The Chase host Bradley Walsh to record second album after becoming unlikely chart-topper last year
ABSOLUTELY nobody expected BRADLEY WALSH to be the saviour of British music last year — least of all the TV host himself.
But after beating ZAYN MALIK’s much-hyped first record to land the biggest UK debut album of 2016, the unlikely chart superstar is now reaping the rewards.
I’m delighted to reveal that Bradley’s record company Sony Music CMG have signed him up for a second album off the back of his unlikely success.
And despite only being on sale for four weeks, he flogged more copies than Zayn, BLOSSOMS, SKEPTA and established acts like BIFFY CLYRO and TOM ODELL
Bradley got stuck into his new world of the music biz at last week’s Brit Awards, where he shared a table with RAG N BONE MAN, rubbed shoulders with NOEL GALLAGHER and plotted a duet with STORMZY.
A music industry insider said of his new deal: “Bradley’s album surpassed all expectations and he’s now a key focus for the label in 2017.
“Sony have signed him up for another album and don’t want to waste any time getting it out, as well as putting him on stages around the UK.
“He has proven there is an enormous market for his swing covers and they intend to capitalise on it.
“Discussions have even taken place about a third album at some point too.
“They know what works and he is already picking out songs for the second record and arranging studio time.”
Bradley is already a screen superstar as a presenter on The Chase and Cash Trapped — as well as almost three years playing Danny Baldwin on Coronation Street a decade ago.
But he’s still got the same self-deprecating humour which makes him the kind of singer which the industry is crying out for.
Surprisingly though, his soaring music career came around completely by chance.
He told me recently: “I was hosting the London Palladium show and I sang a swing tune to open up the show.
“Sony were in that night and said, ‘I didn’t realise you could sing’, and I was singing live.
“They said, ‘Can we sit down and have a chat about possibly singing another couple of songs?’ I said, ‘Yeah’, and two days later I was sitting in a hotel in London talking about an album deal. That was it.
“When you’ve got those lovely tunes and they’re proper songs, there’s still a market for it.”
His Chase colleague The Beast had better get used to hearing him singing down the ITV corridors.
Best behave, Calum
LADIES’ man CALUM BEST has rekindled his romance with LINDSEY PELAS – just weeks after he was seen kissing JASMINE WALTZ on Celebrity Big Brother.
The reality TV star who is the son of football legend GEORGE BEST, dumped the Playboy model before entering the CBB house.
But now he is planning to whisk Lindsey off to the Caribbean in a bid to make up for his flirty behaviour on the show.
A source close to the CBB star said: “Calum and Lindsey are back together.
“He has realised he’s madly in love with her so is doing everything he can to make things right after his time on the show.
“She has been very patient and waited for him because he’s worked a hectic schedule following his time on the series.
“He’s treating her to a romantic holiday to the Caribbean at the beginning of March so they can spend some quality time together.”
American Lindsey admitted to feeling like she wanted to “vomit” after watching Calum kiss Jasmine on the Channel 5 programme last month.
It’ll feel like a distant memory by the time she’s relaxing on her sun lounger.
Wat a beaut
EMMA WATSON really was the Belle of the ball at the Asian premiere of Disney’s Beauty And The Beast yesterday.
She dazzled on the red carpet with her co-star DAN STEVENS at the Walt Disney Theatre in Shanghai, China.
Emma, who turned down the EMMA STONE role in La La Land, continues to gush about playing Belle in BATB, calling the film “pure joy” at the weekend.
Bet she’d still prefer an Oscar . . .
Mike’s pulled his leg
MICHAEL McINTYRE did a charity gig on Sunday – but there was none of his bounding about on stage.
The comedian’s lively style was somewhat cramped by a support boot he needed to wear after fracturing his leg.
After limping on at London’s Adelphi, Michael said people assume he got injured skiing, but it was from having a kickabout with his kids.
Noting that the theatre is also home to stage show Kinky Boots, he joked: “That’s why I’m wearing the least kinky boot this stage has ever seen.”
A source told me: “His leg should be fine in a week or two.”
I’m glad his funny bone wasn’t affected.
Louis jets off with former flame a month after split from US actress
LOUIS TOMLINSON has sparked speculation he has jetted off on holiday with his ex-girlfriend Eleanor Calder just weeks after they rekindled their romance.
His younger sister Phoebe told her Instagram followers he was in Jamaica before a fan shared a snap of him at the airport claiming he was with his “girlfriend”.
Louis split up with US actress DANIELLE CAMPBELL last month before getting back with his former flame.
The Caribbean’s not a bad place to start afresh.
JEREMY: IT'LL ALBI OK
THE impossible has happened, JEREMY McCONNELL and STEPHANIE DAVIS are finally back together
I’m told the warring couple have decided to give their relationship another go after Jeremy’s latest stay in Liverpool visiting their baby son Caben-Albi. A source said: “They have decided to put their past behind them for the sake of the baby and enjoyed a romantic reunion.
“Being together as a family made them realise how important that is.”
With Jeremy set to join the new Ex On The Beach cast, Steph might want to switch off her telly for a little while.
Getsung got sunk
THE online music business set up by GEORGE LINEKER is going the same way as dad GARY’s beloved Leicester City FC – down the pan.
I can reveal his music-sharing site GetSung has folded, four years after shareholder Gary set out to turn his lad into the next SIMON COWELL by helping him launch it.
George’s aim was to make GetSung bigger than MySpace. But it made a £5,000 loss in its first year and now it’s all over.
A source said: “George and his business partners have voluntarily applied for the company to be wound up. Sadly it just hasn’t worked out . . . it wasn’t viable.”
George said in 2013 he was desperate to make GetSung succeed so he didn’t have to “get a nine-to-five job”.
He could always get work experience on Match Of The Day.
BIZBITS
- SCOTT MILLS and CHRIS STARK hosted the British Kebab Awards in London on Sunday armed with a pun-tactic opener. Scott said: “If I could remind you not to talk in people’s speeches – we need a bit of shish.”
- FOO FIGHTERS frontman DAVE GROHL is clearly trying to make up for pulling out of Glastonbury 2015. He has asked organisers if the band can play a “three hour long” marathon set when they headline this year’s festival in June.
- GEORDIE Shore’s SCOTTY T got all philosophical about relationships today. Writing on Twitter, he said: “I just want a girl who will appreciate me taking her on a nice candle lit date to McDonald’s drive through for some chicken nuggets.”
- JAMES CORDEN fancies a go hosting The Oscars. Having successfully steered the Tonys and Grammys, he said: “I’d love a crack at it but I don’t know if it would ever come my way.”
Pixie Lott
PIXIE LOTT has come up with a genius way to avoid the dodgy English weather spoiling her dream wedding – by having TWO.
The pop star and her model fiance OLIVER CHESHIRE are thinking of one ceremony in the UK and another abroad.
In an exclusive chat, she revealed: “My idea at the moment is two weddings.
“Hopefully it will be both if we can make it happen. Can’t rely on this weather.”
Pixie was already dressed for the more exotic bash as she wore this pink, pineapple-themed dress in Milan on Sunday.
The singer was celebrating after making her Milan Fashion Week debut with fiance Olly earlier in the day.
I told last year how the handsome model had popped the question in front of passers-by at London’s St Paul’s Cathedral.
At least he didn’t have to do that bit twice.
BIZMETER: MUSIC
- CHARTS: STORMZY’s debut album Gang Signs & Prayer is now leading the way in one of the closest chart battles of the year so far. But the MC is fewer than 2,000 sales ahead of last week’s chart-topper RAG N BONE MAN’s Human, who is chasing him down from No2. It’s going right to the wire.
- RETURN: THE comeback single from my fellow Kiwi LORDE is expected to be released this Friday after a teaser advert ran in New Zealand. The cryptic weekend promo finished with the dates “3.2.17 NYC” and “3.3.17 NZ”, both have the month first. Lorde’s last single was 2014’s Yellow Flicker Beat.
- FESTIVAL: THE BBC has said sorry after reporting Glasto had officially named ED SHEERAN and GREEN DAY. It later said the names had not come from official sources. I’ve already told how Ed , RADIOHEAD and the FOO FIGHTERS will top the bill on the Pyramid Stage in June.
- GAGA: LADY GAGA is at the centre of one of the worst excuses in sport history. The pop star’s Super Bowl show has been blamed by Atlanta Falcons player MOHAMED SANU for their loss to the New England Patriots, saying the singer’s performance “definitely” affected his team’s slump.
Boy’s a pie minister
AFTER cooking up a hit with BEYONCE, NAUGHTY BOY is turning his attention to shepherd’s pie.
The top producer, who released Runnin’ with the US superstar, has already bagged a guest slot on Channel 4 show Sunday Brunch to debut his kitchen skills as he bids to land his own programme.
In an exclusive interview, he said: “You might see me popping up in festivals this year with Naughty’s Kitchen just randomly, so expect it
“It’s all spicy, shepherd’s pie, pasta, Italian, all with a little spicy, Naughty twist.
“I’m a bit of a cook and I’m going to be cooking on Sunday Brunch soon. My shepherd’s pie is quite infamous now. I’m ready to do something cooking related but TV, I think that would be quite fun.”
Naughty Boy, who is working on his next album and performed at Asian Network Live in London on Saturday which you can watch now on BBC iPlayer, has already won over one of music’s biggest A-listers.
He added: “If only I had filmed the time I made MARY J BLIGE a shepherd’s pie and her reaction, she loved it.”
Now even I want to try it.