* Thursday, 03 December 2009

One of the UK’s leading online gift and gadget retailers has released the top ten naughty and nice lists of celebrities for Christmas 2009, revealing who is in for a treat from Santa this year and who should expect nothing more than a lump of coal.

They’ve made a list, they’ve checked it twice and now leading gift e-tailer www.Prezzybox.com has revealed who’s naughty and nice; the 10 celebrities who will be in Santa’s good books this year and the 10 stars that would be better off keeping a low profile until the New Year.

Susan Boyle and X Factor’s Jedward made it on the nice list after all their hard work of late, whilst new arrival Kai Rooney was perhaps the youngest celebrity to feature. After all, Christmas is all about the kids! Gary Barlow should expect lots this Christmas, after all his selfless good deeds; organising the Kilimanjaro climb for Comic Relief earlier in the year and the Children in need concert in November.

Some of the names on the naughty list perhaps won’t be a huge shock, with Katie Price the most likely to find her stocking slightly empty. Calvin Harris also made the naughty list for rudely disrupting Jedward’s performance on the X Factor live shows and, more recently, trashing his dressing room. Thierry Henry may also be paying the price this year after the stunt he pulled at the world cup qualifier between Ireland and France.

Father Christmas’s Nice List of 2009;

1. Peter Andre
2. Gary Barlow
3. Fearne Cotton
4. Dannii Minogue
5. Jedward
6. Robert Pattinson
7. Kim Woodburn
8. Peter Kay
9. Steven Fry
10. Susan Boyle
http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=52267

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Two and a half hours later, having been searched and photographed you are granted entry into conference centre itself.

It's hard to convey the peculiar atmosphere of the place. In building devoid of atmosphere by design (or so it would appear) thousands of people have created an energy that rolls around the building. Cavernous halls are filled with cafes, plenary rooms, camera crews, side rooms, computer banks, exhibition stands, delegate offices, media centres, more cafes, NGO campaign stunts, teleconference suites and far more. Everywhere folk are huddled round laptops or sat in circles having some impromptu strategy meeting, or running from one event to another or craning to get into a packed fringe event to see the latest scientific projections of climate impacts on, for example, water availability in the United States.

Amongst all this organised chaos NGOs such as WWF go about their business pushing for that elusive FAB (Fair, Ambitious and Binding) deal. This means rejecting the special interest pleading from dinosaurs in the EU business lobby, bringing clarity to the multiple interpretations of the various reduction commitments from different countries, exposing the emissions accounting trickery that threaten to create huge loop-holes in targets and describing the plan from the Danish Presidency for what it is; 'too elitist, selective and non transparent'.

There is clearly far more to do here than there are hours in the day. Meetings ignore any normal working hours and roll onwards into the night. But, from the looks of it, I guess that is what it is going to take.
http://news.scotsman.com/world....5150.jp

THE BEATLES legend has been swamped with guestlist requests for his gig at London's O2 tonight - and there isn't enough room at the inn.

The famous faces will be out in force, that's RINGO STARR, MADONNA, GARY BARLOW, NOEL GALLAGHER, CHRIS MARTIN, KATE MOSS, DAVID and VICTORIA BECKHAM, CHRIS EVANS, DERMOT O'LEARY, DAVID WALLIAMS, VERNON KAY and TINCHY STRYDER - not to mention their guests.

Sir Paul's team will have a job keeping the queue at his dressing room door under control with that lot passing by to say well done.

The pop icon told me last week in Cologne, Germany, that 100 tickets normally come his way for big gigs.

But I hear Macca has now reached 600 on his allocation - which includes friends, family, mums from his daughter's school, celebs, musicians and royalty.

A source said: "Macca's gig is the only place to be in town tonight. The O2 will be rammed to the rafters."

In Cologne Macca rolled out Wonderful Christmas Time, his famous festive hit.

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol....SDtpzSP

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The children's programme Blue Peter awards gold badges for outstanding achievement.

This year's celebrity winners include Usain Bolt, Gary Barlow and Jenson Button.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8432163.stm

Gary Barlow is among the latest celebrities and sportsmen honoured with Blue Peter gold badges.

The Take That songwriter, who has this year combined his successful music career with organising major fundraisers for both Comic Relief and Children In Need, was one of the few individuals lucky enough to be awarded the special honour from the BBC show.

The children's programme also saluted Comic Relief stalwart Lenny Henry, Tracy Beaker actress Dani Harmer and Shaheen Jafargholi, who sang at singer Michael Jackson's memorial service at the age of 12.

Isaiah Hamilton, 12, who became an internet sensation after recording an anti-knife crime rap, was among the children recognised.

Sporting stars on the list included world champion racing driver Jenson Button, sprinter Usain Bolt and the Ashes-winning England women's cricket team.

There were also badges for heptathlete Jessica Ennis, world champion diver Tom Daley and skateboarder Tony Hawk.

Blue Peter has given out less than 1,000 of the badges in its 51-year history. The Queen is among the recipients.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breakin....09.html

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol....UfztFCK

Our inspiring star-studded event, which honours the nation's unsung heroes, attracted an average 6million viewers and peaked at just under seven million on ITV1 in October.

It was almost a million more than its closest rival, the Brit Awards.

Last night host Carol Vorderman said: "It deserves to be. For me, it's the only one that really matters as it recognises truly remarkable people."

The 11th annual Pride of Britain, sponsored by The Co-operative, was packed with inspirational stories.

Guests ranging from Prince Charles and Prime Minister Gordon Brown to Sir Michael Caine, Gary Barlow, Simon Cowell and Girls Aloud were at Grosvenor House, London. Stars including Ewan McGregor, Ant and Dec, Freddie Flintoff and Gary Lineker flew to military bases abroad to present troops with awards.

Prince Charles said: "They celebrate remarkable people." Gordon Brown called it "a highlight of the calendar".

Itv boss Peter Fincham said: "It's a national institution which we're delighted to support." The channel's factual supremo Alison Sharman said: "We're thrilled the awards go from strength to strength."
http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs....1943164

A DISABLED campaigner is hoping to beat the likes of Ryan Giggs and Danny Boyle to become Mancunian of the Year.

Carl Tilson wants people to vote for him in the category in the Pride of Manchester awards.

He hopes a win will increase awareness of the difficulties he and other sufferers of muscle-wasting condition Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, are faced with.

Despite being wheelchair-bound, having to be fed through a tube and needing a ventilator and heart monitoring equipment while he sleeps, he has raised around £100,000 over the past four years for the charity, Action Duchenne.

He has also appealed to the government to fund trials into finding a cure by taking a petition to the Prime Minister and spoken directly ministers in the Houses of Parliament.

Carl lives with his parents Fred and Linda on Lonsdale Avenue, Levenshulme, and will turn 23 next month. Most sufferers do not live past their early twenties.

He said: "I would like to appeal to people to consider casting their vote for me as Mancunian of the year not only because I would love the honour of receiving such a privilege, but because the awareness it would raise would immensely help my cause.

"It would also give hope for the other young men and children of today that maybe a treatment will come available in this generation."

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is caused by a gene defect and affects one in 3,500 boys from birth, but hardly any girls.

Those affected are born without the production of a protein called Dystrophin, and their muscles gradually deteriorate, which not only affects mobility, but also the control of the heart and respiratory systems.

Carl was nominated for Mancunian of the Year by his dad Fred Tilson – the son of Fred Tilson Snr who scored the winning goal for Manchester City in the FA Cup final in 1934.

This is the third year the Pride of Manchester awards have been held, across a number of categories.

Last year's winner of Mancunian of the Year was Tom Buckley, a cancer sufferer who completed a coast-to-coast walk in wintry conditions to raise money for The Christie hospital. Tom died last May.

Carl is up against a number of high profile contenders such as Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and Take That's Gary Barlow.

Neil Jones, one of the organisers of the Pride of Manchester Awards, said: "Carl is the ideal candidate and he would be the perfect winner.

"It's great that someone who is not that well known can compete against the celebrities.

"His position is similar to last year's winner, Tom Buckley, in that he does a lot to raise money and awareness while being ill himself."

Voting is open online until February 15. To vote, go to www.prideofmanchester.com/awards/2009i.htm and choose from the drop-down menu.

Winners will be announced on March 1.
http://www.southmanchesterreporter.co.uk/news....chester

Gary Barlow was thrilled when he could finally speak to his children.

The Take That frontman - who has three children, Daniel, nine, Emily, seven, and 12-month-old Daisy with wife Dawn - admits he isn't very good with babies and is happier when his kids can speak to him.

He said: "I really only started bonding with the kids when they're around two. Or do I mean 22, ha ha! Don't get me wrong, the whole baby thing is all cute and stuff, but I really like them when they start talking and knowing who you are. I find it frustrating, that first bit, as they only really want their mums because they feed them. Babies are just like little chimps and they won't let their mum go. I don't find it as rewarding at that stage. But Dan and Emily are like my best friends now. I really love my time with them."

Gary also admits he will be an over-protective father when it comes to his daughters dating boys.

He added to Britain's OK! magazine: "I will be very judgemental when boys come a calling for Emily. Actually, saying that, I think she has a boyfriend now and she's only seven. They start young these days, you know. It's terrifying."

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/people....-Barlow

I'd forgotten how big the TAKE THAT lad was before he embarked on his remarkable long road to fitness.

Gary, who has just celebrated his tenth wedding anniversary to wife Dawn, said: "In the late Nineties I suffered with depression and I ballooned to 16st 9lb by the year 2000.

"I found it hard to move. I remember waking up one morning and trying to sit up in bed and it was so hard.

"I look back at pictures of me when I was heavier and it's like being in your own prison.

"And the bigger you are the smaller you feel."

It's amazing when you look at Gary now to remember he was so big.

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol....BVPsyce