Former X factor competitor, Ray Quinn has said that he is fully prepared for the camp costumes he will wear on this years series of Dancing On Ice on ITV1.

Speaking to the Daily Record, Quinn joked: “Give me pink and give me diamonds and I’m glamorous, baby. Call me Jordan.

“I’m embracing the campness. Give me a bit of yellow and a bit of pink and a bit of sparkle. I will stop at a certain point but I’m quite comfortable with my sexuality.”

Read more & comment »

20 year old Ray Quinn has been revealed as a competitor on this years Dancing On Ice series on ITV1.

Ray came second on the 2006 series of X factor, losing out to the now world famous singer, Leona Lewis.

Ray is also known for playing the role of Anthony Murray in Channel 4 soap, Brookside, from the years 2000-2003.

Former X Factor finalist, Ray Quinn, has revealed that performing in the West End version of Grease is his dream job.

Ray has been playing the role of Doody in the show for five months and he told The Sun: “It’s a dream come true. I’ve wanted to perform on stage since I was three years old – and it is my main priority.

“I’m here for five months but hopefully it will be longer. It’s different to anything else I’ve ever done before.” Read more & comment »

Ray Quinn, the midget swing singer who faced Leona Lewis in last years X factor final, has been dropped from his record label.

Ray’s debut album topped the UK charts, but record company Sony BMG have still decided to drop the 19 year old from their books.

A source told the Mirror: “Ray is focusing on TV and West End stuff now. TV execs are even saying he could get his own chat show.”

X Factor runner up, Ray Quinn, will make his TV comeback on a new ITV reality TV show, called Baby Ballroom.

The show, which will be presented by Kate Thornton, will see eight pairs of six to eleven year old ballroom dancers compete for the title.

A spokesman said last night: “All the couples are fiercely competitive. They are hugely talented at dance having been taking part since they were toddlers, and each couple desperately wants to walk away with the Junior Ballroom Trophy.”

On the judging panel along with ray will be Bonnie Langford and ballroom legend Pierre Dulaine.

Apparently HMV and Woolworth’s have reported that the first days sales figures for Ray Quinns swing album are much more impressive than Ben Mills rock based album.

It is thought that in some stores Ray’s album is outselling bens at a rate of 2 to 1. However Wooloworths were quick to add that Ben’s album was selling very well and would achieve a good position this Sunday, its just unlikely to be the number one spot. Looks like Simon Cowell’s magic has worked once again!

Ben Mills and Ray Quinn are struggling to be civil to one another on the X Factor tour as they gear up for their big battle of the charts this month.

A source told The Sun: “They hardly even grunt at each other – and Ben keeps making snide digs at Ray. He has been sulking like a child and you feel like telling him to get a grip. It’s getting unbearable.”

Lucky they aren’t singing alone together on tour then isn’t it!

Ray Quinn is reportedly being lined up to play a young Robbie Williams in the Take That musical stage show.

He tells The Sun: ‘Take That: The Musical sounds like a great idea. I can’t wait.

‘What an amazing honour to be asked to play someone who has had so much influence on me over the past few years. Robbie’s album Swing When You’re Winning was great and further convinced me that it was that type of music I loved.

‘The musical is still in the early planning stages but, provided it goes ahead, it will start towards the end of 2007.’

I think Ray could play a young Robbie really well. he has all the charisma and stage presence, and probably has a better singing voice than Robbie. I hope this goes ahead. I also think he’d make a great children’s TV presenter, but that’s another story….

It appears that we will be having a battle of the X in March this year, as both X factor finalists, Ray Quinn and Ben Mills, gear up to release their debut album.

Both lads have signed with Sony BMG and the company obviously believes that a chart battle will help both boys sell more records.

Ray is recording his album in Los Angeles. Benis in West London’s Olympic Studios, made famous by THE ROLLING STONES, recording new material.

A source said: “Ben is excited about getting a deal and is thrilled to be recording in Olympic Studios. He can’t quite believe it.

“He has been working hard writing songs since the show finished and some of them will be on the album. He’s so thrilled he’s even agreed to chop his hair off!�

No Ben! Don’t do it!

Ray Quinn has left lots of angry fans in his wake after a special homecoming concert in Liverpool this weekend.

Ray fans shelled out £14 per ticket for the show and were treated to just 5 songs from the X Factor runner up!

One fan, Claire Lyons, said: “After waiting over two hours for Ray’s appearance, he didn’t even return to the stage for an encore.

“What type of thank you is that to the people of your home city who spent weeks supporting you on X Factor and spent a small fortune in the process?”

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.”

Simon Cowell has revealed that he will be offering a record deal to X factor runner up Ray Quinn.

The X Factor judge and mentor will be taking Ray to the Los Angeles studios where Frank Sinatra used to record to produce his first album.

Cowell told the Daily Mirror: “I told Ray I was going to sign him. I wasn’t going to tell him yet but I had to after he behaved in such a dignified manner.

“His reaction was amazing. After what he did for Leona, I didn’t want him to go home miserable.

“We’re sending him to LA to record a swing album in the same place Frank Sinatra used.”

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.

Well, here I am late at night having watched the X Factor final with a gang of journalists! What a tense final it was too – I was convinced Ray was going to win on teenager votes, but common sense prevailed and the nation has given Leona Lewis a shot at being a recording artist! And the first female X Factor winner to boot!

We were brought into the studio after the show had ended and the last piece of glitter fell to the stage floor, and press were assembled in the little area between the judges desk and the main stage. By the way, the X Factor studio is so much smaller than it looks on TV!

We could hear the Xtra Factor wrapping up in the other studio and then Leona and Simon came back on to the stage.

Simon mentioned that Clive Davis of J Records in America had phoned him some time ago and said that they were watching Leona in the USA and to count him in. Simon was quick to stress that they wouldn’t be making an album quickly with Leona, they’re “going to take the votes of the public seriously”.

Leona was asked if she felt she had the competition in the bag, but said “No, there were actually moments when I thought Ray had won. I only thought I’d won when I heard I’d won!” She also said that she only began to overcome her shyness through experience on the live shows.

When asked about the final song being more suited to Leona than Ray, Simon responded, “We receive lots of new songs for the show, but none of them were up to scratch. Since we never released the Kelly Clarkson song in the UK as a single, we decided to use it. We approached the final 4 or 5 contestants and none of them had a problem with it except Ben, and he was alright after he recorded it.”

It also looks like Ray Quinn won’t be totally out in the cold after his defeat tonight – Simon said “I’m going to have a little chat with Ray after this and I think there’ll be a smile on his face when we’re finished!”

At the point in the press conference, we were told that there had been an amazing 50,000 downloads of the winner’s single after the show and the voting spilt was confirmed as 60/40 in favour of Leona – a complete landslide, and as Simon Cowell said “A clear winner.”

So, after all these long months, Simon is contemplating Saturday nights without X Factor and Leona is hoping to take her family on a well-deserved break.

I ended the night by actually managing to utter a few words to Simon, who shook my hand before leaving the press conference! I’m certain that to the seasoned press crowd, I was totally starstruck!

To top the night off, I witnessed Antony Hannah and one of the others from Eton Road getting papped outside the venue, and got a little bit papped myself….ah showbiz!

I am just listening to Ray Quinn perform the X factor winners single ‘A Moment Like This’ and the more I hear, the more I know this ong was never meant for him.

He is doing the song no justice at all, and I think up until this Ray has had a fantastic night.

I only hope the votes aren’t as close as Kate Thornton would have us believe, or this could really harm his chances.