Dua Lipa to host massive New Year’s Eve bash with guests including One Direction and Harry Potter stars
DUA LIPA is in the mood to celebrate, having just finished the first leg of her massive Radical Optimism world tour in Asia.
Insiders have revealed the Houdini singer is planning a huge New Year’s Eve party with her boyfriend, actor Callum Turner.
A well-placed source told me: “Dua and Callum are planning what is shaping up to be the most talked about NYE party of this year.
“They’ve found an amazing venue in London and are working with some party planners to get the ball rolling. Invites have gone out to all of their celebrity mates.
“It’s the talk of the town and there are whispers that Bella Hadid and Harry Styles could be there on the night, along with Emma Watson.
“The guest list is apparently a who’s who of the celebrity world.”
‘Go all out’
I’m not surprised Dua is in the mood to party given the incredible year she’s had.
In March, she won her seventh Brit Award for Best Pop Act during a very boozy night — as we can attest— at London’s O2 Arena.
Her third album Radical Optimism then went straight to No1 when she released it in May. Weeks later she was performing a headline slot on Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage.
I stood alongside her proud parents as they watched her nail the set.
In September, she announced her world tour to celebrate Radical Optimism and will next year play four shows at London’s Wembley Stadium and Anfield in Liverpool.
Dua performed a one-off special at London’s Royal Albert Hall in October, which aired on ITV, before flying to Asia for the first leg of her tour in Singapore last month.
My source added: “Dua has had the best year of her career to date and she wants to go all out with her closest friends and family on New Year’s Eve.
“It’s going to be a really elaborate party, with hundreds of bottles of champagne and spirits on order. There’s even talk of a live performer.
“Dua wants to make it as special as she can for the people she loves and no expense is being spared.”
You deserve the hangover of a lifetime, Dua, to top off what has been an amazing year. And there is only more to come.
Bottoms up, Kim
IT has been a decade since Kim Kardashian “broke the internet” when she struck this famous pose for Paper magazine.
And she proved she’s still got it, as she recreated the snap with a champagne flute balancing on her bottom at a Christmas party.
It’s not the only thing she is revisiting, as she has relaunched her music career.
The reality star and entrepreneur posed in this burgundy dress as she dropped a surprise cover of Eartha Kitt’s Santa Baby, just in time for the big day.
That’s despite the fact she admitted only this summer: “I find my voice is so just distinct and annoying.”
How do you think the rest of us feel, Kim? Jokes aside, she doesn’t actually sound too bad on the sultry, breathy cover, which was produced by her brother-in-law, Travis Barker.
The Blink-182 star, who is married to Kim’s sister Kourtney Kardashian, has also released it through his label DTA Records, so he clearly believes in her.
It is accompanied by a strange, low-fi video, which was shot on a home camcorder and features Kim crawling around the floor alongside a donkey, a bodybuilder and a woman in a fish tank.
There is even a random cameo from Home Alone’s Macaulay Culkin dressed as Santa.
It comes 13 years after her only other foray into music, when she released a flop single called Jam (Turn It Up). You might be better off sticking to business, Kim.
Cher: My last tour
CHER is preparing to retire after a career spanning six decades.
The Believe singer told last month that she will start work on her final album next year.
Cher has now revealed she will go on one final global tour after the record comes out.
She said: “I’m working on a new album. I’ll perform shows shortly after.
“I’d like it to be a world tour because it will be my last.”
Cher, right, had been in talks for next summer’s Glastonbury’s Legends slot, which Sir Rod Stewart is now playing instead. But I do hope her tour takes her there at some point in the future.
Given she is 78, I’m inclined to believe this really will be her final one.
In 2002 she embarked on her Living Proof: The Farewell Tour, which ended up being wildly popular, spanning three years, and convinced her to stay in pop.
Her last jaunt, the Here We Go Again Tour, ran from 2018 to 2020 and included eight shows across the UK and Ireland.
She was on brilliant form for that, so I can’t wait to see her play live again.
Bootin’ tootin’ Ashley
ASHLEY ROBERTS clearly left her Christmas jumpers behind in Blightly as she danced around a cactus in her native Arizona.
The Pussycat Dolls star wore a red leotard, tasseled jacket and cowboy boots for a video posted on Instagram – and I can see why she looks so happy.
I can reveal she has flown out toyboy boyfriend George Rollinson to spend Christmas with her mum in much warmer climes than London.
Bizarre first revealed last year the Heart Radio DJ was dating artist George and they have largely kept their romance out of the spotlight.
But given he’s jetted to the US to be with her for the holidays, things must be hotting up.
Pete back for more Shambles
BABYSHAMBLES are plotting a comeback in 2025.
The group released three albums before splitting in 2014. They want to mark the 20th anniversary of debut album Down In Albion, which had the singles Killamangiro, F*** Forever and Albion, next year.
Frontman Pete Doherty, who formed the group on a break from The Libertines, told NME: “It is on the cards. We will get back together and get in a room with the instruments and play through the old songs, then get on stage and do it.
“But it’s the ‘who’ and the ‘when’ that needs to be worked out. I think we’ll just keep that one on the horizon and deal with that one next year. Before then, I’ve got a new collection of songs I’m putting out on my own label, which is tidy.”
Pub fans cheer for Channing
FANS lucky enough to bump into Channing Tatum during his day out watching Wrexham were stunned when he got a round in at the pub.
A punter got in touch to tell me how Channing and Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong went all out during their whirlwind trip to support their pal Ryan Reynolds’ football team earlier this month, when they played Cambridge on December 14 and drew 2-2.
And it meant that drinkers enjoying a festive pint in the Fat Boar pub were treated to a free drink, as well as those drinking in The Turf.
“Channing and Billie Joe were so generous when it came to their rounds,” one local told me.
“On the Friday, Channing was in the Fat Boar on York Street and brought everyone in there a drink.
“Billie was in The Turf on that night too and got a round in with his son.
“Channing then went to The Turf on the Sunday and brought everyone a drink.
“He stayed there for hours and other punters were getting absolutely legless with him. It was a classic sight.”
Nothing says Christmas like getting leathered with a Hollywood A-Lister.
Ruth has Superior vocals
IF you want even more from Ruth Jones after the Gavin & Stacey Christmas special tomorrow, you’re in luck.
She features in the official soundtrack album for Sister Act The Musical, which has just been released.
The Nessa actress played Mother Superior in the West End earlier this year opposite powerhouse singer Beverley Knight as Deloris Van Cartier, so you know there will be some belting vocals.
Lemar, Lesley Joseph and Clive Rowe are also on the album.
Ruth said: “My time on stage at the Dominion Theatre playing Mother Superior was such a happy time and I’m so proud to have been part of the live cast recording of Sister Act.
“It’s such a joyful show with such uplifting songs. We had an absolute blast recording it – and I’m so excited to listen!”
Rachel’s a work of dart
NUMBER wonder Rachel Riley has her eye on the prize at the darts.
The Countdown maths whiz chucked a few arrows at Ally Pally in London during the World Darts Championship.
She was taking part in the Professional Darts Corporation’s Bullseye Maths scheme, which encourages primary school kids to enjoy the sport and maths.
Rachel said: “You use maths to solve real-world problems, and this is helping their mathematical reasoning.
“That will be beneficial whether they’re kids or adults.”
MICHAEL BUBLE is on track to return to No1 with his album Christmas – for a third year in a row.
He released the record in 2011 but could now be set for a seventh non- consecutive week at the top in the UK.
As things stand at the midway point, Sabrina Carpenter has been nudged to No2 while Chappel Roan is staying firm at No3.
Meanwhile, SZA’s second album SOS has rocketed 28 places to No4 after she issued the long-awaited deluxe version with 14 new songs, called Lana.
MUFASA: The Lion King has failed to have the same bite as the film series’ first live-action remake, taking just a fraction at the box office.
It went to No1 with opening weekend figures of £4.4million in the UK.
But that is less than a third of the whopping £16.7million The Lion King banked in 2019.