X Factor’s James Arthur reveals pressures of fame led him to make choices

James Arthur has said he was ‘led to do things’ he did not want to do at the beginning of his fame.

The former X Factor champ found himself on his own after he scooped the TV crown in 2012 and moved to a London flat.

Reflecting on the turbulence stars face in the wake of documentary Framing Britney Spears, he told Guilty Pleasures: ‘I have suffered at the other end of the spectrum.

‘I’ve been left to my own devices too much. I went through the X Factor machine and then was living in a flat in London all of a sudden. That’s where I look back and think I should have had more people around me. Not to say people weren’t reaching out.’

He continued: ‘If I could give that guy some advice, I would say “let people help you”. I navigated this whole game by myself… being led to do things I didn’t want to do but thought I had to do to keep me relevant or validated. Career choices were made that don’t agree with my sensibilities.’

But after discovering meditation and landing a deal with Columbia records, the Medicine singer, 33, has ‘streamlined’ his life — and is happy to stay away from London.

The Middlesbrough lad said: ‘I’ve been interested in meditation for a long time but never gave it a go until 2020 because of a health anxiety.

‘I’ve realised how to streamline my life. I don’t have to get in a car to London to have a meeting anymore, which was genuinely a ball-ache. Life is a lot simpler than it was before.’

And after previously quitting gigs with stage fright, he is armed with new tunes and definitely ready now. ‘I’m gagging to play this stuff,’ he said.

More Guilty Pleasures…

Beachy keen in green for Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne

Bath time is heel-y good if you are Leigh-Anne Pinnock — who wowed in a minty fresh outfit as she modelled her new swimming tog line.

The Little Mix singer and entrepreneur posed in the green one-piece and heels in her bathroom in these new snaps — also crawling across a bed in black and pink next-to-nothing creations that range from £30 to £70.

Pinnock said her tiny In’A’Seashell swimwear designs have ‘styles and fits to suit every body shape’.

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As well as her beachwear trade, the Confetti singer is the second member of Little Mix gearing up to release solo music.

But unlike ex-bandmate Jesy Nelson, the 29-year-old is not breaking away from Jade Thirlwall and Perrie Edwards.

Pic cap: Tapping into the market: Leigh-Anne poses in bathroom PICTURES: LEIGH-ANNE PINNOCK X IN’A’SEASHELL SWIMWEAR

Harry’s McFlying high as he’s set to be a dad again

McFly star Harry Judd is preparing to become a father again — as he and his wife Izzy are expecting a sibling for Lola, five, and Kit, three.

The drummer, 35, can expect the waterworks to switch on when his new baby arrives. He told Hello! magazine: ‘When Lola was born, I was a blubbering mess and with Kit, I cried too. They are the most emotional moments of my life.’

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The couple recently tested positive for Covid-19, and podcaster Izzy said: ‘When we found out, I did feel panic. We’ve been so careful for over a year so it is a shock when numbers are low and I’m pregnant.’

She had Lola via IVF after suffering a miscarriage, while this pregnancy happened naturally.

Gal’s finger-tipsy lunchtime mishap…

It’s a Wonder Gal Gadot can laugh about losing part of her finger — after her not-so-handy husband threw the severed tip in the bin.

Sharing her gruesome kitchen mishap, the Wonder Woman actress, 35, told US TV host Jimmy Kimmel: ‘You know in the early days of the pandemic, when you start drinking mimosa or sangria or whatever at 11am? So I did that and then I decided that I’m going to make a cabbage salad because that’s what one wants to do.

‘Anyway, I started to chop the thing and I chopped the top of my finger.’

But the Israeli star didn’t bother going to hospital — because her hubby Yaron Varsano freaked out and chucked her fingertip in the rubbish, leaving ‘nothing to sew’ back on. Gadot said she is ‘waiting for it to come back’.

Will Bats for women’s music in comeback

Will Young is happy to play the clown while he pays tribute to his favourite female artists in a musical return.

The eccentric star kicked things off with a cover of Bat For Lashes song Daniel — donning sad face paint and rambling in the woods for the video.

His first new album in two years, the record will feature tributes to musicians such as Robyn, MUNA, Lykke Li, Solange and London Grammar.

The former Pop Idol winner is letting the music do the talking after he slammed Made In Chelsea’s Spencer Matthews for using the term ‘least gay’ last week. But after telling him off, Young, 42, said Matthews ‘had the maturity and respect to respond in a very understanding way’.

Dairy they do it? Blur meet-up hopes

A Blur reunion could Stilton be on the cards… if bassist-turned-cheese farmer Alex James gets his way at his Big Feastival.

The Country House star, 52, is hoping all his former bandmates — Damon Albarn, Dave Rowntree and Graham Coxon — will visit his farm for this year’s festival.

While he insisted they were ‘too big’ a name to reform and perform at the event, he added: ‘Having said that, Damon said he might come this year, Dave is doing a DJ set and Graham will come if he’s around. We might all stand up and do something stupid.’

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