind the exterior show," said. "A couple of times on trains... you can't help it. That indentation where a wedding ring should be, the dynamics of families. People in a moment of isolation, certain things do stick out. It's an achievable superpower."

7. According to IMDB, Mr Cumberbatch is 6ft ½" tall. That half an inch makes all the difference, we reckon.

8. Benedict hasn't lived a life short on thrills. He was involved in a carjacking in South Africa when filming The Ends Of The Earth and has also admitted to having a phase of "looking over the precipice" as an adrenaline junkie. He has apparently done skydiving, hot air ballooning... the works!

9. Inbetween being educated at prestigious public school Harrow and Manchester University, Benedict used his gap year to teach English at a Tibetan monastery. It's more interesting than going to Magaluf and getting drunk we suppose.

10. So what does Benedict think of his unusual name? "It sounds like a fart in a bath, doesn't it?" he jokes. "What a fluffy old name. I can never say it on a Monday morning. When I became an actor, mum wasn't keen on me keeping it."