Susan Boyle has been blasted by opera legend Dame Kiri Te Kanawa.

The New Zealand-born soprano was asked about the Scottish singing sensation’s version of ‘I Dreamed A Dream’, which she also sings, but dismissed 49-year-old Susan as a product of “whizz” and “bang” reality television.

Speaking to the Radio Times, she said: “Let’s get off that subject, move on. I’m doing something classical, not whizz-bang. Whizz-bang disappears. It goes ‘whizz’ and then ‘bang’.”

The 66-year-old star – who is holding a competition on British station Radio 2 to find a new operatic talent – also took a swipe at popular reality TV shows, claiming she loathes the frenzy which surrounds them.

She said: “You insult me by even wanting to bring it into this conversation. I’m not interested. My competition has nothing to do with ‘The X Factor’, which I can’t bear.”

She also accused the ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ judges – which include music mogul Simon Cowell – of not doing a very good job, claiming her judges “know what they’re talking about”.

Source: BANG Showbiz

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Simon Cowell has relaxed since falling in love with fiancee Mezhgan Hussainy

Amanda Holden, who works with the music mogul on UK TV show ‘Britain’s Got Talent’, claims her friend is “different” since he started romancing the make-up artist.
She said: “He has always been relaxed and he is always very tactile with me, or whatever girls sit next to him, but he’s different.
“He’d lean back in his chair at the ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ auditions and look at Mezhgan. It’s very sweet.”
Amanda has given her seal of approval to Mezhgan, saying they hit it off straight away and have quickly developed a strong bond.
Amanda added: “She is lovely. She is a real girl’s girl. She’ll come and hug me and say, ‘Oh you look fantastic, where did you get those shoes from?’
“She just wants to be your friend, which I think is lovely because some girls can be horrid to other girls. She’s not like that – she’s smashing.”

Source: BANG Showbiz

The Scottish star – who shot to fame earlier this year after finishing runner-up on UK reality TV contest ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ – is said to be thrilled at the prospect of being chosen for to lend her voice to the movie, which stars Daniel Craig and is due out in 2011.

Monty Norman, composer of the classic 007 theme music, thinks Susan would be a “great” choice.

He said: “They’ll think seriously because she’s got the right kind of sweeping voice”.

Lee Pfeiffer co-author of ‘The Essential James Bond’ book, described Susan as “a throwback to those great days when the likes of Dame Shirley Bassey would be asked to sing”.

Some of the world’s biggest music stars have recorded theme songs to Bond films, including Bassey, Sir Paul McCartney, Madonna and Duran Duran.

The 48-year-old star has already shattered all chart records with her debut album ‘I Dreamed a Dream’.

The LP sold an astonishing 411,000 copies in the UK in one week and over 2 million copies worldwide – making it the fastest-selling debut album by a woman ever.

It is still clocking up sales at an incredible rate.

Source: BANG Showbiz

The Scottish singer – who shot to fame after appearing on talent show ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ earlier this year – has broken records with her first album, ‘I Dreamed a Dream’, which shot to the top of the British album charts yesterday (29.11.09).

The record has become the fastest-selling debut album ever released in the UK after selling 411,000 copies in one week and has also sold over 2million copies worldwide – making it the fastest-selling debut album by a woman ever.

Susan, 48, said: “It’s fantastic!”

However, the singer’s success has been marred by New Zealand TV presenter, who labelled the 48-year-old singer a “retard”.

During his live breakfast show, Paul Henry criticised Susan – who suffered learning difficulties as a child after she was starved of oxygen at birth – and told viewers he had made a “revelation”.

He said: “Here’s the really interesting revelation – she is in fact retarded. And if you look at her carefully, you can make it out.”

The show was flooded with complaints from viewers and disabled charities, who blasted his unkind words.

However, Paul claims he has no regrets over his remarks.

He explained: “These were light-hearted remarks. I can’t recall a time that I’ve regretted saying anything.”

Philippa Sellens, from New Zealand disabled group the Intellectually Handicapped Charity: “Paul thought he was being very funny, but he wasn’t, it was highly offensive. Very few people would have found it funny.”

The presenter is now said to be facing the sack.

Source: BANG Showbiz