The 9 O'Clock News – Mon 29 Sep

Posted by heatworld on Monday 29 Sep 2008

Filed under: Cheryl Cole, Duffy, Ryan Reynolds, Scarlett Johansson, Tre Azam

Cheryl to get £1million for next year’s X Factor
We’d known for quite a while that heatworld isn’t alone in loving the wonder that is Cheryl Cole – and now X Factor supremo Simon Cowell has made public his adoration of the star, after offering the diminutive Geordie a whopping £1 million deal to sign up for the 2009 show. Yay! Cheryl was paid £500,000 to appear on this year’s X Factor, but now Simon has offered the singer an extra-large pay packet to secure her involvement. A show source says, “Cheryl has been an instant hit with viewers and contestants. She initially signed a one-year deal as she wasn’t sure how she would fare, and Simon didn’t want to commit to an unknown quantity. Now he’s desperate to get her for a new series and put pen to paper. As part of the package, there’s talk of involving her in another of Simon’s shows.” We can’t wait.
 
Scarlett Johansson marries Ryan Reynolds
Celebs often adopt weird (and not so wonderful) ways of avoiding the press on their wedding days – booking duplicate venues, contacting guests by text, anything to avoid the paparazzi’s glare. Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds, however, took things to another level by getting married in a "wilderness hideaway" on Saturday night. The pair – who have dated for just over a year – exchanged vows in front of friends, family and foliage in Vancouver, Canada. Congratulations!
 
Duffy's nervous breakdown
Its not all private jets and champagne for pop stars – singer Duffy has revealed that a heavy working schedule has left her on the verge of a nervous breakdown. The 24-year-old, who first appeared on our radar with Mercy, says, "As a girl I thought I was superhuman. But there are pressures about being in the public eye… I’m borderline on a nervous breakdown. I’m never calm any more." She even admitted that she has considered giving up her celebrity lifestyle, adding, "It would be very easy to become a recluse." Don’t do that, Duffy!

Apprentice Tre accused of fraud
Tre Azam, the contestant who bagged third place in The Apprentice two series ago, has been accused of benefit fraud. Whoops. Tre, who denies the accusations, is said to have been receiving an income from his marketing consultancy firm while also receiving housing and tax benefits. And this is the same man who said of this year's contestants, "None of them seem to have a lot of integrity." Oh Tre – what would Sir Alan say?