Hi Sophie, how are you?
Not too bad thank you.

Blooming and full of child!
Haha! Yeah I am. I'm at 38 weeks now. 

So it's third time lucky with going the full term. 
I know. It's been phenomenal. The people at the hospital have been absolutely brilliant. I do really appreciate it.

Have they had to pay you a lot of attention because you've had the two premature babies?
Yeah, exactly. They've had to keep an eye on me in case I started to get ill again, but I didn't. It's all good.

So you've never brought a newborn baby home before?
No, this will be the first time. Kit and Sonny both came home after about four or five weeks.

How are you feeling at the moment?
Excited, really. I have moments where I feel like I don't really know what to expect, but I just want to get on with it now, really. We're as ready for this baby as we're ever going to be!

Do you have an inkling of the sex. 
We don't know for sure, but I'm pretty sure it's going to be another boy. We had quite a big visual clue at one of the scans! 

Do you have names sorted?
Of course, yeah. I always do that. I'm a bit tragic. By the time you start telling people I already know what the names are. I like to be organised.

Has your girl's name been the same all three times?
No, I've changed it actually. I think you get to different points in your life and things have different resonance. Actually, people say to me, "I bet you want a girl" but I don't really feel like families work like that. When your child is born you just think, "Well, I was always going to have that baby". I didn't really realise that there was a bit of a thing about that. I've got three sisters, two brothers, we're all very higgledy piggledy. It didn't really occur to me that I would have any preference. But the amount of people that, if I say I think it's a boy, say "Aww" as if they feel sorry for me! And I'm like, "Well, I quite like the way they turn out!" And you do go into it knowing it's 50-50!

You really do get that?
Oh totally. I had it a little bit with the second one, but I've had it tonnes this time around. 

The idea that you would be disappointed with a boy because it's not a girl.
Yeah, exactly. Like, "This is a disaster! Why did nobody warn me this might happen?!" 

So, once you've had the baby presumably you'll be taking a bit of time off work?
Yeah, well, I don't really know how I'll feel. I've got a couple of things in June and we'll see how it goes, really. There are a few things in the diary. 

And it's nice to have that other side to your life still going.
Definitely. It's been quite a peaceful start to the year for me - which has been lovely - and I quite like seeing that I've got stuff going on. But we'll see. I'm going to try and sort the baby out with a passport quite quickly so that I can take it with me as well. 

The other big news in Sophie world is that the Bob Sinclar video is out.
It is! How's that for synchronicity! 

It's certainly quite a viewing experience.
Hahaha! Yes. There's a lot of really peachy bottoms. But hey he's French, what did you expect?

What do you think of it?
You know what, I really like it. I think it's really kitsch and cool. Bob asked me if I'd be able to do the video and I was like, "Um kind of, but only from certain angles!" So he decided to do it that way. And, actually, I think it's great. I'm happy.

And are you pleased with the song?
Yeah. I don't even think it's that rude any more - I just find it quite funny. But some people are still adjusting to it, I think!

It's incredibly catchy. You have to be careful or you find yourself singing that chorus in public places! 
Well, there is an "I wanna rock with you" version. You'll be safer with that. Actually, I had to play the sweary version to my 7-year-old because I wanted him to hear it from me and noone else. I told him that in France it doesn't meant anything rude, it's only rude here. So he thought that was OK. He's obviously quite anti-swearing and he's never heard me swear either. I'm not really a very sweary person.

The song certainly makes up for that.
Haha! Exactly.

Remind us how you came to do the song?
I was sent an email from Bob and I was obviously aware of what he does, but then I saw in the subject heading of the email attachment, "Fuck With You" and I thought that was ridiculous. But then I heard it and thought, "Well this is really catchy and quite fun". And I always thought it was quite tongue in cheek. It's not just a sexy thing, it's more of a woman getting her revenge on someone. Like, I wanna mess with you. The rapper, Gilbere, is the really rude one. I wonder if he's told his parents yet! 

And the timing of the song, with you about to go and have a baby is pretty good.
I just think it's hilarious. It tickles me.

So, what else have you been up to?
I've been doing a little bit of songwriting. I've been working a little bit more with Ed Harcourt. And I did a song with Cathy Dennis the other day. So, yeah, I've been keeping busy but just on a low-key, at home sort of way. And Richard and I have been doing a bit of writing as well. It's been fun. 

What kind of stage are you at with an album?
I'd say I still need to knuckle down and do a few more months, really. But it's definitely taking shape. I've done some great stuff with Ed and we've found a bit of a musical direction. But I'm going to take a pause while I have the baby.

Is there a song title you can tease us with?
We did a lovely one called Love Is A Camera and we did another one called The Wrong Side Of The Sun.

Obviously we've been posting the Jakarta videos and they've gone down really well.
Yeah, that's been really good. They filmed it for TV, I think. It's quite good quality, I thought.

The crowd looks amazing.
Yeah, it was fun. We really had no idea what to expect going to a country I hadn't been to for a long time, so it was a nice surprise. 

Do you have any notion of when you might start to put some new music out?
Not yet. It's a bit early to say on that front. We shall see.

And have you been filling the house with new paraphernalia for the baby?
Not really. The only thing we got was a new buggy, because the old one was looking really tired. We've gone for another Bugaboo. 

What colour?
Navy. I always go for that. I know they come in really loud colours but I like it a bit more restrained. Black always seems a bit too severe, so navy is quite good. And then I got a new Moses basket because the handles on the old one were held together with string! But that's all we've done.

It's going to be so strange to have a tiny baby in the house for the first time.
I know! It's quite odd for Richard and I because we've actually been quite busy in the last few weeks, and then suddenly we're going to have this little baby in the basket and he'll actually be here. I can't imagine it at all. 

Are the kids excited?
I think so. Kit wants to call the baby Rose, whether it's a boy or a girl. Before that he wanted to call it Power Ranger. He's a bit obsessed with Power Rangers. If any of my fans have got any Power Rangers that they're getting rid of, they can always donate them to Kit's Power Rangers collection. We have to know the name of all of them - and they have different names in each series. There's probably about 12 different versions of them and he likes to know each of their names. But, yes, Sonny is really looking forward to the baby, because he loves babies.

That's great.
Yeah. And I think Kit's just got his head around it in the last month or two. He's three now so he's starting to find his feet a little bit more. I think he's really warming to the idea of being a big brother. Sonny's going to be 8 on Monday, so I'm hoping he'll actually be able to give me a bit of help. I was 8 when my brother was born and I adored him and used to give him his bottle and look after him. And now he's my drummer! 

And it's so nice that you've not had the stresses of the last two births.
Oh totally. I sort of want to tell people that. I know that a lot of women, if they've had two bouts of pre-eclampsia severe enough to have premature babies, they'll probably be really apprehensive at the idea of a third. I know I was. So it's really nice to know that it doesn't always happen. It's just been so lovely to be able to enjoy it this time.

Check out the new video for Bob Sinclar's new single, F*** With You, which features Sophie's voice. WARNING: As it features swearing and nudity, the video is what's commonly known as Not Safe For Work!

F*** With You is out this week on the UK iTunes Store here and the French iTunes Store here.

It's time for another of the videos from Sophie's 2011 Soulnation Festival set in Jakarta. And this time she's delivering a propulsive version of her 2003 hit, Catch You. 

Those of you in the UK that missed Sophie's appearance on ITV1's Family Fortunes on Saturday night can watch it on-demand on the channel's website by clicking here. We won't tell you the outcome, but it sure is edge of your seat stuff...

We continue our run through Sophie's 2011 show at Jakarata's Soulnation festival, with the third track, Take Me Home. 

You’ve been to see your mother’s play recently.
That’s right! I was actually really nervous. When I was growing up, she did a lot of acting. I remember travelling around different bits of England seeing her in different productions. She went to Central for her drama school and then her first jobs were all acting jobs, from doing Shakespeare to things like Dr Who and The Sweeney. She started presenting after she followed up on an advert, so that became more what she was known for. But for a while now she’s been wanting to do something back in a theatre, so she decided to put on a play herself. It’s been affiliated with Maggie’s, which is a charity she works with a lot.

Which play was it?
An Alan Bennett play called Green Forms. It’s a little, one hour, one act play. And it’s got that very witty script and well-formed characters that you get with Alan Bennett. It’s just her and one other woman, Jan Ravens, who’s an impressionist. It was really excellent.

Is that the first time you’ve seen her in a play since you were a kid?
Yes. I think the time before was probably when I was a teenager. I was really nervous this time, just because I couldn’t help her and I knew she was about to put herself out there. But as soon as the play started I knew that she was fine.

What else have you been up to?
I went to the In Style BAFTA party over in Shoreditch, because Richard was working just round the corner from there.

How do you choose which parties to go to?
It has to have some kind of tie in for me. This one made sense because Richard was already over in that part of London and so we could meet up and have supper and I knew a few people who were going. But generally, especially when I’m pregnant and it’s cold I’m more likely to stay in than go out! I’ve never been very good at that thing of going out for the sake of it.

And you can enjoy them?
Yeah, I think that’s imperative really. I don’t want it to feel like work. I don’t really feel like I’m very good at playing that whole keeping your profile up game. I went to a Cirque du Soleil thing at the Royal Albert Hall recently and I didn’t even want to take my coat off on the way in. And I’m still not convinced that keeping your profile up at those sort of things makes any real difference in your day job. People either want to buy your records or they don’t. The main reason I went to the Cirque du Soleil thing was to take Sonny because I thought he’d love it - and he really did - but I warned him about the photographers, and he absolutely hated that bit. In the pictures I saw, I look really odd because I’ve got Sonny completely hidden behind me, just trying to get him in as quickly as I can!

You were also in Turkey recently.
Yes, that was really cool. Richard had never been and I wanted to show him Istanbul anyway, then we got an offer to go and DJ there. And I also did a little acoustic performance for a radio station while I was out there. So it was really fun. I really like that city. That might be the last trip before the baby. And the next thing I’ve got coming up is Family Fortunes.

No way!
Yeah. Not with Richard - he’s got out of it. I think it’s quite kitsch and fun, but he definitely didn’t want to do it.

Are you nervous?
Well, it’s not really a test of your intelligence.

Perhaps not, but it can make people look quite stupid.
Yeah, that’s true actually. Oh God, I hope it’s alright!

So who’s on your team?
My mum, my grandpa, my brother and my sister.

Amazing!
I know, it’s really funny. Hahahaha! Our survey says...

Do you know who you’re playing against?
I don’t yet. When I did Million Pound Drop, I was really nervous until I was actually stood there doing it and then I wasn’t nervous at all. And that was fully live. But with those questions you either know them or you don’t - you can’t really work them out. So I’m hoping it’ll be a similar thing with Family Fortunes. And I can blame any massively stupid moments on being seven months pregnant!

We'll let you know when Family Fortunes will broadcast...

Here's the second of our videos from Sophie's set at the Soulnation Festival in Jakarta on 25 September 2011 (one of her highlights of last year). Look out for more from the set soon!

Here's part two of our latest Q&A, in which Sophie tells us about Christmas at home, New Year in Thailand and possible plans for a maternity wear range...

How was your Christmas?
Really, really lovely. I had it as a bit of a beacon before me because December was a bit full-on. I even had the offer of a gig that came in, which would’ve meant two flights there and two flights back and getting home on December 23rd. My manager phoned me and told me he wouldn’t let me do it because they were worried they might kill me! Which was good, as it meant I had Christmas week to get ready. We had 12 of us here for Christmas and it all went really well.

Apart from not receiving your full supermarket order, which you tweeted about.
Mmm. I thought that was really pathetic. I’d actually booked it for the 22nd so that I had a day to go and buy whatever they didn’t bring, in case there were any things missing. But there was just so much missing! There were no sausages, there were no carrots and there was no butter. Stuff like that. And I’d ordered it ages beforehand! I know there are bigger problems in the world, but it was rubbish.

Did the supermarket in question respond to you on Twitter?
Yeah, they did. They said if I DM’d my order number to them they’d try and sort it out for me. But I didn’t want special treatment. I didn’t think that was very fair. They should know what was in demand.

But your Christmas was all good in the end?
It really was. I think I was the most chilled out I’ve ever been doing it at home, because it was the least amount of people. My mum had bought pre-peeled potatoes from the online supermarket she uses. Oh my God! What a treat!

Did you get any nice presents?
I got really great presents. Now that I’m a grown-up I sort of forget that I’m going to get presents at Christmas too. So I think everything you get as an adult is more touching in a way. Richard did very nice presents - I’ve got flowers every other Friday for the whole year. And I got a massive jar of chip shop gherkins, because I love those. So I’m happy.

And then on New Year’s Eve you went off to Phuket with Richard. How was that?
It was pretty lush actually. We were booked for a full live show, so the band came too, which was great. We had three days in the sunshine eating Thai food and being on the beach. I’d never had a warm New Year’s Eve before, and I definitely get it now. I’ve always been a one family holiday a year in the summertime sort of person. But now I’m seeing the appeal of a winter break.

How was New Year’s Eve itself?
Well, it was a private party - held by Russians - and they did celebrations and fireworks at midnight Thai time and then more at midnight Russian time, which was 3am. There were loads of performers - Kelly Rowland was there, who’s always very lovely - and there were dancers and circus performers and all sorts. And the weather was lovely, which sounds obvious, but actually there were question marks that it might be stormy. It rained pretty much continuously the next evening, in fact.

You said on Twitter recently that you were struggling to find maternity wear.
Yeah, I just think a lot of it assumes that because you’re pregnant you don’t want to look fashionable or attractive - that you just want comfort and stretch and that’s about it. I think it’s a bit of an omission really. I don’t really understand why it’s not done better.

Have you ever been offered a clothes range or anything?
Well, it is something that I’ve been thinking about for maternity. A girlfriend of mine -  who’s also having her third baby - is a stylist and we were thinking we should maybe look into it. Even if it’s just a very small range of really nice things which you could wear while you’re pregnant and then also for the first few months after you’ve had the baby. Some of your features you still want to show off. Just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean everything has to be a smock on top and down to your ankles. I quite like the 60s look where you have it A-line but still more tailored around the top. That’s quite cute. But I’ll do some research and see what comes out of it.

Over the next few weeks, we're going to be posting the videos of Sophie's entire set at the Soulnation Festival in Jakarta on 25 September 2011 (one of her highlights of last year). We begin with the opening song, Dial My Number.  

Hello Sophie, how are you?
I’m good thank you.

What are you up to?
I’m actually looking through a load of backing tracks. I’ve been sent some dance-y stuff over the last few weeks. So I’m going though them and seeing if there’s anything I want to work on.

So people just send you tracks out of the blue?
Yeah. It’s how I used to work years ago and then I stopped doing so much of that and started working in the studio with people. But then because I’d had quite a quiet January it’s been quite nice getting things sent over again. So I’ve just been pottering through them to see if there’s anything that grabs me and makes me want to write a chorus for it.

What’s usually the ratio of good stuff when you go through tracks like that?
It’s probably about 50/50, I would say. But some stuff you just get ideas for straight away, while other stuff I might like but realise it’s not quite right for me. So I would say there’s probably about 25% of it that I decide is worth working on. And the ones I’m actually disciplined enough to finish is probably about 5%.

Have you heard anything in this batch that you think could be good?
Yeah. There are two tracks which I’ve got on the go at the moment which I like.

What kind of thing?
Both quite dance-y. One is slightly Robyn-esque, I suppose. And the other one is a bit more anthemic, hands-in-the-air kind of thing.

And you receive them as instrumentals?
Yeah, that’s right.

Do they have any control over what words you choose to put on there?
Well, it will usually go back and forth a bit. That’s why working in a studio with people is much easier, because you thrash that out at the time. But I sometimes find that if I work with people I haven’t got a long working relationship with I can feel quite self-conscious trying to come up with stuff in the moment. So it can be easier to do it at home on your own. That’s actually the way that Groovejet started.

Ah, really?
Yes, that one was an instrumental that they sent to me. I used to work like that a lot. With Groovejet I went into a studio and just recorded what I’d done, which was verses, a chorus and a middle eight. I didn’t realise they’d been sending the same track to lots of people, but then they came back to me and said they liked my verses and my middle eight, but asked if I could use a Rob Davis chorus. And I was a bit confused, because I was quite earnest and this was actually the first song I’d ever written that was released. I was like, well, it doesn’t really make sense now, because the chorus and verse are talking about different things, so I had to rewrite it.

What was your original chorus then?
Well, Rob’s chorus was much more straight to the point and had a really great hook with a really good lyric. I think mine was a little bit more complicated. His was far and away better than mine! Mine was not so much a chorus with a capital C.

Do those old demo versions exist?
Probably somewhere. I haven’t really chucked much out, but I’ve got boxes and boxes of CDs, and I’m not exactly sure where it would be. I’ve still got the old demo cassettes from theaudience! I’m not sure whether I’ll ever come to actually sit down and go through them all. There’s always so many other things to be doing. I thought I’d get so much done in the first three months of the year before this baby comes, but actually I find if I’m not working then I want to be spending time with the kids. So yesterday I went to the Natural History Museum with Kit.

How was that?
It was actually really sweet. I hadn’t ever taken him there before and his big brother was at school, so we went on the tube and went to a cafe before the museum and then went around the dinosaurs. It was really nice to have that one on one time. It was a lovely day.

So your unborn child is certainly a very well travelled baby.
It certainly is! And I’m travelling right up to New Year’s Eve, which is my last booked gig. I’m going to Thailand, which is amazing. I’m so excited about that.

You’ve had such a year of travelling to amazing places.
I know. I’ve been really lucky. Every year you start off the year wondering what it will bring, but it’s been as good now as ever.

What are you doing in Thailand?
A fully live show with my band in Phuket. I’ve got three nights there, which should be quite cool. I’ve only been to Bangkok, but I’ve looked online and Phuket looks incredibly beautiful. 

You were also in Barcelona recently.
Yes, with a DJ called Brian Cross that I’ve been working with a bit. He’s lovely. I think that was my fourth show with him.

So you sing during his set?
Exactly. He does a show called Popstars - in fact he’s bring out an album next year - and he’s recorded a song with me. So he does this big show and then halfway through I pop out and do a few songs. He’s a really nice guy.

The other big news is that you’re singing on a new song by Bob Sinclar - with the somewhat sweary title of Fuck With You.
Haha! Yes. The perfect song for someone who’s about to have their third baby, I think.

How did that come about?
Well, I was obviously already aware of Bob Sinclar, and when I got sent the email about that track my first thought was that I wasn’t going to sing a song called that! But when I heard it I actually thought it was really playful and fun. So I thought, why not? And I take the view that the girl isn’t doing it in a sexy way. It’s more like, I want to mess with you, sort of thing. She’s kind of making fun of the guy. And I think the track is very upbeat and skippy. rather than a Love To Love You Baby sensual sort of song. The rap is pretty filthy, though!

And it’ll be on Bob Sinclar’s album?
Exactly. I’ve got no idea what’ll happen with it. I thought it wasn’t coming out until next summer, but then it popped up online recently. I think it’s in an Italian film, or something. 

Are you making a video? That could be interesting.
Ha! There’s talk of doing it in the spring, after I’ve had my baby.

“So what we need you to do Sophie is just leave your clothes there...”
Haha! I won’t do anything that I don’t feel comfortable with. But I think Bob has some ideas.

But the plan is to promote it?
Yeah, I think so, although the plans are pretty vague. At the moment I’ve got January and February down for songwriting - I just want to knuckle down and try and get the album as shipshape as I can so that I can come back in the summer time and do some summer shows and bring out some new material. That’s about the shape of it.

So you’re still working on new stuff?
Yeah, although it’s been quite hard because I’ve been away so much. But I’ve got lots of lovely people lined up to work with in the new year, so I’m just going to knuckle down. Songwriting is the perfect thing to do in new year in any case, let alone if you can’t really be travelling. I think it’s going to be pretty ideal.

You’ve also done a cameo in Ricky Gervais’s new show.
Oh yes. I filmed that a while ago. It’s in the last episode of the series, I think.

Was that fun to do?
It was actually. It was very easy. I’m just playing myself, so it wasn’t too big a stretch. But it was a nice part and it’s just fun to be involved in something a bit different like that. The main guy - Warwick Davies - was really nice, so he put me at ease.

Do you have acting ambitions?
Well I think there’s always been a big crossover between performing on stage and in videos and acting. I think a lot of singers do a bit of both. So it’s not something I’m actively chasing, but I’m open-minded. If you’d asked me when I was 14 or 15, then acting was what I wanted to do. But singing is definitely my dayjob.

And with The Stone Roses getting back together, presumably discussions have begun for the big theaudience reunion?
Yeah, that’s very similar! Golly. No. I don’t think so.

Some day you’ll bow to the inevitable.
Hahaha! I’ll wait for the petition.

And are you all set for Christmas?
Pretty much. I think I’ve done 80% of my shopping. I’ve had to be really organised because I’m not really here in December that much. And I’ve ordered my turkey, because we’ve got everyone coming here again.

How many people are you cooking for?
I think there’ll be about 15 of us, with my mum and family, plus Richard’s folks. Actually my mum has ordered me some pre-peeled potatoes to make it a bit easier for me. I peeled about 60 last year and it really did my head in, so that was very sweet of her. But I like having it at home. I’m really looking forward to it.

For our latest Q&A, we called up Sophie to find out what she's been up to - and hear about her pregnancy cravings. Look out for part two soon.

Hi Sophie, how are you?
I’m not too bad, thanks.

What have you been up to?
Well, I’ve had some nice trips. Richard and I have done a couple of DJ gigs abroad, which has been quite fun. We went to Kiev and Moscow, which was a giggle. And we went to Abu Dhabi for the Formula 1, because I did a couple of shows around that.

How was that?
It was cool, actually. I think if Richard hadn’t come with me it would’ve all been a bit lost on me. Not that he’s particularly into Formula 1, but because we were there together and being shown around garages and stuff it made it more fun. And seeing everything up close does make it more exciting.

Did you meet any drivers?
We did, actually. We met Lewis Hamilton really briefly before the race, and he was such a sweetheart - really friendly and smiley. It was good, because it meant I was really rooting for him and then he won.

How was the show?
Well, it was at this club thing called the Amber Lounge which travels around with Formula 1 doing all the after-show parties. I sung a couple of songs there on two of the nights. It was really fun. And it was nice to get some sunshine out there too. It’s a pretty amazing place, where pretty much everything seems to be new. We went to this hotel which cost $3.5 billion and it’s actually done pretty nicely, but they’ve got fresh flowers everywhere that are flown in from 10 different countries and replaced every 6-7 hours!

Crikey. That seems a bit wasteful.
Yeah, we were like, ‘Where do the old ones go?!” And they said they just throw them away. We were all really dismayed about that. I’m not sure that’s the reaction they were expecting.

What else have you been doing?
Yesterday I was at St Thomas’s hospital, because I do quite a lot of work with Tommy’s, the charity. I went along to meet the scientists and consultants who work for them, to see the work they’re doing for complications in pregnancy. It was really fascinating. It makes you feel so lucky to have been born in a country where you have access to treatment. I met a girl there who’s just come back from Somalia where they’re trying to find a way to get solar-powered blood pressure monitors, because people aren’t trained to use the old-fashioned ones and batteries get stolen. You just don’t think about things like that if you live somewhere like the UK.

That sounds like a worthwhile visit.
It really was. It was nice of them to give me their time, because I had loads of questions!

Sticking with charity initiatives, you read stories to a bunch of children at Ikea recently.
I did indeed. It was really sweet, actually. That was with Unicef and Save The Children. Ikea have been working with them for a while, I think. They’re trying to raise something like £12m, by giving a percentage of the money from all the books and toys they sell. So I just popped along and read a couple of stories for the kids.

Quite a few kids!
I know! When I got there, I asked how many children there would be, thinking they’d say 8 to 12, or something. And the lady was like, “Oh, maybe 50”! But they were actually very sweet. I thought I’d get kids wandering off and heckling, but they were very good. And they did that thing that kids do where they start off really spaced apart, and then gradually creep really close to you! I really enjoyed it.

Of course, you also currently have an unborn child inside you!
Haha! Yes I do.

How’s that all going?
Yeah, I’m in the good bit now - the middle section where you feel pretty happy and you’re enjoying it. The first 12 or 14 weeks were quite hard work. That was when I was doing Australia and Jakarta and Istanbul and Beirut. I just didn’t really stop. I think from the time I found I was pregnant until the point I could tell people I went to over 20 different cities. And also in the beginning bit I was feeling quite icky. It makes you feel like you’re hungover.

Oh dear.
Exactly. And, as when you’re hungover, you’re craving things like toast and baked potatoes and all the carbohydrates and comfort food. But you can’t really get toast and Marmite in Jakarta! But now I’m in the middle bit, I feel like myself again.

And it’s all going well?
Yep, at the moment. All good. I think I’m in safe hands. 

We're also pleased to report that Sophie will perform at the exclusive Amber Lounge Abu Dhabi event at the Yas Links Golf Club, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi on Friday 11th and Sunday 13th of November, to coincide with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Click here for more info and tickets.

Sophie is helping to celebrate 100 years of Macmillan Cancer Support by singing at the Macmillan Centenary Gala at The London Palladium on Monday 28 November 2011. The evening will be hosted by Graham Norton featuring performances from stars of both stage and screen!  

There are still a few tickets left and all the money raised goes to helping Macmillan support everyone affected by cancer.  To see Sophie and an all-star line up perform live, tickets can be bought direct from Macmillan on 020 7840 4747. The lines are open Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm. Tickets range in price from £35-£325, with entry to exclusive pre and aftershow parties on offer.

To launch the campaign, Sophie greeted hundreds of
excited children at the IKEA Wembley store in London before settling down to a
very special storytelling session with this year's hero toy, BJÖRN the
Bear. The hope is that the campaign will help to raise 12 million euro worldwide. Here are some pictures:

For more information on the campaign, click here. 

On Wednesday, November 16th, Sophie will be part of the entertainment for CLIC Sargent's Fantasy Ball which will take place at Supernova, Embankment Gardens, London from 7pm - 1am. 

The Fantasy Ball is held to raise significant funds to support the core
services of CLIC Sargent - the UK's leading cancer charity for children
and young people.  Ronni Ancona will host the evenings agenda with
Sophie, Pete Tong and the Earthlights Boogie Band providing
live music and the DnA Entertainment Bureau supplying exciting
entertainment.  

Table tickets costing £250, includes a cocktail reception, a three course dinner and
unlimited wine and soft drinks throughout the evening. For more information go to www.fantasyball.org.uk.

Tickets are available now from here.

After eating a mountain of Turkish food Sophie and band hit the stage and play a 70mins set. Lots of dancing done by all. 

Sophie's drummer Jackson and keyboard player Christian manage to get through the strict security checks (thanks to James for the photo).

Hello Indonesia! What a fantastic crowd, lots of singing along (Thanks to Ronald for this snap)

Sydney

Getting ready for a sold out show in Melbourne, some
talented person had knocked together these disco-ball helmets. We would
have taken them home if there was room in our suitcases!

Sophie with her dancers in Melbourne. Is that a six or eight pack?!

Rule Britannia, a cracking set by Miss Bextor. Could we hear a slight Aussy twang when the audience sang along?

G'day Sydney, we squeezed in a quick visit to the wildlife centre in
Darling Harbour before sound check. The koalas were mostly asleep but
the 'roos were hopping about.

Last night in Australia, everyone was squished
into Home venue to catch a glimpse of Sophie in her sequins. Thanks
to Hamid Mouse for the photo and In The Dark for a fantastic gig &
sushi.

London

- Sunrise

- The Morning Show

Hi Sophie. How are you?
Not too bad, thanks. 

You're speaking from the future. 
Haha! I am, it's evening here in Sydney, so it must be morning there?

That is correct. What's going to happen today?
It will be quite cold. And it will rain a little bit. 

Not in London, it won't. It's gorgeous here.
Yeah, I heard. But it was actually quite good weather for wandering around Sydney, which is what I've been doing today. It's like spring weather. Nice to walk around in. I've had a lovely day pottering about on my own.

Are you literally out there on your own?
My sound guy, Duncan has here, but I haven't actually seen that much of him. He's been doing his own thing. We got here yesterday morning from Jakarta. And Kat is arriving from the UK any minute now. Then the promo really starts in earnest tomorrow.

Kat, of course, is becoming familiar to the readers of your website as the person who does the photoblogs. 
I know! I'm so glad she does that, because I'm so rubbish at taking pictures. I've never really been a good documenter. But she's really good at it. 

For those readers who don't know Kat, what does she do?
She works with Derek, who's my manager. She's brilliant. She's his assistant, but she's often the one that comes with me on my trips. She's a very good travel companion. Even though she's only 24, some people say we're like two old women who go off and holiday together. We always make sure we do things during the downtime, like go for a walk or a swim or something. 

So, how was Jakarta?
It was actually really impressive. I hadn't been there for ten years. In fact, the last time I went to Jakarta was the same trip I last went to Sydney, around the time Read My Lips came out, when we were away for a month, going all round Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia. So it tied in quite nicely to have these two club shows in Australia and a big festival show in Jakarta before that. 

How did it go?
Well, I wasn't really sure what to expect, but I had like 5,000 people in this arena, and they were a really brilliant crowd. It was a very satisfying gig. They really seemed to know and like a lot of my stuff. 

That's nice.
It really is. I'm always a bit trepidatious about who'll remember and who'll come, but it's amazing how many do. Jakarta was great and both of the Australian shows have sold out. And on my day out today, I kept bumping into people that recognised me, which was really nice. Sydney is such a friendly city. I bought a dress and the guy was like, "I hope you're looking forward to Sunday, it's going to be really good". It was really sweet. 

Do people tend to say the same kind of things when they spot you in the street?
The number one thing is "Do you know you really look like that singer?" I get that more than anything else. I think it's because when I'm on stage I've got the full glam thing done, and I don't do that when I'm walking around. I'm quite low-key. So I think people think I can't be the same person. 

Do you ever deny it's you?
Occasionally. But only very rarely. Only if I'm feeling a bit rubbish. But usually it's really nice. Like a guy I met on the street last night was so sweet and excited that I put him on the guest list for Sunday.

So you've only been to Sydney once before?
That's right. And last time I came I spent more time in Melbourne. So today I went out for about four or five hours just wandering around. And my step-cousin Kate is working and living here at the moment, so I met up with her yesterday afternoon. It's a lovely place to hang out. And it's a really easy city to walk around in, which is my favourite kind of city.

Did you go and see all the big sights?
I guess I did, really. I went to the Sydney Opera House. And I went on the train. They have double decker trains, so I obviously went upstairs! And we walked around this area called the Rocks, which is really pretty. And today I went around Surrey Hills and down Crown Street because there's loads of vintage shops around there. Then I walked more into the commercial area for a couple of basic things I needed - so I went to where Westfield is. Although our Westfield in Shepherd's Bush is certainly a lot nicer!

Are the two gigs just club shows then?
Yeah, exactly. The band aren't here, but I'll be doing a good half hour of greatest hits. They're part of two big party nights - I'm on pretty late at both - and it's a holiday weekend here, so there should be a good atmosphere. I'm just going to try and keep people dancing. 

Are they a bit like Australian versions of G-A-Y?
I think so, yes. Particularly the one in Sydney, because it's apparently the biggest club in Sydney. They should be fun.

Has the new album been released in Australia?
Yes, it's out this week, and Starlight is at radio now. 

It is quite amazing to go to the other side of the world after a decade and find people still listen to your music.
Absolutely. That sort of thing never fails to impress me. Like when I was in Jakarta, even checking into my flight there the woman behind the desk was telling me I was a trending topic on Twitter there. It's crazy. I never get jaded about that sort of thing. I think it's incredible. Actually, I couldn't sleep last night because of jet lag and I was working out how many cities I travelled to in the last two months, and I've performed in 18. Everywhere from Beirut to Istanbul to Moscow to Barcelona. It's amazing. 

And it does sort of show how well Polydor did in the early days to get your music out there.
Oh completely. Groovejet was successful, but it was Murder on the Dancefloor that I think made people put a face to the voice, so to speak. That song really changed things, I think. And I'm still realising that now. At the time it was all part of a snowball.

Are you stopping off anywhere on the way back from Australia?
No, only for the plane to refuel. I leave on Monday then land back on Tuesday. Then I've got a couple of shows in Moscow at the end of next week. And then hopefully after that I'm not travelling anywhere for a while! And The Feeling are playing Shepherd's Bush Empire, so I'm going to do my duet with them there. I'm looking forward to that.  

Talking of flying to Russia, some of your male fans were no doubt impressed by the Aeroflot outfit you modelled on Twitter recently!
Hahaha! I think it's so cool they gave me a uniform.

How did that happen?
I went on one of their flights and they had these really cool uniforms. Really 60s in this red/orange colour with big white lapels. I think they're very stylish. So I said on Twitter that I loved them and they spotted it and asked if I'd like one. Then they met me in the hotel foyer. And not only did they give me the dress - but the heels, the hat, the gloves and a scarf! So I can use it for a multitude of things. I could perform in it at something like G-A-Y, or wear it for fancy dress. Or just wear it for a night out. And if I wear it when I'm going through an airport, I might be able to go in the fast-track lane! It's funny the things you get excited about, but I'm really chuffed about it.

And where are you at with work on your next album?
I've been doing a bit of work in the studio at home with Richard, but the plan is really to try and gig as much as I can between now and Christmas, and then maybe January, February, March and April are blocked out with songwriting. I don't want to dawdle on this one. I want to knuckle down and get the album done in the spring. Because in the past I've been so bad at letting an album go, but I really like the idea of just really getting on with it. I think that might make me make a slightly different style of record, which I feel like I need to do. I'm really excited about getting into it. 

What do you have planned for this evening?
I think Kat and I are going out for supper. But I've got a horribly early start tomorrow. I've got people coming to my room at 5am to start getting me ready for breakfast TV. But if last night's sleep is anything to go by I'll probably be awake then anyway! It was so crappy. I went to bed at like half 11 then woke up 3 and just couldn't get back to sleep. 

Oh dear.
I know. I have had a really lovely trip, but I am looking forward to coming home. This has been the longest I've been away from the kids, so that's not been the easiest. That's why I've not been to Australia for a while. Skype has been a life saver. We've been putting it on in the morning before school. But I can't wait to get home and see them for real.  

You can also hear an entertaining interview Sophie did with ABC radio by clicking here.

Sophie and band head to Positano, oh the hard life of a touring band!


The gig tonight is on an island but however shall we get there? What's that? Oh, our driver is here with a speed boat.


Sophie's keyboard player Christian Gulino relaxes on board while we work on our sailing terms.


Show time! The band play in a little tunnel.

From Italy the glamourous tour continues as the gang head to Canary Wharf. Up on the umpteenth floor a showcase performance to a great crowd - excellent singing along!

Five points to the first one to spot Sophie in this picture.


Oh there she is! We're out and about in Spitalfields market to film a TV show.

Hello Beirut, so nice to be back!

Sophie and crew are treated to a fantastic feast of Lebanese food at Chez Pepes. Delicious.


Will Sophie make their wall of fame? Other people to have dined at Pepe's included; the President of Ghana, President of Poland and Englebert Humperdinck!

Line-up of what's to come.

And Sophie's setlist...


Sophie has a quick chat before she goes on stage, many thanks to Mix FM for having us.


We bump into some familiar faces backstage; John Martin...


... & Christian Burns.

Glad our stage requirements have been met: the drum kit and Ferrari have arrived.

Sophie goes on stage to 20,000 lovely Lebanese party goers. Sophie's highlight of the show was the crowed singing the chorus of Not Giving Up perfectly. Thanks Beirut!

Check out this preview of Sophie's wonderful cover of The Arcade Fire's Rebellion (Lies), which features on Songs To Save A Life, a new compilation which will raise funds for the Samaritans. You can pre-order the album ahead of its October 3rd release - click here for more info and pre-order links. 

Said Sophie of her choice of song: "I've always been a really big fan of The Arcade Fire, so we chose this as a song to cover for my tour. It's quite nice to pay homage to your influences when you do live shows. It's such a dynamic tune, and it builds so nicely. It's very pop too - I think The Arcade Fire have an incredible pop sensibility, their songs always have great hooks and lots of drama. So, it was the obvious choice when it came to doing a cover for the Samaritans album, which is clearly for a very worthy cause. I hope people like it."

Here's a lady making white candy-floss that's only 70p!


Lot's of entertainment in the park including fake wedding ceremonies, this Ukrainian teenager looked less than thrilled on his big day.


Man from the 70s enjoying orange juice.


Sophie meets some fans in the park and invites them along to the show later.


We hunted down these toothpaste men (?!) to get the best picture of the day.


First look at Freedom square, it's enormous! Fact of the day: apparently it was used as a runway for planes in WWII.


Sophie is predicting rain but could it be a good excuse to do a Gene Kelly?


Show time, hard to see from this picture but Sophie sings to 200,000 people and they sing back!

I'm not sure what this means, answers on a postcard.

More show snaps, Sophie is joined by some very enthusiastic (and bare) dancers...

We're very pleased to report that Sophie and the band are heading to Indonesia later this month, to play at the Soulnation Festival in Jakarta on 25 September. Click here for all the info. 

On Sunday night (21st August), Sophie is performing at the world-famous Amnesia nightclub in Ibiza. As you'll see above, she's also the latest cover star of the recently-established Amnesia magazine. You can get more information and pics at the Amnesia Magazine website - where you can pay €1 to download the full magazine as a PDF. The magazine itself is also available in Ibiza, if you're lucky enough to be there right now...

Sophie and band soundcheck at the "Show Hall Atmosphera" in St Petersburg, an amazing venue with at least twenty disco balls.


The theme of the night is a beach party, the dancefloor actually has a
river surrounding it! Future promoters beware paddling pools +
drunken dancing = wet dancefloor!


Sophie's bass player James Ahwai, finds himself a new head of hair in the dressing room.

And here's a before pic of James


Show time in St Pete's, Sophie co-ordinating her dress with the fantastic graphics!


View from back stage, Sophie throws some shapes during Groovejet. Definitely the best dancer in the room.


Taking it easy in Kiev, the blanket and cushion are actually made out of plastic so not as comfy as it looks.


Party in Kiev. Sophie ditches the stage and gets the whole crowd dancing (they copied her every move!)

(Thanks Kat!)

Saturday 1 October
GH, Melbourne
Click for tickets

Sunday 2 October
Homesexual White, Sydney
Click for tickets

Shows presented by In The Dark

Did you meet the Erasure chaps on that tour?
Yeah, they were very nice. They've got such diehard fans. There was one gig where it was raining and hailing - it was just horrendous - but the crowd just stayed there and watched. I felt a bit bad actually, cos it was totally dry for my bit and then the heavens just opened shortly after I finished my last song.

Were they responsive to your sets?
Yeah, they really were. Without wanting to sound smug, I think me and the band feel quite confident in the set now. It does a lot of the work for you, really. And I think if you're performing at a show like that, you just have to be sympathetic to the fact that people haven't come to see you. As long as you're aware of that and you keep your role very clear in your mind, I think you can't help but enjoy it. You have to remember you're a support act who's there to get everybody worked up before the main act comes on.

And you've supported some big 'uns. Take That and George Michael spring to mind.
Exactly. I'm like a professional support act! Hahaha! But I actually think it's been the making of me live, in many ways. It just forces you to go out there in front of people who maybe don't want to be listening to you at that precise moment and try to win them over. I think it's made me improve a lot.

What have you got coming up in the next couple of months?
There's talk of doing Off And On as the next single from my album. And then I've got some club shows in August and I'm still looking at some dates in September and October in South America and Australia. That's still coming together.

What do you do with the kids if you have to go somewhere as far as Australia?
It's not something I've really had to deal with yet, but I don't think it would be very fair to take them. Big time difference, long flights and all that. So I'd probably leave them here and only be away for a maximum of maybe 10 days. Actually, at the end of the month I'm going to Moscow and I'm going to take my eldest boy with me.

Oh, cool.
Yeah, I always thought in my mind that when he was 7 he could come somewhere with me. I thought then he would actually take it in properly and remember it when he was older. The Russians are quite sticklers on paperwork, so I had to get copies of his birth certificate to prove I'm his mother, because we've got different surnames - cos he's Jones. And then I had to get a letter from Richard saying, "Yes, I know that my wife is taking our son out of the country and I give permission".

What are you actually out there for?
It's just a 20 minute outdoor show for radio, rather than a whole gig. So we'll leave on the Saturday morning, get there for Saturday afternoon and do the show. Then the next day we're not getting a flight until about 9 o'clock at night, so we'll be able to go and have a wander around Red Square and that kind of thing. It should be really fun.

Is he excited?
I think so, yeah. Although he really just wants to know whether he can play on my iPhone on the way!

Have you been going out much?
I'm actually going out on Wednesday to see Adam Buxton do his thing at the BFI about music videos. It's really funny, so I'm looking forward to that. But I haven't really had much time off. I still haven't seen Bridesmaids, which I'd really like to see.

Is there any more press coming up?
Well, I did a photoshoot for the Sunday Times Style Magazine which was an at-home thing. And now a German magazine called Brigitte - which is apparently the biggest women's monthly in Germany - is coming here next week to take some pictures. So I need to get the house tidied up and organised for that!

It looked very tidy in the Sunday Times one.
Yeah, but they were really sweet, with moving stuff about and angling things the right way. I bought about three copies because it said something on the front cover like "Inside the coolest house in Britain".

Wow. You should put a sign on the front door.
Exactly! "Are you aware you're entering the coolest house in Britain?!" Hahaha!

Hi Sophie, how are you?
Not too bad. But a bit rough. I've got tonsillitis.

Oh no!
Yeah. Which is pretty crappy. So it hurts when I swallow and I'm a bit fevery and achey. But I'm on penicillin and I should be better soon.

This is not good news.
No, it's a bit of a pain.

Tonsillitis tends to come when one's tired, right?
Yeah, well it has been quite full-on and relentless over the last few weeks. Doing lots of really nice things, but a bit non-stop. I think maybe I overdid it a little. At the weekend I did Kings Lynn on the Friday, then supported Bryan Ferry at Kew on the Saturday and got straight in the car after that because I'd been booked to sing at someone's birthday. So I got home at like 4am on Sunday morning. That probably didn't do me any favours! But never mind.

It sounds like your body is perhaps trying to tell you something.
That's what my mum said! But it can be hard to totally take time off when you have two children!

Do you have much coming up?
Well, I go on holiday at the beginning of August, but the diary is still looking pretty busy. It'll be nice to have a little break, though. 

And it sounds like you've been having fun.
Yeah, I've been busy, but doing some lovely stuff. Richard and I did some DJing last week at the Chiswick House festival, which was fun. We got to watch Tinie Tempah and Noah & The Whale and bands like that.

Is that the event famed for its amazing food?
Exactly. I didn't do too badly, but I think Richard had at least two lobsters!

You also sang with The Feeling last week at Kew.
Yeah, that was really nice. I thought their gig was brilliant. And I really enjoyed my gig there on the Saturday night too. It's really beautiful, and we were lucky with the weather for both shows.

And the song you performed with The Feeling, Leave Me Out Of It, is their new single.
That's right.

You've already done a couple of TV things with them for that. Will you be doing more?
I think so, yes. I'll do whatever they need me to do. There's been talk of doing a video for it, too. We're going to Abbey Road this week actually, to film an acoustic performance of Leave Me Out Of It.

Is it strange working with your husband?
Well, that's how we met, so it's not completely bizarre. But I suppose I find it hard to stay focused. I feel a bit mischievous - like it's work but not really work.

And it's a great song too.
I think so. I really like it. It's all atmospheric and dramatic. And it tugs your heart strings a little bit.

And were you pleased with the response to Make A Scene?
I was really happy. I think it was quite a big achievement to get an album on my own label into the Top 40. I think the people who worked on it were all great, I love my new PR team and my new TV people. It was all quite exciting - and more so because it was all our own venture. You can really see the fruits of your labour much more easily without the smoke and mirrors of a big label.

What else have you been up to?
Well, I haven't been abroad for about six weeks now, which is quite unusual for me. There was lots of it in May, but since then I've mainly been here, doing things like the Erasure dates.

Ah yes, how was that tour?
It was a really sweet thing to be part of - but it's a shame the weather wasn't better. The crowds were amazing, though. They were just so resilient and determined to have a good time, even when they're standing there in their ponchos in the pouring rain. The weather's actually been better for the ones I've done recently. Cornbury was really nice and Kings Lynn was great too. It does make a difference.

We're pleased to report that Sophie has four new dates in her diary over the next few weeks, taking her to Spain and Italy. Here's all the info...

August 10 - Barcelona, Club Opium (PA, with DJ Brian Cross)
August 21 - Ibiza, Amnesia (PA, with DJ Brian Cross)
August 25 - Marbella, Nikki Beach (DJ set, as Mr & Mrs Jones)
Sept 9 - Rome, Gay Village (PA)

Click the venue names for more details.

We're pleased to report that Sophie is performing at the special charity
supper club at the Vaudevillian Retreat Proud Cabaret in London on On Tuesday 26th July, which will raise funds for the YOUYOU mentoring scheme. Also performing are The Feeling and Guy Chambers, and ticket holders will also be treated to a three course dinner by Michelin-trained chef Finlay Logan. 

The tickets, costing £110, are
available now from proudcabaret.com.

I am proud and happy. You are brilliant!

Sophiex

- CD from Amazon
- CD from HMV
- CD from Tesco
- CD from Play

- Download from Amazon MP3 (for just £3.99 this week)
- Download from iTunes
- Download from 7 Digital

So, does it only get more hectic between now and the release?
Yes, more of the same really. I’ve got a gig in the Ukraine, then I’ve got more promo in the UK including things like pressing the button for the Lottery.

Wow! Have you done that before?
I have actually, yeah. It’s quite strange. There’s a lot of security, as you’d imagine. It all feels a bit shrouded in mystery. And then the weekend after that...

Hang on, we want to hear more about the Lottery. It’s live, presumably?
It is indeed.

So what would happen if you shouted, “It’s a fix!” just before you pressed the button?
I think I’d be arrested or something. It’s funny you should say that, though, because there’s always that side of me when I’m doing live TV that thinks, “I could really just say anything”. I’ve been doing quite a lot of live TV recently, and I always think, “This could be the moment where I lose the plot!” Hahahaha!

You’d go out in a blaze of glory. Not that we’re suggesting you do it.
Oh I’m worried I’m going to do it by mistake now. I was one of those people at school that, in assembly, almost had to hold my limbs down because I thought I’d suddenly stand up and shout obscenities. I think it’s that same reason that people get vertigo, cos they’re worried they’re going to jump off the edge. It’s that same feeling.

Are you allowed to buy a lottery ticket that week?
I don’t know - I’ve never bought a ticket in my life.

Oh, it’s got to be worth a Lucky Dip when you’re pressing the button.
No. I don’t want to start. I think if you start then you can’t stop. Sorry, one second. [To man in background] “What number is it, please? OK, no problem. I’ll get out and walk".

What’s happening?
I’m off to do a load of regional radio interviews, down the ISDN line. I don’t really like doing that.

Hey now.
Oh, I mean I love doing radio, it’s just so impersonal doing the ISDNs where you can’t see the presenters. Some are great, though. It’s just quite hard to get the rapport going. But I did a regional radio tour last week where I visited lots of stations and that was really fun.

Ah yes, it mentioned that in your interview in the NME this week.
Oh, that came out did it? Was he kind to me?

Absolutely.
Good old Peter.

In other press news, we noticed something saying you’d been to the St Pancras hotel opening. How was that?
Nice, actually. There’s quite a cool bar which has a big glass window looking into the station. That was very nice. There’s always a romance for me about railway stations. And that one’s a lovely one.

And you’ve been on Lorraine a lot recently.
That’s right, doing the High Street fashion awards. That’s been really fun. Really nice people. And I filmed a Rob Brydon show last week with Bruce Forsyth.

When will that be on telly?
I think in July or August. I sang 'Of And On', and I got to do a little bit of singing with Rob Brydon. We sang ‘Stand By Your Man’ and ‘The Wheels On The Bus”. Harmonising. He’s lovely. And it was pretty extraordinary to meet someone like Bruce Forsyth that you feel like you’ve grown up with. He was very nice.

And do you have any holiday plans for this year? You’re working hard, you’re husband’s working hard, it’s important to take a break.
Yes, we’ve put in some time for August. We’re going back to my friend’s house in Ibiza, where we went last year and which is also where we filmed the Not Giving Up On Love video. I’ve realised that nobody congratulates you for not taking a holiday, and we are very bad at it generally, so last year I made the decision that I’m always going to put one in the diary now.

Well this is good news. And you must be pleased with how well things are going for you at the moment?
I am actually. And I feel very chilled out about what happens with the single and album. I’m just enjoying myself. I don’t really feel too much pressure. My hopes for the album are pretty realistic, I think. But at the same time, I’m really pleased with the response it's all getting. Life feels really good.

If you live in the UK, you can see how Sophie got on pressing the National Lottery button on the BBC iPlayer by clicking here and skipping to 42m 30s.

Hello Sophie, how are you?
Very good thanks. How are you?

We’ve just eaten a packet of Monster Munch, which reminded us of the tweet you sent recently regarding a TV show about a woman who *only* ate Monster Munch.
Well, she was featured in a programme. She’s been on telly a couple of times, from what I hear. But, yeah, she was in a really good programme all about the human body. It was using her as an example of how well the human body can survive on a diet that doesn’t really have in it what it needs. It was interesting.

Anyway, we're here to talk about you, not crisps. And you seem to have been very busy of late.
Yeah, it’s been really good. But also quite full-on.

Which is presumably better than if you were sitting at home in your stage outfit, waiting for the phone to ring.
Exactly. And I do keep reminding myself of that. I’m trying not to be one of these people who complains about working. But it is a bit hard when you’re doing interviews and all the questions are, “Oh you must be tired?” and “Aw, do you miss your kids?” Although I’m not missing the kids too much, because very thoughtfully they have been waking up very early, so I’m actually seeing them. Kit got me up this morning at 5am.

Oh dear.
Indeed. My car for Lorraine was coming at just gone 6am, so we had an hour of quality time.

How did you use it?
Had breakfast together, mainly. And pottered about. As soon as he wakes up, he’s generally pretty busy. He doesn’t want to just sit and watch TV, unlike his brother. He always wants to be a bit busy.

Teach him how to use a duster, then you can start making use of him.
Well he has got a little broom and a little mop, actually. And the other day he took his little broom and hit it on the cupboard door which had a glass window in it.

Had?
Yes, it doesn’t have a glass window in it any more. Hahaha! I think he was a bit shocked.

So, it seems like things are going well with the album campaign. Life as an independent artist appears to be treating you well.
Yeah, I have to say the people around me have been fantastic. They’re doing a really, really good job. And they’re thoroughly nice people.

And the reviews for the album seem to be splendid. Are they something you read?
Not really, no. I’ll have a look if people say it’s a good one. But even then you tend to just take on board the bits where they’re disapproving. If you get 4 out of 5, you’ll think, “Ah, it could’ve been 5 out of 5, what did I do wrong?” And I sort of forgot about the fact this album was going to be reviewed, I think because for me it was so much about getting it out to the people that wanted to own it. The people that had kept saying, “When’s the album coming out?” So I’d kind of forgotten that there would be other people going, “Well we don’t know if we want to own it, but we’re going to tell you what we think of it anyway”. Haha!

Well, Attitude gave it 4.5 out of 5. You’ve got to be happy with that?
Yeah, that’s OK. I think I can deal with that.

And where’s the video for the single got to?
Watch this space. Everyone should be able to see it very soon.

You’ve got the Erasure tour starting soon. Are you all set for that?
I think so, yeah. It’s going to be a really nice June, I think. It’ll feel nice to get out there. I hope the weather’s going to be as nice as it is today.

Have you got more dates to be announced? Lots of the fans are asking.
We’re still trying to work in a South American tour for September, yeah. I’m hoping we’ll be doing about seven or eight dates while we’re there. So, watch that space too!

With less than two weeks to go until the release of Sophie's wonderful new album, Make a Scene, you can now pre-order it from iTunes' UK store, in a digital version which comes with five (FIVE!) bonus promo videos. Click here to bag your copy now. 

You can, of course, also buy the CD from the following retailers:

- Amazon.co.uk
- Play.com
- HMV.com

Check out this preview of the video for the rather wonderful Dash Berlin 4AM Mix of Sophie and Armin van Buuren's Not Giving Up On Love track. We'll post the full video when it's released next week.

The remix is taken from Armin's new remix album, Mirage - The Remixes, which is out on June 17. The track is already available from iTunes - you can get it by clicking here.

Check out Sophie's terrific acoustic performance of her new single, Starlight, on STV by clicking here. 

Remember, you can now from pre-order the CD from the following retailers:

- Amazon.co.uk
- Play.com
- HMV.com

If you missed Sophie's rather wonderful appearance on Channel 4's Koko Pop show, click here to watch it on Channel 4's 4OD service now. 

So, you've got some shows coming up in some exotic places, like Ukraine and Lebanon.
Yeah, I love the fact that even after ten years I'm still going to new countries and singing to new fans. That's pretty cool, I think. I went to Beirut for a show last year, actually and I was literally only in the country for about 8 hours. Hopefully this time I'll be able to stay a little bit longer and have a look around!

Are there more show announcements to come?
Yeah, we've got quite a few TBC dates around the world to add, I think. And I'm really keeping my fingers crossed that we get to play in South America. I seem to have so many fans on Facebook from there, and I'm absolutely desperate to go. I've only managed to be there once before, but I'm always nagging my agent and manager to get me out there again. Hopefully soon.

So, Starlight is the new single, how would you describe it?
Well it's a kind of mid-tempo, '80s electro ballad. I think of it as the kind of song you hear in a club when the play a few slowies and you're maybe snogging someone.

Ah, what they used to call "the erection section".
Hahaha! That's classy! But, yeah, I made it with Richard X and Hannah Robinson. Richard is very, very talented - his production is lush. And I've done loads of stuff with Hannah. I think we've got a very similar approach to top line melodies. We work really well together.

Will there be a video?
Yes, I filmed the last show of the tour I did before Christmas - the one in London. My dad actually filmed it with his crew, so we've been editing that together with some other bits of footage. It's looking good. It should be out within the next week or two.

Did you enjoy the UK tour?
I absolutely loved it. It's something I'd been meaning to do for a long time. And without wanting to blow my own trumpet too much, I think the band, the lighting, the sound and everything was really great. I felt so secure on stage. I'd just like to keep gigging. We're in such a brilliant position as a live band.

You're certainly still working hard.
I don't think I have an alternate setting, really. If anything, the time when I maybe got a bit blase was at the beginning when everything was coming really easily. But now, I adore it and I've got a passion for it and I understand what it all means. For the last five years I've tried to do everything to the best of my ability, rather than coming out thinking, "Oh I wish I'd tried a bit harder".

And you still enjoy it?
Totally. Probably more now than ever.

You've got a duet on the new Feeling album.
Yes, which I sang the other night at their Heaven show. That was a really good night. Roisin Murphy came along and sang her song with Dan. And I really enjoyed doing the song I've done with Dan. I think it's a very classy, atmospheric and, again, slightly sad-sounding song. It's funny because the mood of the song is quite intense, and I have to get myself in a certain frame of mind when I'm singing it.

It also means you're singing a love song to another man while your husband watches.
Yeah! We're just all kind of kinky like that. Hahahahaha! Singing a love song to a gay man while my straight husband looks on. That's the way we roll! Hahaha!

We also hear you've started on album five.
I have made a start, yeah. I've probably written about four or five songs. It's quite a different direction, which has been quite good for my head. There's nothing dancey about it.

Wowser.
Yeah, so I've been working with Ed Harcourt and Bernard Butler. It's all a bit more songwriter-y, stripped back and live sounding. There's not a synth in sight. I think that's why this fourth album is so dancey, because I've always had a bit of an idea that the one after it should be diametrically opposed. So that's where I'm at right now.

That sounds very intriguing.
Mmm. The dream would be to release it with a remix album of the same songs. That would be amazing. But, yeah, everything feels quite exciting at the moment. It's great.

Sophie's new album, Make A Scene, is out on June 13th - pre-order your copy from Amazon.co.uk / Play.com / HMV.com

Hi Sophie, how are you?
I'm good thanks. I'm at Koko filming Koko Pops and the Album Chart Show. I'm doing a couple of songs in a bit.

So, the new album is announced! That's pretty exciting.
Yeah, the whole thing is exciting. I'm the boss lady this time around.

What's your label called?
It's called EBGB's. A bit like CBGB's in New York, but as in Ellis-Bextor Great Britain.

Ah, very clever!
Why thank you. I actually used it as the production company name when I did my live DVD way back in 2002.

So, you're a businesswoman now.
I guess I am, yes! But only my own business. People have been asking if I'm going to sign other acts, but it's all about getting my record out at the moment.

And, from a fan's point of view, they won't really notice the difference?
Not at all. But I get to be involved in everything. Don't get me wrong, I had a wonderful 10 years with Universal, but doing it this way does feel like the reward for the hard work, because there's a lot of things about the traditional record company model that don't really work that well for an artist. It's great to be able to get your own team and do it yourself.

Does it mean you're taking a financial risk?
Well, in a lot of ways it's financially beneficial. You have to sell a lot less albums to make a living when you do it this way.

That all sounds great.
Yeah, it's really cool. And a lot of people have been doing it this way for a while. Eminem apparently does it this way, and Mumford & Sons made their album on their own label, then licensed it to Island. So it's not a new phenomenon, but I do think we'll see it happening more and more.

Will there be EBGB's merchandise?
Well, I am in the process of setting up an online shop, cos I haven't really done anything like that for a while. So there could be.

And the album is out in a matter of weeks.
Yeah, it's all coming together now. I can understand why some of the fans were occasionally a little disgruntled that it felt like I wasn't just getting on with putting my album out, but really what we've managed to achieve in the last 12 months is pretty good.

And you're happy with the album itself?
Really happy. I got it mastered recently and it's great just hearing it all together. I think it's really cohesive and consistent, and I'm really proud of all the songs. But then I'm probably a bit biased!

Do you have a current favourite track?
Well Starlight, which is the single, has always been one I love, just because it's got that wistful, melancholy mood, which I always love in pop music. It's that sort of happy sad feeling. I'm a big fan of that.

That song's about halfway into the album - how hard do you think about the tracklisting?
Oh you definitely have to get the whole dynamic of the record so that it works. Some songs just don't work next to each other.

Why did you pick Cut Straight To The Heart as the final song?
Because it's epic and dramatic and it's got a really long outro. That's the mood you should be left with.

You've got a whole bunch of shows lined up for the summer. Are you looking forward to them?
Very much so. I think the forest tour with Erasure should be really fun. The Feeling did the same tour a couple of years ago and I went along to some of those. It was really idyllic and everyone was in holiday mode.

Have you met Erasure before?
I haven't actually. But I'm definitely a fan. It should be really fun.

Will you play some new stuff at those shows?
Oh absolutely. I always try to do a good cross-section of the contemporary stuff and then the singles. I try and think what I would want to hear if I was going to the show.

Make A Scene is out on June 13th - pre-order your copy from Amazon.co.uk / Play.com / HMV.com

The party takes
place at the The George
Tavern, in Whitechapel, London. It kicks off at 7pm with a champagne reception and a barbecue, with the fun continuing until 3am.

Tickets, costing £10, are available in advance from here. 

As we revealed last week, Sophie's new album, Make A Scene, is out on June 13th. The artwork for the album is shown above. And you can now from pre-order the CD from the following retailers:

- Amazon.co.uk
- Play.com
- HMV.com

We can also reveal that the tracklisting of the album is as follows:

1. Revolution

2. Bittersweet Featuring The Freemasons

3. Off & On

4. Heartbreak (Make Me A Dancer) - Featuring The Freemasons

5. Not Giving Up On Love - Featuring Armin van Buuren

6. Cant Fight This Feeling Featuring Junior Caldera
7. Starlight

8. Under Your Touch

9. Make A Scene

10. Magic

11. Dial My Number

12. Homewrecker

13. Synchronized

14. Cut Straight To The Heart 

All quite exciting. no?

Yesterday, Sophie caught up with music blog wotyougot.com - check out the interview above.

For more information, and to book tickets, please click here.

9pm - Doors
9.15pm - The Aspidistras
9.40pm - Sinead and the Dawnbreakers
10.10pm - Auction
11pm - Sophie Ellis Bextor
11.45pm - Romy from the xx (DJ)

Bring it on...

Tickets, priced £18, are on sale now. Click here to purchase.

On Saturday 9th July, Sophie will support Bryan Ferry at a special summer picnic concert at Kew Gardens in Richmond, Surrey (not far outside London). Sounds way fun to us. For more info - or to buy tickets - click here.

Sophie is one of a number of women who got together with photographer Rankin to make a video to mark the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day on March 8th, by letting rip on women's rights for
ActionAid's Get Lippy campaign. Watch the video above, and for more info on the campaign, click here. 

Sophie's rather wonderful new single, 'Not Giving Up On Love', is now available from the UK iTunes store. Click here to get it. For 99p, you can buy the Radio Edit of the track. Or, for just £1.79 you can download the full 6-track EP, as follows:

1. Not Giving Up On Love (Radio Edit)
2. Not Giving Up On Love (Extended Version)
3. Not Giving Up On Love (Armin Van Buuren Remix)
4. Not Giving Up On Love (Jorn Van Deynhoven Remix)
5. Not Giving Up On Love (Dash Berlin 4 AM Mix)
6. Not Giving Up On Love (Zodiax Dub Mix)

Assuming our calculator is telling the truth, that's just 29.83p per track. Bit of a bargain, no?

We're pleased to report that Sophie will be playing at the Cornbury Festival in Charlbury, Oxfordshire on Saturday, 2 July. Other acts playing over the weekend include Cyndi Lauper, Eliza Doolittle, James Blunt, Imelda May and Olly Murs.

For more information on the three-day festival, head over to cornburyfestival.com. Tickets are on sale now from here.

To be in with a chance of winning an EXCLUSIVE item from Sophie's Bittersweet video, head over to @welovepop on Twitter NOW!

Surprising Ms. Ellis-Bextor with a bunch of flowers, Matt treats Sophie to tea, cake, a chat about her upcoming album, her guilty TV pleasure and lots more.

Click HERE to watch the interview in full.

If you missed it and want to see whether Sophie was cooked her meal from heaven, or from hell, head over to the BBC IPlayer now!

Apart from revealing what we can expect from album number four, Sophie
also gives us an insight on what music she's been listening to recently.

Click HERE to read more.

Tweet this link...

If you haven't got hold of your copy yet, head over to Amazon, HMV or iTunes right now to treat yourself to Sophie's fab new single.

To get hold of your copy of 'Bittersweet', taken from Ms. Ellis-Bextor's upcoming
album 'Straight To The Heart' simply click on the link of your choice below...

 iTunes  /  Amazon  /  HMV

Well, in a lot of ways, people shouldn't really have known about the working title because Make A Scene was one of the first songs I wrote for the record so I had that in my head. When I came to finish the album, the label were asking, "What are you going to call it?" and I hadn't really given it much thought but I had been calling it Make A Scene and they said "we like that" so we stuck with it,. But then I thought I'd quite like the chance to think about it a bit. It was quite cool because I got to use Twitter in it's purest form saying, "right, I'm changing the title". I like the fact that you can have a very direct hotline to fans without having to go through a load of emails and phone calls.

You seem to be back on Twitter recently.
I kind of go in and out of it. I'm starting to think I might use it as a consumer rights sort of thing where I can do little tweets about when I feel I've had good service or bad service. Whether it be restaurant and food related or in shops.

It's nice to feel you can tell a few people how rubbish a company are.
Exactly. That's what I'm thinking I might do. I might say, like for example, Ryanair, you should be able to check in one bag for a family as long as it doesn't exceed the individual baggage allowance when it's all combined. You shouldn't have to go and buy a separate bag to half fill two bags. It's rules for rules' sake and it just drives me insane. They just find any way to make money.

Indeed. So, why Straight To The Heart?
It's a lyric from a song I did for the album. And I think it sits in well with all the other album titles. I'm happy.

How was your gig at The Feeling's festival in Meribel?
That was such a good week. It was like a holiday really, with a little bit of work. Everyone was on very good form and we had loads of great weather. It was really hot actually and I did some skiing which I'm a bit of a new-comer to but I like it.

What do you wear on the slopes? Are you high fashion on the slopes?
I don't think that's possible. I think ski-wear is generally pretty grim. I got some nice stuff from this label, I think they're called Roxy. They're like the female Quicksilver and I just went for very plain stuff really. I did see some quite cute old French women in like all-in-ones with, like, normal belts on top of them. That looked quite cool. And someone had Chanel ski boots. I was quite jealous of those, although she was about seventy.

And the gig went well?
Yeah it was really good. It was exhausting because I was up in the morning skiing and then at night there were loads of gigs. We had at least two things on per night. But there was a really good atmosphere and everyone played really well.

And now you've got G-A-Y coming up?
I have, yeah.

You're an old hand at that.
Yeah, I love it. It's always a good night. They're a good crowd - very loyal.

You must have played G-A-Y as much as anyone?
Probably. I've certainly lost count. I don't do it every single, but most singles.

And you did the Album Chart Show recently.
Yeah, with the band. That was fun. I have been doing a few bits of telly. I did something for GMTV and some MTV stuff. But I think they're all going out "strategically"!

Come back tomorrow, for our final Q&A sesh with Sophie.

Sophie will be getting up bright and early for an interview with
Lorraine Kelly, on that famous GMTV sofa followed by a performance of
her new single 'Bittersweet'!

Don't forget to log onto www.gm.tv straight after to watch a special
acoustic performance and take part in an exclusive webchat with Sophie!

Which outfit were you loving the most? Let us know below...

If you have a burning question you want to ask the lady herself, post them in the comments section below.

Check back soon to see if Sophie has answered your questions, right here on
sophieellisbextor.net.

It's clear that Sophie just can't get enough of high street fashion and she even
reveals a special style secret from her 'Bittersweet' video...

Click here to take a look and find out more.

Take a sneak peak at Sophie's performance on the show over on thealbumchartshow.com and click on the video below to watch some exclusive behind-the-scenes footage with the lady herself...

You like? Then let us know in the comments section!

Today, we are super-excited to unveil the artwork for 'Bittersweet', which you can check out on Popjustice now.

Like what you see? Let us know your thoughts below or over on Sophie's Official Forum.

BextorBoson - 'The video is fantastic, it combines Sophie's magnificence and elegance perfectly. Brilliant work on the whole team's part and I can't wait to see the next excellent video'

Victorheartbreak - 'Sophie is the best! Sophie rules! Sophie is so bittersweet, Sophie is my star, Thank you for giving us BITTERSWEET, this is a piece of art'

Make sure you keep your comments coming, as we love hearing your thoughts on everything Sophie!

Thanks to all of you who have posted so far - we've selected a few of our fave comments for you all to read through below...

Bazilay - 'Absolutely brilliant!!! Love the simplicity and beauty of all the shots...and per usual SEB looks gorgeous!! Great vid for a perfect pop song!'

Wextor - This video clip is amazing! The idea is very simple, but combined with Sophie we have a piece of art!'

avidreader72 - 'Brilliant video! SEB looks gorgeous, stunning! This video is a nice continuation of the Heartbreak video, although much better in my opinion. I loved the lighting, choreography, the confetti and paint blasts. I think this will be a very classic SEB video. Kudos to SEB and all that worked on this dynamic video!'

mayra - 'The video for me is the best of Sophie, elegant and beautiful pictures, and the song really good!'!

anouk - 'I love the song. It's more powerful than Heartbreak Make Me A Dancer and it won't get out of your head once you've heard it. The video fits the song perfectly.'

If you haven't given us your reviews yet, head over to Sophie's forum or post below and we'll be posting more right here on sophieellisbextor.net.

You can fill us in by leaving a comment below, or heading over to our dedicated 'Bittersweet' reviews thread on the forum.

We'll be highlighting a few of your reviews on the homepage of sophieellisbextor.net over the next couple of weeks!

If you click below, you'll be able to listen to an exclusive 45 second clip of Sophie's fab new single 'Bittersweet'!

Once you've had a listen head across to Sophie's Official Forum and tell us what you think or leave a comment

'Bittersweet' has been given a rave review by the pop blog, who simply say, 'let's not beat around the bush here, readers - 'Bittersweet' is quite incredible'. They also give you an exclusive 30 sec clip of the single - 5 times!

To take a read and listen to this amazing snippet, head over to www.popjustice.com now.

Then Thursday, back in London, I've got a dance rehearsal, because on Friday I'm filming my video for Bittersweet. Then I go to Meribel on Saturday for The Feeling's Little World festival.

Blimey. That really is busy.
I know, it's a bit ridiculous. This week has been quite quiet, but I feel like I've got a lot of nervous energy, cos I'm waiting to get started. But I think I'll just need to get my head down, work hard and then get to Meribel and have lots of cheese, red wine and fun.

So, you're making two videos in three days?
That's right! It's good that I've got a day inbetween - they were originally going to be back to back. So I'll probably just go into the dance rehearsal on the Thursday for a couple of hours and take it quite easy. And because I'm just "featuring" in the French track, I don't feel the responsibility is so much on my shoulders.

Are you happy with the album cover photos you've done before?
Actually, with the album covers, I think I've been incredibly spoilt, because I've used the same company for everything I've done. It's a design company called Michael Nash. And I just completely trust them.

They've always managed to pick these photographers that are on their way up. We've been very lucky. The first album was done by these photographers called Mert & Marcus and they've gone on to great things. So, yeah, I feel like I've always landed on my feet with photographers. Next week we're working with a young photographer called Ben Weller whose work is lovely. I have a good feeling about it.

To check out these simply gorgeous and exclusive new pics, head over to the Sophie Ellis Bextor Gallery now.

'Bittersweet' will be the first release taken from Sophie's new album - this April 2010! Written by the super-talented Freemasons, Biff and Hannah Robinson, the Freemasons have also worked their magic on producing the single.

Make sure you keep checking back to sophieellisbextor.net for more single and album news coming your way soon!

This will be the first and official place to find out all the latest news for all things SE-B shaped. It was time for a new look. It'll go nicely with the new album which is nearly done.

The first single is released early April. It's called `Bittersweet' and with it I have once again collaborated with the lovely and very talented Freemasons. It's a good introduction to the fourth album because, as with the majority of the record, it's a song you can dance to. The new tracks feature collaborations with Calvin Harris, Metronomy, Cathy Dennis, Richard X and Ed Harcourt. It's been a lovely experience to make this album and I am so looking forward to sharing it with you all.

In the meantime, good to see you here. You're looking really well and I think
2010 is going to be our year.

Sx

Don’t forget that ‘Heartbreak (Make Me A Dancer)’ is available for download right HERE now!

Sounds like a lot of people like to do their loving in July.

Ha ha! Well, actually Sonny was supposed to be born in June, but he
came early. He would've had that whole month to himself, but he ended
up in April too.

So, what have you been up to? It's been a little while since we caught up.

There's lots of exciting things going on, but I'm afraid I cannot tell you too much about any of them.

Why not?

Well, one thing is quite an exciting thing to do with my record
company and the other is quite an exciting thing to do with other
stuff. But I don't want to jinx either until it's all signed and
sealed.

OK. In other news, Calvin Harris lost all his new work this week, after it was mislaid in a bag at Heathrow Terminal 5.

Oh dear, I hadn't heard that!

Is that bag likely to include any of the material you've been working on with him?

Yeah, probably! But I have got it on a CD, so we should be all right.

Have you finished the new tracks for the Greatest Hits?

Well, because I've got so much material together that we're really
happy with, I'm actually going to push on and make a fourth studio
album, rather than a Greatest hits.
Wow, that's quite big news.

I'm really happy about it, to be honest. The Greatest Hits will
come after the studio album now. I feel like after I've done the
Greatest Hits, I'd quite like to try a bit of a new direction. But I'm
enjoying doing the dance-y pop stuff too much to leave it behind just
yet!

How much of the new album is finished?

I would say somewhere between a third and a half.

So four or five songs?

Something like that. I've probably got more than that, but I'm not sure which ones I'll end up using.

Who have you been working with?

I've been going back to a lot of people that I've enjoyed working
with before. So I've done more stuff with Dimitri Tikovoi and Liam from
the Sneaker Pimps. I might be working with Greg Alexander again too,
which would be really cool.
Do you have any gig plans in the diary?

No, not at the moment. It's all just about getting this album done.

When are you thinking that will be out?

Well, ideally September sort of time, but that's still very much up in the air. But I definitely want to push on with it.

Have you got an idea what the first single will be?

I think it might be 'Off And On', which I did with Calvin Harris
and Cathy Dennis. But I also really like the track I did with the
Freemasons. But, of course, it could be one of the songs we haven't
done yet.

Are you spending most days of your week recording?

I do like being able to see Richard and Sonny as well, so I'm
trying to get the balance right between family life and recording. But
this album certainly won't take as long as the last one did.
Weren't you in the Alps with Richard and The Feeling last week?

Yes, which was fantastic. They did a free outdoor gig on the piste
and it was one of the best shows I've seen them do. They played for
about two hours and threw in loads of covers.
There's footage on YouTube of them doing '(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)' by the Beastie Boys.

Oh that was really funny. Did you see Richard singing in that? I
want him to do more of that. But he told me off, because after the gig
I came up to him and said, 'That was brilliant! I love it when you do
your singing thing! You should do more of that!' He was like, 'Oh, you
girlfriends, you always come backstage and say, 'I want my one to do
more'.' That's how not to take a compliment!

Careful, you'll be the Yoko Ono of The Feeling.

Oh, I proclaimed myself their Yoko a long time ago. I make all the decisions behind the scenes. Ha ha!

Did you ski while you were out there?

I did have a go, yeah. Actually, I heard Richard saying to someone
that I picked it up slightly quicker than he did when he started, which
was not was I was expecting! I thought I was going to be awful.

You've never skied or snowboarded before?

No. I did one day of snowboarding in Milton Keynes Snowdome, but I
didn't do very well, so that wasn't much fun. But I skied this time,
which I think is a lot easier. Saying that, at one point I was a bit of
a runaway train, because I hadn't learned how to stop. So I just went
straight forward and sped up really fast. Everyone thought I was going
to hurt myself, so they were shouting, 'Fall over! Fall over!' But I
was fine, although I must've looked quite ridiculous.

Did you go glam with your skiwear?

Not really. I had some funky blue Ray-Bans on, but everything else
was just black. I think it's very difficult to be fashionable with
skiwear on. Although Dan from The Feeling was wearing a Prada coat.

There was something in the paper this week about you having a phobia of closing doors. Is this true?

I think phobia is probably over-stating it, but I saw a girl
getting her fingers crushed when I was little. Ever since then, I have
been a bit freaked out by hinges.

Do you have doors in your house?

Of course! I really wouldn't call it a phobia. It's not like I scream every time I go through a door!

Have you done anything else exciting recently?

I went to London Zoo with Sonny and his little friend yesterday. That was fun.

What were Sonny's favourite animals?

We're both quite similar actually; we liked the meerkats and the
otters. And there was quite a lot of good stuff in the nocturnal bit.
There's a thing called a slender loris, which is a little slow-moving
night creature, with very big eyes. That was incredibly sweet.

And what's the latest on your burgeoning DJ career with Richard, as Mr & Mrs Jones?

We did a bit of DJing in the Alps, actually, at the after-show. It
probably wasn't our finest hour, though, because we were both a bit
tipsy. But I'm hoping to get the club night sorted soon. Watch this
space on that one.
It sounds like we've got to watch this space on a few things.

Yes, sorry about that. But as soon as I can tell anyone about any of them, the website will be the first to know!