Singing judge Lulu slams critics who claim she's too cruel
By Rick Fulton
SINGING legend Lulu last night declared she's no queen of mean saying: "Who would want to be a second-best Simon Cowell?"
Even the 57-year-old's sister, Edwina, has asked her why she's being so serious on TV singing show Just the Two of Us.
During the BBC1 programme, which sees celebrities paired with professional singers, Lulu has looked po-faced and has been stingy in her scoring, regularly giving as little as five out of 10.
But the singer says she isn't being cruel and told how she even burst into tears at the end of the first show.
"My sister has been asking what's been wrong with my face," laughed Lulu.
"She said 'You're so serious. Whit's wrang with you?' But I'm kind of wishing 'Mummy, daddy, mummy, daddy, help them, help them because I want them all to do well.'
"After Martin Fry and Gaby Roslin were voted out on the first night I went back to my dressing room and was greetin'.
"I'm not Simon Cowell. No one can do it like Simon. And who would want to be a second-best Simon Cowell?
"Simon has always been an A&R man who is on the look out for talent - I'm a singer. I point out their breathing or what they can do to help themselves."
The singer, from Dennistoun, Glasgow, laughed as she asked: "So what is everyone saying when I'm giving my marks? 'You b****. You silly b****. She's hopeless that Lulu'?"
Well not quite. Often a five is pretty generous for some of the contestants especially GMTV's Penny Smith who can't sing but is still in the competition.
Viewers have already kicked off Gaby, Fiona Bruce and her partner Alexander O'Neal and Matt All wright and his pairing Jocelyn Brown. Tonight the show, presented by husband and wife Vernon Kay and Tess Daly, is back as the final five pairs battle it out to win Sunday's final.
Hollyoaks star Chris Fountain and ex-S Club 7 singer Jo O'Meara are favourites, followed by Holby City actor Mark Moraghan and ex-Atomic Kitten Natasha Hamilton. Cutting It actress Sian Reeves and Russell Watson, Nicky Campbell and Beverley Knight and Penny Smith and Curtis Stigers bring up the rear.
Lulu, who had her first hit with Shout aged 15, will be joined once again on the judging panel by Radio 1's Trevor Nelson, The Police's Stewart Copeland and vocal coach CeCe Sammy.
It's the first time Lulu has been a judge and she only agreed to be one because she was addicted to Strictly Come Dancing, whose team also produce this show.
However she won't throw away her judge's badge and belt out Shout.
"I don't want to be up there. No way," said Lulu. "I wouldn't want to do that in a million years, to be judged, because there's tremendous pressure. It's live."
Lulu, who is the only British female artist to appear in the charts for five straight decades, reckons she'd do a second series if asked. And the singer - who was Grammy-nominated for the song she wrote for Tina Turner, I Don't Wanna Fight - even hinted that she might write a song for some of the celebrity contestants.
Before then she'll re-release her album, A Little Soul In Your Heart, and appear with Take That on their comeback tour which comes to Glasgow's SECC on April 30.
She had a No.1 hit, Relight My Fire, in 1993 with the boys but is coy about discussing her part in their big return.
But there is one thing she is sure about - she'd love to see Robbie Williams on stage with the band. Lulu said: "I don't think Robbie will be on the tour but who knows? These things change in the blink of an eye. I'd love him to be on the tour."
It will also see her meet up with Jason Orange, who she is rumoured to have had a fling with in the past.
His bandmate Howard Donald talked about the 'affair' during an appearance on Jonathan Ross' chat show last year.
Jason was 23 and Lulu was 45 at the time and she laughed when I asked her to come clean. She said: "Howard can say what he likes. I'm making no comment. I'm much too much of a lady."
Lulu - married to Bee Gee Maurice Gibb, who died in 2003 and then to hairdresser John Frieda, the father of her only child Jordan - is on the lookout for love.
She said: "I've been married twice so getting married isn't on my wish list but it's nice to have romance in your life."
Instead much of her love goes on her 14-year-old West Highland terrier Bonnie, who was fitted with a heart pacemaker.
The singer, who lives in London's Maida Vale, said: "She started to fall down and it was very upsetting. It was 8pm and my vet was shut so I had to drive miles away to a hospital. She's the daughter I never had." Just the Two of Us is on BBC1 at 8pm tonight
CHRIS & JO
LULU SAYS: "They look like pop stars. He frustrated me because for the first couple of shows he'd start off so nervously and then he'd recover and you'd hear he had a great voice. Any A&R man worth his salt should be signing him up."
MARK & NATASHA
LULU SAYS: "I love them. I think they are a very sexy couple. I did a duet with Natasha and knew she had a good voice but she's really showcasing it on this show."
PENNY & CURTIS
LULU SAYS: "She's an absolute joke as a singer but you can't not like her. She's mad, but she's also very funny. She laughs all the time. It's a dilemma - are you judging a singing competition or a comedy show? But Curtis is an amazing singer."
RUSSELL & SIAN
LULU SAYS: "She's very focused and is a great pro. She hasn't got the greatest voice but Russell has such a powerful singing ability that she has somehow managed to light a fire under him physically so he moves now. It's ying and yang, Benson and Hedges."
BEVERLEY & NICKY
LULU SAYS: "They are really, really serious about winning this thing. They put in a lot of work and you have to say that's amazing - they work like dogs. The hardman has turned into a pussycat. He has got a singing voice."
'After Martin and Gaby were voted out I went back to my dressing room and was greetin'
DailyRecord
, because you need glasses if that’s you mean 
or her singing, which considering its a live show that would make weaker singers like any of your fav band 
Girls Aloud. Run screaming to their mummies. 
at the result last night. I do hope the people who vote stop taking the piss and we will ss Penny get voted off tonight...
I'm loving the girls dresses and I thought Tess looked lovely last night.
