Sir Tom Jones insists he’s got one big chart-topper left in him as he prepares to turn 80
SIR TOM JONES may be turning 80 tomorrow but there’s plenty of life left in the old dog yet.
The Sex Bomb singer insists he can compete with younger chart rivals and has at least another big single left in him.
Ahead of his milestone birthday the superstar reflected on his successful career and his life.
Tom said: “People know I’ve done Sex Bomb, or Delilah or whatever.
“Not that I won’t do it again, there might be another Sex Bomb out there, you never know, I’m not ruling it out.
“I want to keep on singing for many years yet.
“I know my time is getting shorter because of my age, but how short it is I don’t know.
“God has been very kind to me.
“I look after my voice now more than I did when I was younger.
“You have to drink lots of water . . . and not too many cigars.”
In a new documentary, Sir Tom’s Musical Journey, which airs this evening on Radio 2, he tells how his first No1, It’s Not Unusual in 1965, was a huge turning point.
He has since had a hugely successful career, selling more than 100million records and releasing 40 albums.
The crooner said: “It changed my life completely.
“I was just trying to get a hit record when I went to London in 1963 and 64.
“So when I got It’s Not Unusual and it hit like that . . . ”
Sir Tom also paid tribute to his wife Linda, who he married in 1957.
She died in 2016.
And he also spoke about dealing with the knicker throwers at his gigs.
The Voice coach said: “I never used to pick them up.
“It started in New York, in a club.
“I didn’t mind being a sex bomb.
“My shirt became part of the thing.
“I wore a tuxedo to start with then I started to take it off, as it was too hot to wear and I thought, ‘Wow, this works’.
“It wasn’t intentional at the beginning.
“It just came about because I was hot on stage.”
He’s still a sex bomb if you ask me.
X Factor Jan: 'I was suicidal'
The X Factor’s Janet Devlin has told how she considered suicide during her stint on the ITV show.
The singer, who came fifth in the 2011 series when Little Mix won, claimed at first show bosses were only concerned about her being able to perform.
But when she spoke about her dark thoughts, she was taken to a doctor for tests.
Janet also claimed others were going through the same thing.
She said: “During my time on the show the dark clouds came back in full force.
“If I wasn’t rehearsing a performance or surrounded by other contestants at the X Factor house, I would be contemplating suicide, though I could never bring myself to think that word.”
Janet said she would “daydream” about suicide and added: “Something had to be done. I spoke to the crew on the show.
“To my surprise, I was reassured that I wasn’t the only one going through it. That other contestants had been visiting a therapist and psychologist as well.
“The day after, I was taken to London’s Harley Street for an assessment.”
She said: “On a scale of one to 100, 100 being the worst, I scored 93. This was not good news. Proof, were it needed, of just how on the edge of suicide I was.”
Janet, who has just released her third album, Confessional, said in new biography My Confessional: “For months I’d put on a brave face for the cameras but the truth was, I was broken.
“No one around me even cared enough to ask if I was all right.
“So long as I was ready for the per-formance, that’s all that mattered.
“After I was out, I was offered a place on the X Factor tour. I agreed. I’d hoped that this would be the end of the sadness.
“The medication robbed me of my ability to express myself creatively.
“My song-writing felt forced and the lyrics disingenuous. I began to use alcohol as a replacement for the medic- ation. Nothing worked.”
An X Factor source told me last night: “The health and welfare of contestants on the show is their utmost concern and if anything like this occurs there are experts on hand to address it.”
Miley puts in miles
Miley Cyrus looked ready for action in a Calvin Klein sports bra and matching shorts as she left lockdown for a stroll in the sunshine.
The singer showed off her washboard tum on a hike in LA with her boyfriend Cody Simpson – both in face coverings – and a dog.
They have been in lockdown together for three months and the couple, who celebrated their six-month anniversary in April, are still smitten.
Aussie singer Cody went all out to make the day special for the US pop star, posting a sweet tribute to her on Instagram.
Alongside a black-and- white photograph of the Wrecking Ball singer, he wrote: “Six months with you is worth a lifetime with anybody else. I love you.”
Olivia's a blue belle
Olivia Attwood stripped it back as she gave her fans a glimpse of the perfect view from her swanky pad.
The former Love Island contestant posed in this matching blue lacy lingerie set from Ann Summers for the saucy snap on Instagram.
Olivia moved into the plush Manchester apartment with her fiance Bradley Dack in January.
The Blackburn Rovers footballer proposed to her in Dubai three months previously.
And by the looks of it, the pair have certainly reached new heights.
Shotgun George on target
One of the biggest bugbears for fans is when their favourite artist plays new songs they haven’t heard of during live shows – and shuns the classics.
Luckily George Ezra is not one of them.
The Shotgun singer has blasted both barrels, with his targets being artists who get all precious after getting commercial success.
He said: “Just strictly B-sides and unreleased material for an hour-and-a- half? I’ve been to shows by people who do that. And you’re like, ‘What the . . . ? Who is this for? What are you doing?’.
“I go to some shows where people are on their first album and they’re doing the jazz-ska version of their big hit.
“And you’re like, ‘What the f*** are you doing?’.
“People get commercial success and they see it is as a negative thing and then they start to try to prove to people that they’re actually musos.
“But it’s like, it doesn’t matter. You’ve done something amazing and people enjoy it, ride it, go with it.”
He told Private Parts podcast: “I think it’s not cool to be popular.”
I reckon I must have been at some of those gigs with George.
bizbit
JESSIE WARE is to tour the UK. The Self Love singer will hit the road in April 2021 for nine dates.
She said: “I know it’s a while to wait but it will be worth it.”
Her upcoming album, What’s Your Pleasure, will be out on June 19.
Olly wants Mur
It seems Olly Murs has been tamed by girlfriend Amelia Tank – as he insists he’ll marry her.
He told Jamie and Harry Redknapp on their Home Fixture show on Sky One: “I’m sure I’ll get married to Amelia. When I get married, all you guys will be invited, 100 per cent.”
The couple have been dating for a year and The Voice coach has previously said Amelia, a bank worker, is “the person I’ve been waiting for”.
They seem to be loving each other’s company in lockdown – with frequent videos of them at home posted on TikTok, Olly often playing pranks on Amelia.
He’d better not do a joke proposal.
instaglam
Maya Jama looked ready for a big night out in this strapless dress despite being stuck in lockdown
Lea now accused of 'burp in actor's face'
After being accused of harassing her Glee co-star Samantha Ware, Lea Michele is facing more damaging allegations.
Actress Imia Edwards has claimed that Lea burped in her face during a scene on the hit US TV show.
Imia claimed on social media: “She had to walk by me in a huff, but certain things would happen.
“She walked by and burped in my face – this loud burp – directly, almost face to face.
“It wasn’t even like, ‘Oh she wouldn’t have known . . .’ She knew.”
Imia also alleged Lea referred to extras as “cockroaches”.
She said: “She walked by and stepped on my foot hard.
“You know when you bump into someone you can feel it. Again, no reaction, like I wasn’t there.”
MOST READ IN BIZARRE
Imia, who appeared in the sixth season of the show, which aired on E4, added: “Dude, we’re still co-workers, we’re all trying to get this episode done.”
The claims come after Glee actress Samantha Ware alleged that Lea – who played Rachel Berry on the show – had made her life a “living hell”.
Pregnant Lea issued an apology to Samantha earlier this week.
bizmeter charts
- Dababy has gone back to No1 with his track Rockstar, ft Roddy Ricch.
- Lady Gaga is now in second spot with Rain On Me, while her latest album, Chromatica, has gone straight to the top of the chart, at the same time scoring the biggest opening week of the year.
- S1mba ft Dtg is a non-mover at No3 with Rover.
- Stormzy’s new collaboration with Tion Wayne and Dutchavelli is new in at No7. I Dunno knocked Megan Thee Stallion down to No10 with her track Savage.
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