OCTOBER 22 - 28, 2015 TTHHEE VVOOIICCEE � 21

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BY SAMANTHA REA

SHE made her markon the 80s popscene with her hitsSo Macho and ToyBoy. Today, Sinitta

is best-known as SimonCowell’s go-to girl, makingoccasional appearances on hisSaturday night TV staple The XFactor.

Since her early days as a popsensation, Sinitta has carvedout a career in reality television,competing on shows includingDancing on Ice, I’m ACelebrity…Get Me Out Of Hereand The Jump. A well-known TVpersonality, it’s perhaps nowonder she was invited to pres-ent an award at the recentNational Reality TV Awards,which is where Life & Stylecaught up with her.

At age 51, Sinitta looks stun-ning – she’s in better shapethan women decades her junior.She reveals that she’s launch-ing a website that focuses onhealth, fitness and beauty.

“It’s called how to look 51forever – apparently,” she jokes.

In actual fact, her websiteopts for the more obvious name– Sinitta.com – and visitors tothe lifestyle site are invited to:“Imagine a world where youfeel and look twenty yearsyounger.”

Hearing this proposition fromanyone else might leave you

feeling dubious. But havingseen Sinitta face-to-face – andin unflattering lighting – herflawless looks really do defy heryears.

Asked about her involvementin this year’s X Factor, Sinittasays she’s excited about men-toring the talent and doing thelive shows, which start onOctober 31.

“I like hearing the voices livefor the first time – that’s whenyou know how it’s going to panout! When [the contestants] areon The X Factor stage, that’swhen it really starts for me.”

Of the show’s Six ChairChallenge – the round wherecontestants have to battle it outfor a place in one of the six hotseats – Sinitta says it’s tough towatch.

“It’s bring your tissues,straightjackets and tranquilisers– it’s rough,” she laughs. “I wentto one of the shows and after-wards I was not a happy bunny– it took me days to recover!”

She continues: “It’s brutalbecause they’re all so good atthis stage. To be in a chair oneminute, thinking you’re through,then getting flicked off – it’s toomuch!”

On the plus side, the starthinks this round could be whatX Factor needs to beat theBBC’s Strictly Come Dancing inthe ratings – something thatSinitta claims is important toCowell.

“Simon likes to be numberone – at everything. He can’teven play a game of Scrabble. Ifhe doesn’t win, the table goesover!”

With reports claiming thatSinitta has criticised theappointment of Radio One DJNick Grimshaw as an X Factorjudge, would she have takenthe role herself?

“If Simon asked me nicely,”she says. “But there are timesI’m happy I’m not a judgebecause I’m far too nice – somuch nicer than Simon!”

Ask her about other changesto the show and she says: “Iwasn’t really happy, but then I’mquite sentimental. As much as I

was grumpy about [formerhost] Dermot [O’Leary] going,I’ve loved seeing [new presen-ters] Olly [Murs] and Caroline[Flack]. And I miss [formerjudge] Mel [Brown], but I love[new judge] Rita [Ora], so it’sbittersweet for me.”

Reflecting on her experiencein the world of reality TV, shesays: “I’ve done the jungle, I’vedone ice skating, I’ve done TheJump – I’m now one of the UK’stop 24 ski jumpers,” she laughs,before adding: “That’s justbecause there aren’t many!

“If you think about it, I’m likethe black, female Forrest Gump,because I can say that I wastaught to ice skate by Torvill andDean, taught to ski by Olympicchampions and taught to ski-jump by Eddie the Eagle! It’sgreat – my grandchildren aregoing to think I’m lying!”

� Visit Sinitta’s lifestyle website at www.sinitta.com

UK star Sinitta on The X Factor, Simon Cowell’s competitivestreak and being the ‘black Forrest Gump’ of reality TV

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CONGRATS to UK songstress Eska(right),whosedebutalbum hasbeen nomi-nated forthe 2015MercuryPrize.

TheZimbabwe-born singer, who releasedher self-titled album in April this year,is up against acts including Florenceand the Machine and Aphex Twin,whose albums are also in the runningfor the prestigious music prize.

Speaking to Life & Style earlier thisyear, Eska said of her now Mercury-nominated album: “It definitelyexplores many facets of the things Ienjoy about music. I would say it’s apsychedelic, blues, folk, experimentalhybrid. I just enjoy experimenting.”

The winner of the 2015 MercuryPrize will be announced onNovember 20. In addition, Eska iscurrently on tour, with upcomingdates in Liverpool, Birmingham andLondon.

� For full tour dates, visitwww.eskaonline.com

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Over 20 acts will perform at thismajor celebration of lovers rock,with Dawn Penn, Janet Kay, PeterHunningale and Carroll Thompsonamongst the headliners.

Audiences can also enjoy per-formances from Aysha Loren,Winsome, Dennis Bovell and Winston Reedy, along withSandra Cross and Don Campbell.

Hosted by Robbie Gee and Eddie Nestor, Giants ofLovers Rock is a truly unmissable event for fans of theromantic reggae genre.

At Indigo at the O2, Greenwich, London SE10 onOctober 23. Visit www.ticketmaster.co.uk

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REGGAE’S ‘royal family’, famedfor hits including She’s Still LovingMe and Down By the River, will hitthe UK for three live shows tomark the release of their newalbum, Strictly Roots.

Speaking about their upcomingUK shows, band memberNakamyah ‘Lukes’ Morgan toldLife & Style: “The fans there are great in that they reallyappreciate the music. The UK is like our second home.”

� Morgan Heritage will perform at O2 AcademySheffield (Oct 23); O2 Academy Birmingham (Oct 24)and O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire (Nov 1). Visit www.ticketweb.co.uk

� Read the full, exclusive Morgan Heritage interviewnext week in Life & Style

LONGTIME FRIENDS:Sinitta and Simon Cowell

ALL SMILES: SinittaREALITY TV QUEEN