WHEN you’ve recorded one of the most famous duets of all time, you have to pick your collaborators carefully.
And somehow Kylie Minogue has managed to find a star even bigger than Jason Donovan for her latest project — Kermit The Frog.
The pop legend will be joining The Muppets during their first live shows outside the US at London’s O2 Arena later this month.
Kylie will team up with Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo and company for songs and sketches on the first evening of the two-night run on Friday, July 13.
Doctor Who stars David Tennant and Peter Davison will also be there, taking part in a Pigs In Space sketch.
Comedian Kevin Bishop is getting involved too, while Steps up the cheese factor for Saturday night. Kermit is already bracing himself for backstage cattiness.
He told me: “I promise that no celebrities will be harmed in the making of this once-in-a-lifetime event, so long as they don’t get between Miss Piggy and the audience.”
Piggy said: “Moi’s fabulous performance alone is worth coming for. But I am delighted so many of my famous friends are coming to join us, to entertain my fans and, of course, to give moi a standing ovation.”
Kylie is no stranger to muppets, having dated quite a few.
But the Aussie seems to have finally found happiness, posting a loved-up snap with GQ boss Paul Solomons on Instagram.
Kylie paid tribute to her man in a big chat with The Sun last month, saying: “Life’s, I won’t say a little bit, I’ll say a lot better. Life’s great.”
Guess you have to kiss a few Kermits...
READ ON FOR THE REST OF
SIMON BOYLE'S
BIZARRE COLUMN
Time for a bit of Gaga&R
Lady Gaga is soaking up a big dose of Vitamin D before she hits Las Vegas for her epic residency.
The star enjoyed some R&R with talent agent fiancé Christian Carino on Wednesday in The Hamptons, near New York, where she is thinking of having her wedding.
Gaga has been hard at work gearing up to release the first of three albums on the opening night of her solo Vegas stint in December, kicking off a 74-date run at the Park Theatre MGM in Sin City.
She has been recording in Oregon with producer DJ White Shadow, who she worked with on Born This Way and Artpop, after cancelling ten dates of her European tour last year due to long-term health condition fibromyalgia.
Hopefully she’s back in great shape.
Liam strips down delayed album
Liam Payne told us he had finished his debut album during a Bizarre takeover last year, but I’m told he is now giving the record a major overhaul.
The ex-One Direction star released his first single, Strip That Down, in May last year, with the rest of the album expected to include songs about his former relationship with Cheryl, with whom he shares toddler son Bear.
But last weekend The Sun exclusively revealed the pair’s split, and I’m now told his new music will have a more “introspective, urban sound” instead.
Just a fortnight ago Liam was back in a London studio working on new tracks, and a source said: “His team are looking for songs frantically.
“They want to release the album for September but the delay is because it is nowhere near finished. Everything is up in the air.”
Another source added: “Liam is always recording and constantly writing.
“Since the end of last year he’s really found his sound and this is influencing the tracks he’s choosing for the album. It’s sounding really great. I know he can’t wait for people to hear it.”
MOST READ IN BIZARRE
Blues Man Macca sees Reds
Sir Paul McCartney has done the unthinkable by revealing he supports Everton AND Liverpool.
The Beatles legend says he gets behind both clubs despite coming from an Everton-mad family.
He said: “A few weeks ago Liverpool played Real Madrid in Kiev. That was a big match for me, coming from Liverpool.
“My dad was born in Everton. But years ago I met Kenny Dalglish who was a player and then a manager for Liverpool. I got to know him, so I thought, ‘I’m going to support Liverpool as well!’”
He added in the post to his website: “You’re not meant to support both.”
He’s the only man in Merseyside who would get away with it.
Biz Bit
Electronic music legend Andy C has sold out The SSE Arena in Wembley for the venue’s first ever all-night gig on November 17.
The veteran DJ said: “I’ve been totally overwhelmed by the response.
"I’ll make this a night to remember.”
Ezra is Top Gun
George Ezra is holding Drake off top spot in the midweek singles charts by a massive 10,000 sales, I can reveal.
The Hertford-born lad is surging towards his second week at No1 with track Shotgun despite Drake claiming three out of the top five spots this week.
The astonishing victory should he hold his ground until Friday comes in the face of the US superstar’s new 25-track album Scorpion obliterating global streaming records with more than 150million plays on Spotify alone. Not that George is among the fans, admitting he got so bored of Scorpion he switched it off just a fifth of the way in.
In an exclusive chat, George said: “I listened to the first five or so songs then I got a text saying, ‘It’s official you’re No1’, so I thought, You know what? F*** this.
“Really long records like that, you’re really relying on people’s interest to want to listen to that amount of music by one person in one sitting.
“I don’t know. Maybe he’s nailed it but I haven’t listened .” Shotgun is George’s first-ever UK No1 single, while his second album Staying At Tamara’s is on course to be the biggest-selling release of the year so far, holding on to a top five position for 15 weeks.
Meanwhile, Drake’s singles still dominate, with Nonstop at No2 followed by Don’t Matter To Me at No3 and Emotionless at No5.
George also confessed he had broken his self-imposed booze ban as a result of his sales success.
The star had vowed to go teetotal for the duration of his world tour, but said: “I did six months. It came in that something insane would have to happen for me to not be No1 last week and the sun was shining, it was beautiful.
“I went down to a pub on the River Thames – I got to the bar and I ordered a beer.”
He’ll have the champagne on ice this week.
Drakin' over lost love Jorja
Drake appears to tell all about his failed attempt to woo Brits Critics’ Choice winner Jorja Smith in new track Jaded. In the confessional song he claims the rising star dumped him after she “dragged” him back to her house “for what?”
Drake, who is 31, goes on to addresses their ten-year age gap, rapping: “We coulda waited, I wasn’t rushin’, difference in ages.
“You’re old enough, but you’re still a baby.”
Drake drops a number of bombshells in his new album, including confirmation he has a son with former porn star Sophie Brussaux.
With all the baby drama, it sounds like Jorja had a lucky escape swerving that one.
How to Dua top show...
Dua Lipa was back on fine form in a polka dot sleeved leotard and fishnets for her sold-out show in Seattle, the final date of the US leg of her tour.
The triumphant performance came just a week after she broke down in tears on stage and cancelled her Denver show due to an ear infection.
She told at the time how she had been suffering from sleepless nights after being kept awake by her medication.
The singer will now return to Europe – so all she has to do is get over the jet lag.
Biz Bit
Joe Jackson has been buried in the same cemetery as Michael Jackson.
The controlling family patriarch, who masterminded Motown group The Jackson 5, was laid to rest near the King of Pop in the city of Glendale, California.
Towie Megan's grill is toast
IT’S always a good thing for reality stars to invest their cash from the 15 minutes of fame they desperately grab on to.
But Towie star Megan McKenna may have to think again after her restaurant McK Grill went bust after just 14 months. I can reveal liquidators have been called in to wind up the business, and Companies House records show it is now dissolved.
The restaurant boasted a varied menu including prosecco packages and Sunday roasts as well as the “cool, calm, modern surroundings” of Woodford Green, Essex.
Megan regularly posted on social media when she was at McK Grill, with Towie pals Amber Turner and Yazmin Oukhellou also trying to boost numbers by uploading selfies of themselves tucking in.
But it wasn’t enough to save the restaurant, which only launched in May last year.
Motormouth Megan, famous for her tantrums on Celebrity Big Brother and Ex On The Beach, still boasts she is the owner of McK Grill on her Instagram page, and bookings can still be made on the website.
Just let it go, Megan.
Bizmeter
- Tom Daley won’t have been celebrating Russia’s shock World Cup win over Spain. The Olympic diver’s husband Dustin Lance Black has been banned from travelling to the host nation after protesting for LGBT rights. Tom told ShortList mag: “He started getting threats and attacks. So he’s not allowed back.”
- Wolf Alice have been unveiled as the Q Awards’ star act. The North London rockers will close out the bash at The Roundhouse in Camden on October 17. Punk quintet Idles will open the show, which last year saw Gorillaz bag Best Album, Stormzy take home Best Solo Artist and Liam Gallagher crowned Q Icon.
- Kim Kardashian has broken tradition and given her daughter Chicago a middle name, unlike her two elder children North West and Saint West. The reality star shared a snap of the five-month-old tot, who was born via surrogate, on Instagram on Monday, which revealed she has the middle moniker Noel.
- After releasing storming comeback tune The Rover, Interpol have unveiled their brilliant new album Marauder in full at a private playback in London ahead of its release on August 24. The New Yorkers will debut some of the new tunes on Saturday in their support slot for The Cure at Barclaycard’s British Summer Time festival in Hyde Park.
Instaglam
Biz Bit
Ed Westwick has been spotted on celeb dating app Raya days after his girlfriend’s tribute to him.
Model Jessica Serfaty posted doting messages about the Gossip Girl actor, who has faced allegations of sexual assault that he denies.
- GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL [email protected]