Alesha Dixon ditches long-term manager after being inspired by Holly Willoughby
ALESHA DIXON has been a singer, author and telly favourite – but now she is adding manager to her CV.
I’ve learned the former Mis-Teeq star has parted ways with the long-term manager who helped guide her career for more a decade, because she reckons she can do it herself.
Despite being a big name in the UK, Alesha, who wore a stunning black and gold dress to Sunday’s British Independent Film Awards, will now only have a tiny team around her, made up of a personal assistant and make-up artist.
Insiders tell me that she has been inspired by Holly Willoughby and Rochelle Humes‘ recent decisions to axe their own teams to regain total control of their presenting careers.
A source said: “Alesha has been in the industry since she was in her early twenties and is still one of the biggest stars on TV.
“She feels like she has mastered more than enough knowledge and respect over the years to go it alone as a strong and independent woman.
“Alesha has seen the likes of This Morning presenter Holly and Rochelle make similar moves and thought, ‘I can do that too’.
“While on the face of it it looks a bit brutal, in reality it’s just smart business.”
Alesha will return to the small screen on December 12 when Simon Cowell’s eagerly anticipated new musical game show Walk The Line debuts on ITV.
In one of the more random judging line-ups, she will join Take That’s Gary Barlow, comic Dawn French and singer Craig David on the series, hosted by Maya Jama.
The high stakes show sees contestants battle it out for a possible £500,000 prize pot.
Alesha’s decision to go solo will also not affect her role on Britain’s Got Talent, which is due to start filming early next year.
After a year away due to Covid, she will again join Amanda Holden, David Walliams.
All power to Alesha for taking the plunge.
JLS take on Adele
JLS are challenging Adele for the No1 spot with their first album of original material in eight years.
Their record 2.0 is currently at No2, just behind the superstar’s 30, which has spent the past two weeks in pole position.
If they stay there, it will be their sixth consecutive Top Ten album since their debut in 2009.
LEWIS RACES BACK TO GIGS
ALMOST two years have passed since Lewis Capaldi was last on stage after deciding to cancel 2021’s shows to work on his second album.
But I am thrilled to reveal my favourite man in music will be making an unexpected comeback this weekend to support F1 driver Lewis Hamilton at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
He will perform his first concert since early 2020 at the Yas Marina circuit on Saturday – 24 hours before Hamilton’s big race where he hopes to be crowned the World Champion.
The Scottish singer is believed to have been paid a six-figure sum for the gig after vowing not to play live in 2021.
In March he put out a statement on Instagram saying he was postponing all of his shows for the rest of the year to focus on his new album, insisting he wouldn’t be back until 2022.
But now he will treat fans by returning weeks earlier than planned to perform his best tracks at the show – although he is not expected to reveal any of his new tunes.
Lewis, who has also been off social media and out of the spotlight for the past nine months, said in March: “I’m really sorry I won’t be out there with you this year.
“But I’ll be back in 2022 with new music and a s**t load of shows in as many places as I can possibly get to across the world.”
I’m so glad the wait is almost over.
LIBERTY X STAR LIBERATED
LIBERTY X’s MICHELLE HEATON says she feels “reborn” after going to rehab for an alcohol addiction in April.
She told OK! Magazine: “I’m seven months clean and sober. I feel wonderful. It’s a little bit about being reborn. I’ve been experiencing things in a different way.
“Even down to sleeping, as they had to teach me at the Priory how to go to sleep at a regular time as I had no routine. But I feel great.
ED’S RUDE PIC FROM PAL ELTON
ED Sheeran has a history of giving out odd gifts to his mates – including a marble penis statue for Elton John‘s birthday this year.
But the Rocket Man handed over an even stranger present when Ed got married two years before.
Ed revealed his superstar friend gave him a bemusing photograph when he tied the knot to Cherry Seaborn in 2019.
In and Instagram Live chat alongside Elton, Ed explained: “For my wedding present you gave me a beautiful photography picture of lots of naked blokes.”
Interrupting him to clarify, Elton said: “Lots of naked men around this wizened up old Russian woman, yes.”
The pair are expected to hit No1 on Friday with their collaboration Merry Christmas.
I dread to think what they will be buying each other to celebrate that.
LUCY ATTACK HELL
LUCY SPRAGGAN hid outside a venue fearing she would have her “head kicked in” when her gig turned violent at the weekend.
I revealed yesterday that a woman tried to attack her during the concert in Dover.
The X Factor star repeatedly told a noisy punter to be quiet during her concert and they made a beeline for the stage, causing Lucy to flee.
It led to a scuffle, with police confirming two men were later arrested on suspicion of affray.
In an exclusive chat, Lucy said: “I feel sad because my shows have never been like that. My keyboard player grabbed my arm and was like, ‘We need to go.’ We ran out of the fire exit.
“If the dressing room had been behind the stage, we would have had our heads kicked in in the dressing room. We hid outside. It felt like a bad dream.”
She had considered cancelling the rest of her tour but will continue and has enforced a zero-tolerance policy and employed more security.
Lucy, who had been getting into the festive spirit after releasing a cover of All I Want For Christmas Is You, told me: “I spent the whole day on Sunday crying as
I’m aware I’m going to let thousands of people down if I cancel.
“But I’m going to stay doing it because it’s what you’re supposed to do.”
PT SUING KARDASHIAN EX
THE dad of KHLOE KARDASHIAN’s daughter is expecting a baby boy with a personal trainer in Texas later this month.
The reality star had been trying for a second child with NBA player Tristan Thompson last year, although he is now fathering someone else’s baby.
But the PT, Maralee Nichols, is suing him for child support and other pregnancy-related fees according to court documents in the US.
STEPS AT HOOPLA
THE UK’s premier pop festival Mighty Hoopla has got a whole lot more . . . poppier, as STEPS are due to headline next summer.
They will close out the first day of the event on Friday, June 3, while the Sugababes will reform to top the bill on June 4 in front of 50,000 fans.
A host of other favourites have been announced for the two-day event in South London’s Brockwell Park, for which tickets are already on sale.
They include Jessie Ware, Anastacia, Cleopatra, Natalie Imbruglia, Louise Redknapp, Jamelia and Kim Wilde.
ANGEL ELLIE IN A FLAP
ELLIE Goulding looked ready to sit on top of a Christmas tree in this winged outfit at a US awards ceremony.
The Love Me Like You Do singer graced the red carpet looking like an angel at the 44th Kennedy Center Honours in Washington DC.
Keen to show off her outfit to full effect, Ellie waved her hands high in the air to make the wings flap for waiting cameras.
She was among the celebrities at a star-studded event where guests also included Black Widow actress Scarlett Johansson.
The gala honouring showbiz legends Bette Midler, Berry Gordy and Joni Mitchell, among others.
Ellie is on a break after wrapping her UK tour, but previously revealed she spent months earlier this year working on a new, high-octane pop album.
Taking to Twitter, she teased new music and thanked fans for their support before adding that 2022 “feels good”.
OLIVIA'S SOUR TOUR
THE year’s breakout star OLIVIA RODRIGO has announced her first international tour, which will arrive in the UK and Ireland next summer.
Tickets go on sale on Friday for the Sour Tour in support of her debut album of the same name.
She will kick off her run at Live At The Marquee in Cork on June 29 and play shows in Dublin, Glasgow, Manchester and Birmingham before ending at London’s Eventim Apollo on July 6 and 7.
JUSTIN SWEATS IT OUT IN SAUDI
JUSTIN BIEBER was in hot water when fans criticised him for announcing a show in Saudi Arabia because of the country’s dubious human rights record.
But it was the scorching weather that had the Canadian singer sweating buckets as he finally made it on stage there on Sunday night.
He wore an oversized ice hockey jersey – famously made for cold weather – as he performed in the city of Jeddah where temperatures topped 32C.
Despite the Saudi controversy, Justin was supported by his wife HAILEY who joined him on the flying visit.
She cheered on her man from the side of the stage, posting a clip of him performing alongside the caption “Go baby”.
I wonder what Justin will wear when he performs in chilly London this weekend at Capital’s Jingle Bell Ball.
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