Over the last few months I have caught up with many famous people.  Here is a summary of who I have caught up with, plus the interviews

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Vincent Simone

• Vincent Simone was born 15 March 1979
• He is a professional dancer born in Italy but moved to England when he was 17 and has since lived in Guildford, Surrey
• Vincent was born into a family of professional dancers. His sister teaches dance at a university, and his parents are Latin and Ballroom dancers.
• He has appeared on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing since the fourth series of the show, when he danced with Louisa Lytton as his celebrity partner. They were knocked out in week 10, scoring 31 out of 40 for their first dance and 28 for the second, giving them a total of 59 points which was last position out of the four couples competing.
• He returned for the fifth series in 2007, partnering actress Stephanie Beacham, but the pair were eliminated in the second week, losing to Letitia Dean and Darren Bennett in the dance off. Craig, Bruno and Len voted to save Letitia and Darren, while Arlene voted to save Stephanie and Vincent.
• After their success in the Strictly Live Tour! 2008, Vincent and Louisa Lytton were chosen to take part in the Eurovision Dance Contest 2008[1] in September 2008. Dancing to ‘Paint it Black’ by Lee Mead, they were ranked ninth out of fourteen couples by a professional jury, and finished ninth overall when the results of the public vote had been added.
• Simone was partnered with actress Natalie Cassidy in the seventh series of the show. The couple were voted off on 28 November 2009, coming in fifth place.

Listen again:

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Olly Murs

• Olly Murs is a 25 year old office worker from Essex who, before the X Factor, spent his working time giving people energy advice.
• After wowing the audience and judges at auditions in London with his performance of ‘Superstition’, expectations were high for his bootcamp performances. Cheryl had loved everything about him and Simon had said it was “the easiest Yes I have ever given”
• At bootcamp, Olly Murs chose to sing ‘Your Song’ by Elton John and the crowd loved him again but the judges were a bit less enthusiastic, especially Simon who was frustrated by the fact that the Essex Geezer hadn’t taken more of a risk with his song. Olly said he was “chuffed” with his performance, and it was enough to get him through to Simon’s house in Los Angeles.
• Alas, Ollie did not win, but we expect to see much more from him over 2010

Listen again Celebrity Interview – Olly Murs

Kermit and Miss Piggy from the Muppets

• Miss Piggy is one of the central characters on The Muppet Show. She is a force of nature who developed from a one-joke running gag into a complex, three-dimensional character.
• Miss Piggy is a prima-donna pig who is absolutely convinced that she’s destined for stardom, and nothing is going to stand in her way.
• Her public face is the soul of feminine charm, but she can fly into a violent rage whenever she thinks she’s insulted or thwarted. Kermit  (or “Kermie” as a pet name for him) has learned this all too well; when she isn’t smothering him in kisses, she’s sending him flying through the air with a karate-chop.
• From modest beginnings (which she is quick to gloss over), Miss Piggy first broke into show business by winning the Miss Bogen County beauty contest, a victory which also marked her first meeting with the frog of her life, Kermit. The rest, as they say, is history (and a lot of juicy gossip, too).
• In 1976, Miss Piggy started out in the chorus of The Muppet Show. Thanks to her charisma and a correspondence course in karate, Piggy made her presence known, and soon became the lead chanteuse and femme fatale on the show. Quickly, her career expanded to include television specials, home videos, records and books. Her “how to” volume of advice on absolutely everything, Miss Piggy’s Guide to Life, became a national bestseller, and her fabulous face has been featured on the cover of countless magazines too numerous to mention.
• She has a dog named Foo-Foo.
• Miss Piggy has starred in all six theatrically-released Muppet feature films, and both made-for-TV movies. She starred in two television specials, The Fantastic Miss Piggy Show and Miss Piggy’s Hollywood. She also starred in her own workout album.
• Miss Piggy considers herself a dramatic actress and a great singer, but she has other talents, too (besides karate).M
• Miss Piggy proves to be great at bending metal bars (for example, in The Great Muppet Caper she bent back the jail bars, and in The Muppets Take Manhattan she was able to bend a metal bar).
• Shown in The Great Muppet Caper, Miss Piggy also has the ability to model, tap dance, swim, drive a truck, and ride a motorcycle.
• Pointed out by Rowlf in The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years and Kermit in A Muppet Family Christmas, no one can make an entrance like Miss Piggy.
• edit Kermit and Piggy
• Eventually in the films, Kermit started returning her affections and (unwittingly) married her in The Muppets Take Manhattan–although subsequent events suggest that it was only their characters in the movie that married, and that their relationship is really the same as ever.
• Kermit and Miss Piggy occasionally perform musical numbers together. Some of their duets include “I Won’t Dance”, “Ukulele Lady”, “Waiting at the Church”, “The First Time It Happens”, and “Love Led Us Here”.
• Miss Piggy has two dimwitted nephews, Andy and Randy Pig.

• Kermit the Frog, arguably Jim Henson’s most famous Muppet creation, was the star and host of The Muppet Show, played a significant role on Sesame Street, and served as the logo of the Jim Henson Company. He continues to star in Muppet movies and make numerous TV appearances.
• Kermit grew up with thousands of siblings, and has talked occasionally about other members of his family. His childhood adventures were chronicled in Kermit’s Swamp Years. Robin is Kermit’s nephew.
• Miss Piggy insists that she and Kermit got married in The Muppets Take Manhattan and that they’re very happy. Kermit disagrees, claiming that it was just a movie and that in real life, they have a “professional relationship.”
• Kermit’s most well-known catchphrase is “Hi-ho, Kermit the Frog here!” He typically introduced acts on The Muppet Show by waving his arms wildly and shouting “Yaaaay!” (a technique he learned from his old acting coach, Mr. Dawson).

Find out more at muppet.wikia.com

Listen again Celebrity Interview – Kermit and Miss Piggy

Dan Clarkson and Jeff Turner

• Dan & Jeff started their comic double act in the spring of 2005.
• Since then they have become the two most recognised children’s storytellers around the country with their hugely successful shows ‘Potted Potter’ and ‘Potted Pirates’.
• Both are very passionate about children’s literacy, but are also of the opinion that books can be fun, hence ‘Potted potter: the unofficial Harry Potter experience. Their show is a fast paced, comical romp that pays homage to the nations favourite series of books, that has just completed a critically acclaimed sell-out show in Edinburgh as well as a tour of Australia.
• These sell out performances brought them to the attention of many TV producers who then invited them to do a ‘Potted’ history of various popular subjects including ‘Big Brother’ for ‘Big Brothers Little Brother’ and a ‘Potted’ synopsis of many kids books on ‘Blue Peter’ where they brought countless books to the consciousness of the nations’ children.
• Since then they have progressed to the famous ‘broom cupboard’ on CBBC where they regularly present the links on the weekend shows and all the weekday shows during the school holidays.
• When not working together Dan and Jeff are trained actors who have worked a variety of TV and theatre productions in both comedic and straight roles.

Listen again Celebrity Interview – Dan Clarkson and Jeff Turner

Faryl Smith (from Britain’s Got Talent)

• Faryl Smith was  an ordinary schoolgirl with an extraordinary talent
• On 31 May 2008, Faryl’s life changed dramatically when she sang her way into people’s hearts and minds all over Britain during the final round of ITV’s “Britain’s Got Talent.”
• One minute Faryl Smith was a schoolgirl from Northamptonshire who liked to sing in the choir, play football, and shop with her friends – the next minute Simon Cowell was praising her in front of a national television audience, calling her “literally one in a million” and “the most talented youngster I’ve ever heard.”
• Now about to sign the largest record deal ever awarded to a schoolgirl, Cowell’s endorsement may one day be worth its weight in platinum!

Listen again Celebrity Interview – Faryl Smith