Leona Lewis and boyfriend Lou Al’Chama have been having something of a hard time since Leona won the X factor last month.

A pal told The People newspaper: “Things have been really, really tough for Lou and Leona since she won X Factor. They’ve never spent so much time apart as they did during the three months Leona was at bootcamp.

“The only time they had together was a brief half hour after the shows on a Saturday night. By that time, Leona was shattered and it was time shared with her family too.

“Now the show is over Leona and Lou are really struggling.

“Her life has changed in such a major way, but they are trying to carry on as though things are still the same.” The friend added: “The house move has been a source of tension lately.

“Lou doesn ‘t want to look like he’s trying to milk his girlfriend’s fame. Leona doesn’t want to look like she’s got dreams above her station with her choice of new home.

“No-one is making any positive decisions. Instead the pair of them have been bick-ering nonstop.

Question: Who’s version of A Moment Like This is better? Kelly Clarkson’s version from American Idol or Leona Lewis’ X Factor finale?

To help you along, I’m going to let you compare them side-by-side. Check out Kelly’s original (which I’d never seen before):

And you’ve probably all seen Leona Lewis’ version of the song by now:

Kelly Clarkson’s is a much more straightforward delivery, and her singing style is more rock-oriented. Leona’s on the other hand is much more tender and has a more powerful conclusion.

To be honest, I can’t call it. Who do you think is best?

Pop stars used to know they’d made it when they performed on Top Of The Pops, but these days you’re definitely an international superstar when you get a mention on Perez Hilton!

Seems Perez has been rooting for Leona for a while now from the States and the normally super-cynical blogger has nothing but good things to say about our Leona!

Leona Lewis is not just some girl on some singing show. She’s a world-class superstar!

And the world is going to see a lot from this lovely young lady!

You can’t help but feel a wee bit proud of Leona! And I’m starting to wonder now how many phone votes Simon himself made to secure her future!

X Factor winner, Leona Lewis, has managed to hold on the the Number One spot for a second week running, with her debut single ‘A Moment Like This’.

Leona broke the world record the week before by having her single downloaded by avid X Factor fans 50,000 times in the first 30 minutes it became available online.

Things are looking great for Leona right now, I hope it continues. i would hate to see her go the way of Steve Brookstein……

Simon Cowell has been splashing his cash this Christmas and has treated the two X Factor finalists to some Xtra Special gifts.

Simon treated winner Leona Lewis to a diamond necklace and matching earrings to the value of £15,000, according to The Sun.

And runner-up Ray Quinn was given a £9,000 diamond encrusted Jacob & Co. watch.

A source told the paper: “Simon wanted to reward them for their hard work.

“He thinks they both have a bright future in the music business and wanted to give them their first taste of the luxuries their new careers will bring them.”

‘X Factor’ winner Leona Lewis has knocked Take That off the top of the UK singles chart to claim the Christmas Number One.

As was widely predicted, Leona’s cover of Kelly Clarkson’s ‘A Moment Like This’ shot straight into the top spot.

Take That’s single ‘Patience’ is Number Two while McFly and Girls Aloud, who both scored new entries, were in at three and four.

The Daily Mirror has today reported that X Factor winner, Leona Lewis, was surprised and thrilled to receive a phone call from Whitney Houston congratulating her on her win.

When she heard Leona had won, she called to say well done, according to the Daily Mirror.

A source told the newspaper: “Whitney thought Leona was amazing and wished her luck.”

X factor winner Leona Lewis. will take Christmas Number one, and her single ‘A Moment Like This’ has only been on sale for a day!

HMV spokesman Gennaro Castaldo said: “Leona’s single is already the fastest selling download in history and is now almost guaranteed to be the fastest selling single of the year.

“There has been a huge response to her as a contestant and when you consider eight million votes were cast then you have to assume a good deal of those people will be buying the song.”

He said her sales will be driven this week mostly by mothers and young girls.

“They are not generally in the download market so it will be mums buying copies as stocking fillers for their daughters, perhaps even multiple copies as gifts, that will drive hard single sales this week,” he added.

It looks as though Take That will come in at the number two spot….I am a bit disappointed, I would have loved the boys to swipe the number one spot!

The dress which leona Lewis wore in the final of The X Factor last week has been flying off the shelves in the high street chain, Coast.

Many viewers have even resorted to phoning ITV to see where they can get their hands on the dress and a waiting list drawn up by Coast already has more than 500 names on it.

A company spokesperson said: “We are working flat-out to ensure no Leona fans are disappointed this Christmas but the dresses are selling faster than they can be made.”

The Xtra Factor: The Winner’s Story has an exclusive access-all-areas pass to Leona Lewis in the week following her winning final. The show celebrates the new starlet’s journey from their first appearance at the auditions through to the highs and lows of Boot Camp, the Judges Houses and the Live Studio Shows, up to the tension and drama of the series finale.

ITV2 will be with Leona as she embarks on her exciting new found career and through her own personal video diary viewers can hear first hand how her life has changed: from showbiz parties to TV interviews, record company boardrooms to recording studios, fans, fame and of course fortune.

The cameras will also follow the winning act as they head home for the first time and with new exclusive interviews, ITV2 will hear from fellow contestants, celebrity supporters, the judges and the winner’s friends and family.

THE XTRA FACTOR: THE WINNER’S STORY 2006 airs on ITV2 on Sunday 24 December 9:00 PM to 10:00 PM

X Factor winner, Leona Lewis is being lined up for a £5 million record deal, courtesy of Clive Davis.

Leona will fly to the states next Thursday to meet with Clive, and talk about the finer details of the deal.

A show source said last night: “Leona’s X Factor prize is peanuts compared to what Clive is offering.

“When Clive called Simon Cowell, he was talking £5million.

“Leona and Simon will fly to meet him.”

Whitney Houston has given her backing to X Factor winner Leona Lewis.

Leona is also being courted by music mogul Clive Davis who is keen to maker her a star in the US.

The diva is said to be convinced the 21-year-old will be an international superstar, and has even offered to mentor her.

X Factor winner is expected to scoop the Christmas number one this week and her debut single hasn’t even been released on CD yet.

So far the single has been downloaded approximately 200,000 times and 1 million advance orders for the cd have already been placed.

Leona, who beat rival Ray Quinn, said: “I’m just shocked. It’s unbelievable. I feel like my dream has come true, the dream I’ve been dreaming since a little girl has come true.”

“There were points I thought, ‘You know what, I don’t know if this is going to happen.’ But with the help from my friends and my family, they all kept telling me to believe in myself and keep on doing it and I did, and now I’m here and thank you so much to them.”

Ben Mills has spoken yesterday to the Sunday People about his views on the final two X factor contestants:

ON LEONA

IT’S been clear all along that Leona is the true star of the show.

She’s got everything, the whole package - an amazing voice and stunning, superstar looks.

She’s going to be a big star wherever she chooses to go, be it here in the UK or over in the United States.

Leona is really emotional when she sings but she also knows how to look like the complete professional up on stage.

She has much more mainstream appeal than me and, to be honest, I was just amazed to have got as far as I did.

& ON RAY

I’VE become great friends with Ray during X Factor and we really bonded over the last weeks.

You can’t help but be impressed with his vocal talents. He knows how to really master a song and deserved to reach the final.

It great that somebody with Ray’s personality has come through the ranks and been such a hit with viewers.

He’s a terrific guy who has got his feet firmly on the ground.

He’s not the sort of bloke to let fame go to his head either.

It won’t change him one bit as winner or runner-up.

It looks as thought X Factor winner, Leona Lewis may have broken her first world record last night!

Leona’s debut single ‘A Moment Like This’ was downloaded a massive 50,000 times in just 30 minutes after the winner was announced.

X Factor judge, Simon Cowell commented:

“I think this is a world record: we have had, in 30 minutes, 50,000 downloads.�