Pop star set for surprising new reality TV show inspired by Kim Kardashian
AT just 37, Welsh singing sensation Charlotte Church has achieved more than most of us manage in our lifetime.
But she’ll soon be swapping sonatas for the small screen as I can reveal she is working on a TV programme.
Charlotte has been making plans for a fly-on-the-wall show all about her life in Wales, so far dubbed Keeping Up With The Cardiffians.
Whilst the homebird’s lifestyle is far from the glossy, Californian one enjoyed by the Kardashians, she hopes to offer the same warts-and-all approach to filmmaking.
A TV source said of Charlotte, who set up a school through her Awen Project: “Many people know the teen soprano and popstar, and her high-profile marriage to ex Gavin Henson, but not what her life is about these days.
"She all but retired from fame in 2014, before reinventing herself as a political activist, philanthropist and nature lover. But being on The Masked Singer in 2022, and opening up to Kate Garraway on Life Stories, felt like a line in the sand.
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“And she is now ready to show the world the new her. Life at home in the Welsh countryside, her Awen Project and her three children are sides to Charlotte the public haven’t seen and she knows it would make great telly.
“Plus it would give her a platform to discuss all her worthy issues.
“Charlotte is pitching the treatment to channels now and hopes for a commission soon.”
The singer was propelled to fame aged 12 but, after selling millions of records, launching her own chat show and cracking America, she has spent much of the last decade out the limelight.
She set up her school and eco-friendly wellness retreat and dedicated herself to family life.
Speaking last year, Charlotte told OK! magazine: “I’ve been venturing out a little bit more nowadays because I’ve got stuff to say.
“My main job in life is as a mother, so as long as [work] doesn’t take me away from my beautiful babies too much.
“For my big kids, I’ve been quite quiet fame-wise throughout their life, so it’s quite exciting for them.
“For me, it’s about using my voice in a different way.
“I run a democratic learning community that I’d like to set up more of across the country, as I’m really passionate about education and how we can change things for young people.
“I’m also opening a healing retreat centre in Wales, where I’ll be one of the practitioners.”
Sounds like Charlotte has nailed the perfect pitch . . .
GREG HAS REVENGE ON DEBS
IT was an immediate “I’m in” for Dragons’ Den regular Deborah Meaden when invited to be on Taskmaster.
But her stint on the comedy panel game show, on New Year’s Eve on Channel 4, could all be an act of revenge by host Greg Davies.
For it is revealed that when they met before, Deborah turned down his business pitch – a product involving horizontal glass – as ridiculous.
Now Greg gets his own back by setting her up to do some ridiculous tasks. Deborah said: “How could he remember that 16 years later? I mean, he holds a grudge.
“We absolutely set off on the wrong foot. I almost think he was out for revenge.”
That will teach you for saying “I’m out”, Deborah.
BRAD LUCK, LAUR
THE real Housewives Of Cheshire star Lauren Simon admits she’s been unlucky in love – but when it comes to her upcoming episode of First Dates, there was only one reason she didn’t click with her date.
The production team didn’t set her up with Hollywood hunk Bradley Cooper or, second best, the Channel 4 show’s host Fred Sirieix.
Instead, she sat down with businessman Chiles for a romantic evening in the new First Dates restaurant in Bath.
She tells me: “The date wasn’t great because I told the team I wanted Bradley Cooper vibes.
“He looked nothing like him, so I wasn’t attracted to him.
“I wanted the butterflies, I wanted the thunderbolt because I’m not prepared to settle for anything else.”
Lauren adds: “If I’m being honest about my motive to go on the show, I’ve just always loved Fred and wanted to meet him – so that was exciting for me.
“He gave me the butterflies.”
First Dates’ tenth anniversary series airs on Channel 4 from January 2.
AMANDA IN SUNNY RETURN
A PLACE In The Sun has proved so popular with viewers, it has been handed a telly promotion.
The long-running property programme has bagged a brand new prime-time slot on Channel 4.
Instead of welcoming new hopefuls looking for sun abroad, the spin-off series A Place In The Sun: What Happened Next? will check in with buyers who took the plunge and relocated to sunnier climates.
And it will all kick off on January 6 in its new 6:45pm slot – a move from its usual time of 3pm.
An insider told me: “A Place In The Sun has been successful among daytime audiences for 23 years, so it’s about time it got this move to a prime-time slot.
“The new show will visit some familiar faces, including the presenters who viewers know and love from over the years.
“And in another show first, former host Amanda Lamb will join them.”
FRENCH: JOKE WAS ON ME
DAWN French is no stranger to making a fool of herself on telly for the sake of comedy.
But she said being laughed at before a skit with Anstacia on her sketch show with Jennifer Saunders was a step too far.
Sitting down with Jennifer on new documentary Pointed, Bitchy, Bitter, on BBC One tomorrow night, Dawn reveals that being mocked over the outfit she had to wear on stage with the singer made her quit French and Saunders.
She says: “I got into the costume and the costume designer fell on her back, helplessly laughing at me, at what I looked like. I looked in the mirror and I was like, ‘This isn’t it’.
“But instead of finding it funny, I felt that I didn’t like it. The joke was on me – it was me and I hadn’t controlled it in any way.
“Then I had to go out in front of the audience.
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“I came off-stage, said bye to everyone and got into my car – and I wept all the way home, saying I wouldn’t do that again.
“I could’ve just been hormonal, but I just hated it, and I hadn’t ever hated it.”
SAM VETS TV ROLE FOR DAD
ACTING legend Timothy West has appeared in everything from EastEnders to Dad’s Army.
But his thespian son Sam West wants to sign him up for a new role – aged 89.
Sam, whose mum is Fawlty Towers legend Prunella Scales, stars as vet Siegfried Farnon in Channel 5’s All Creatures Great And Small.
And he wants to get his dad on the cast with him.
He said: “My parents were disappoint-ed not to have been a part of the original version of the show when it ran on the BBC. Dad would love to have a role.”
Sam joked: “I should warn Channel 5, though, that he doesn’t come cheap and is very busy.”