Simon Cowell forced to delay release of debut children’s book with son Eric
HE’S a music and TV mogul with a mega fortune and as many strings to his bow as a man could get.
So when Simon Cowell decided to add the occupation of children’s author to his epic CV, I could only stand back and applaud his workload.
But don’t expect a copy of one of his stories in your Christmas stocking, as I have some bad news.
Insiders have told me the books are on hold until the New Year after Simon’s schedule and the pandemic made it impossible to launch them properly.
A source said: “Simon created the Wishfits brand and the books with his son Eric and it was a real passion project for them. They loved working on them together.
“He signed a deal with (publisher) Hachette last year and it was supposed to release the first three books by the end of this year, with four more in the pipeline.
“Simon’s busy schedule and the delays caused by coronavirus have made it impossible, though.
“The pandemic started to get really serious just before Simon announced the books and it has slowed everything down and made it a nightmare to get done.
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“The Wishfits series is still very much in the works and it should be on shelves in 2022.
“It isn’t ideal but there is nothing anyone could do.”
I revealed last year how Simon and Eric were teaming up on the seven-book project, and Simon said at the time: “To be able to write a series of books with my son Eric has been magical.
“Every evening the two of us would think of the most unlikely animal we would like to have as a pet and we would come up with some very strange new animals.”
If he needed any tips, his TV colleague David Walliams would be perfect to ask — being a best-selling children’s author himself.
David has made more than £100million from his string of books, which have been made into stage musicals, telly films and even a ride at Alton Towers.
Mind you, given that he and Simon often seem to fall out on Britain’s Got Talent, I doubt if Simon would want to ask him for tips.
Even so, I’m sure David will remind him of his own success when filming gets underway on the next series in the New Year.
With two kids of my own, I’m keen to get hold of Simon’s books. I just hope it happens sooner rather than later.
Nick too busy to wed
THERE will be more chance of hearing the sound of power tools than wedding bells around Nick Grimshaw next year.
He has ruled out getting married in 2022 in favour of doing up his house and garden.
I first told how the former Radio 1 DJ was dating dancer Meshach Henry in 2018.
And although their relationship has gone from strength to strength, there are plenty of things he would rather do than walk down the aisle.
Asked if they would be getting hitched next year, Grimmy said: “I don’t think so.
"We would both rather spend the money getting our house decorated or getting the garden done, that sort of thing.”
They will both be taking a major trip in the New Year, though, Grimmy’s first proper break in more than 14 years following his departure from Radio 1.
He told the Table Manners podcast: “We are both going to America.
“When I finished on the radio in August, I was like, this will be the only time where I will be able to have a month off work and set aside some time to break down what happened at Radio 1 and think about the future, because it was 14 years.
“But I have ended up working until December. So now we are doing that in January.”
Can you beleaf Cardi's gift?
HOW do you show your husband you really care on his birthday?
Well, if you’re Cardi B you wear a cleavage-boosting outfit like this and give him the casual present of a £1.5million cheque.
Migos rapper Offset celebrated turning 30 with a “sneaker ball” in Los Angeles on Tuesday and took £75,000 worth of dollar bills to throw out into the crowd at the bash.
But he had plenty more cash on the way as Cardi presented him with his huge £1.5million cheque on stage.
While he dressed down in a blue jacket and jeans, she tied herself in knots in the leafy corset teamed with black leggings and Playboy Bunny necklace.
Cardi, who is finally expected to drop her second studio album next year, the follow-up to 2018’s Invasion of Privacy, gave birth to the couple’s second child, a son, in September.
As a working mum, it’s no wonder she was ready to let her hair down, no matter the cost.
'Play time up
COLDPLAY have dropped the bombshell that they will stop making music in 2025.
In a special programme with Jo Whiley on Radio 2 today Chris Martin says: “Our last proper record will come out in 2025 and after that I think we will only tour.
“Maybe we’ll do some collaborative things but the Coldplay catalogue, as it were, finishes then.”
The group, whose album Music Of The Spheres became their ninth No1 last month, have hinted in the past that they will only make three more albums, suggesting a busy few years ahead.
Bizbit
LORDE is determined her UK and Ireland tour will go ahead next May and June.
In an email newsletter to fans, she wrote: “I cannot f***ing wait to get back out in front of you this year, in all these beautiful venues, bringing you this amazing show we’re building."
Madge mush look magic
WHATEVER the secret is to MADONNA’s age-defying face, it’s certainly working.
She posted these snaps on Instagram as she tried on a variety of outfits while bored at home.
But it was her face, not the outfits, I couldn’t get over.
Madonna looks younger now than I ever have – and at 63 she’s almost double my age.
She wrote: “If I’m going to be stuck in my house I may as well have some cute fits!”
Now dig into the Quality Streets and crack open the Baileys like the rest of us, Madge.
15 for song Oscar
THE Oscars could be more like the Grammys this year, with a load of A-list pop stars on the shortlist in the Original Song category.
The entries have been whittled down to a 15-song list, headed up by Beyonce for Be Alive, from the film King Richard, and her husband Jay-Z for Guns Go Bang, which featured in Netflix’s The Harder They Fall.
Billie Eilish'’s No Time To Die, from the Bond film of the same name, is in the running, as is Ariana Grande and Kid CudiI for their collaboration Don’t Look Up, also from their film of the same name.
The smaller list of five nominations will be announced in February, when U2 are hoping to be up for Your Song Saved My Life, which is in the animated movie Sing 2.
The ultimate honour for any of the artists is to become an EGOT – meaning you’ve won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony.
Whoever snags a win in this category at the ceremony on March 27 will be on their way.
Bizbit
I HOPE Katy Perry’s Las Vegas residency doesn’t end up being crap – given that she will be joined on stage by a singing toilet.
Katy will kick off her show there in a week but she shared a snippet online of the large orange lavatory, which has eyes made of toilet rolls and will appear alongside her during the show.
OK then . .
Ed starts ’22 with new Cab collab
ED SHEERAN has only just released his album Equals but he will have more new music in 2022, including an exciting collaboration with Camila Cabello.
He has let slip that he will be releasing a song with the Senorita singer, having worked with her before on the track South Of The Border for his 2019 album No6 Collaborations Project.
Ed appeared on Radio 1 yesterday and revealed the news while host Greg James was trying to guess who will feature on his next single, The Joker And The Queen.
After Greg guessed Cuban-born singer Camila, Ed revealed: “No, but actually we have done a song together that is going to come out next year.”
The Bad Habits singer has had a hectic year including three No1 singles and is on course to score his fourth tomorrow with his Ladbaby and Elton John collaboration Sausage Rolls For Everyone.
But now he is looking forward to getting out on the road again for his mammoth 2022 tour.
Ed said: “I’m just really excited to be in front of fans doing live music again. You release an album and just sort of assume people like it because it went to No1.
“But you don’t really know what songs people like or what songs they connect to.
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“I did a show the other day and I started singing Overpass Graffiti and they were the loudest on that song.
“I was like, ‘Oh, people actually like this one’.”
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