ISSUE
No2
Published the second week of each month
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EXCLUSIVE – The Wombats SNIP SNIP – Leo Bancroft
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PROPAGANDA – Rizzle Kicks HOLLYOAKS – Claire Cooper
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– Contents WELCOME TO WHAT’S UP WHAT’S ON
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Editors
- Mary-Clare O’Connor - Mike Benge
Editorial
- Ally Kanji - Amy Cotter - Ashleigh Monagle – Fergus Dufton - Sarah Wright - Serena Reidy - Siseley Coates-Harman - Stephanie Lynn
Web
– Andrew Brown
Contact
To get in contact about editorial requests editorial@whatsupwhatson.com
Cold but happy, November is becoming a shivery, sneezy month, with the annual public transport snuffling returning. This month WUWO hopes to soothe your journey by cheering you up with some great reading. Find out about Celeb scandal through the ages and catch up with the cast of Hollyoaks, we also spent sometime with Wombats front-man Murphy and we rock out with Sound of Guns.
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Contributors
Looking forward to Christmas Team WUWO x
To get in contact for advertising requests advertising@whatsupwhatson.com or call 079 6194 000
FEATURES
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Pin-ups and scandal the race to fame.
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Jet lag and blackouts with The Wombats
Hollyoaks WUWO chats with Claire Cooper
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Award winning celebrity hair we catch up with Leo Bancroft
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Olympic Gold for Zac Purchase
What’s Up What’s on is published monthly by What’s Up Information Ltd. We try and make sure all our information is correct but details may be subject to change. Any physical submissions are sent at the owners risk and we will accept no responsibility for loss or damage. Nothing printed in WUWO can be copied or republished without our written permission.
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Keep up with the technological race and stay ahead of the game with insightful reviews and helpful tips. Ally Kanji
9mm £4.99 Platform: iOS and soon for Android Action packed – the GTA way! Here’s the storyline: you’re a bad-ass cop in a bad-ass world; you got your 9mm tucked under your sleeve and a light, unrestrained, trigger finger – it’s time for action. You might have heard it all before… but trust me, you ain’t seen it! Not much is said of Apple’s relentless graphic engine, which has only increased in power with the introduction of the new 4S, but Gameloft maximises every kilobyte at its disposal. The result: razor sharp graphics that really come to life, making use of the retina display (frequently championed by Apple). It definitely sets the mark for future games! 9mm is thoroughly immersing and offers a few extra twists, for instance, matrix-style slow-motion shoot-outs where you fly through the air pelting round after round into thugs. Do excuse the dialogue though – they seem to be written by children with no imagination!
iMessage
Pre-installed (iOS 5) Platform: iOS
It’s BBM’s turn to be taught a lesson! Apple adds its shine to the instant messaging world, currently exclusive to iProducts. Don’t fumble with ‘pins’, automatically link your friends with iPhones (although iPods and iPads have to be added!) Apple also addresses BBM’s D and R system, where you know if your message has been delivered and if it’s being ignored! Th e i nt e r f a c e i s c le a n a n d uncluttered – it blends in with the normal messaging function on the iPhone and uses its neat bubble layout for conversation. This is a brilliant answer to Blackberry’s strongest selling-point and is likely to save you lots on your b i l l, if you’re no t al re ady o n unlimited texts!
Find My Friends Free Platform: iOS
Let your psycho-stalker instincts take charge! This app allows you to pin-point the exact location of all of your friends in mere seconds – and it’s chillingly accurate, with door numb ers and Google maps giving you a satellite view of where they are! Don’t worry though, you can choose when to give your mates permission, as we understand that you don’t always want to be found by your mum (or your wife). It should also be noted that it is only available on the new iOS 5 and you need to make an iCloud account to use it – yes, making the account is free! Advice: restrict access of your whereabouts only to people you actually know...
Steve Jobs didn’t just revolutionise our technology – he reinvented it. From iPods to iPhones, iPads to iMacs, the ever-present ‘i’ glows with quality and innovation. Anyone remember the good old Walkmans squeezing into your biggest pocket? Or perhaps, the brick-phone Nokias with their bewildering battery life? (On that note – have you actually seen a Nokia lately!?) If you are an iPerson, or have ever owned an iProduct (who hasn’t?) then it’s your duty to take a moment to remember the man who added the gloss and the glamour, the snobbery and the pride to products that have transformed the way we live our lives. And if that wasn’t enough, he also played a great part in cinema too – behind the scenes, if you were wondering! Being the largest share-holder in Pixar Animation Studios meant he was behind some of the greatest animated films: Cars, WALL-E and Toy Story, to name a few.
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Winner of the FUTURE100 entrepreneurs awards Aaron Carty is a busy guy, not only running a cutting edge production company called Carve Productions, he also has a financial consultancy business. WUWO wanted to find out what makes him tick. To get in contact with Carve Productions please email aaron@carveproductions.com What makes you tick? T h a t ’s a ve r y go o d question and one I have to ask myself every day. I have a lot of personal go a l s t h a t I wa nt to achieve and I learnt early on that if they were going to become a reality only I can make that happen. Every morning I religiously remind myself what these goals are so that I am motivated by them instead of motivated to ‘just be successful’ it’s never been about the
If you’re not going to be on your ‘A game’ and give it 100% every second of the day don’t bother. money for me, it’s all about having the freedom to work hard in something I am incredibly passionate about. So I am thinking of starting my own film company - what should I do first? I’ll give you some exclusive quick f ire tips: Do it because you love it, work for free to get as much exposure and a diverse range of content, build a team and do it together you won’t succeed alone. Just because you are a film company, learn about as many different
Just thinking about our future plans makes me smile, we have so much on!
filming in Barcelona for the tourist boards. I’d be determined to work as hard as possible to do what I love and what I’m passionate about.
industries as possible after all they will end up being your clients. Brand yo u r s el f a nd ke ep i t s i mp le. If you’re no t go i n g t o b e o n yo u r A ga m e’ a n d g ive i t 100% every second of the day - don’t bother.
You must be proud of you r a c h ieve me nt s ( W U WO a r e p r o u d o f yo u ) . D o yo u fe e l fulfilled or do you just ke ep s e a rch i ng for the next project?
How much fun do you have at Carve Productions? We are all so passionate about delivering that final film or video that the fun is in every single step of any project. We’re an o rgan ic al ly grow n company and we are all incredibly diverse within o u r way o f th i n k i ng which is the equivalent of putting 4 fireworks into a glass box and seeing them all go off at the same time. Every day is different, one day we are coming up with ideas for a music video, and the next we are
F i r s t l y, t h a n k y o u very much! It’s always imp or tant to s tep away and look at your achievements on the other side of the looking glass, I have a few select people that I can rely on to give me goodconstructivefeedback on everything I am doing, and I really make sure I listen and adapt to this. However, p ar t of my ambition and drive is to be searching for the next project that is really going
to keep my team on their toes and challenge them in new and exciting ways. I do feel fulfilled, because it only drives me on to change, adapt and create new goals to achieve. C ro s s i n g go a l s o f f a physical list is really important to me to know that I am achieving what I set out to. What can we expect to see from Carve Productions in the future? Just thinking about our future plans makes me smile, we have so much on! Expect to see Carve Productions at the end of a number of programmes and documentaries throughout 2012. Get ready for a lot of fun and diverse music videos coming your way and opportunities for young passionate individuals that could change their l ive s fo r eve r - t h e s e won’t be handed out only earned.
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CELEBRITY
The race for fame has always been a fast one, with an array of colourful attempts to make a mark on the media map. The tasteful days of curvy models and vintage cars have passed and in comes the eye-brow raising naked stars that totter onto our screens and magazines. From Hollywood starlets to reality rejects, what gave these glamour models and mistresses a lifeline in the industry?
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Marilyn Monroe
Christine Keeler
Marjorie Wallace
Samantha Fox
One of the most famous pinups and female icons of the century comes in the form of the blond bombshell.
The psychedelic 60s saw the beginning of the hippy trend when a more outrageous etiquette was adopted.
Marjorie Wallace was the very first Miss United States to win the Miss World title in 1973 aged 17.
Entering a modelling competition at the age of 16 with her posing in lingerie, her pin-up career was formed.
- Romantically linked to president of her era JFK.
- Shocked the nation with the scandal involving Secretary of State for War, Jack Profumo. - She was convicted of perjury and imprisoned for nine months.
- Miss World Organisation claimed that she wasn’t upholding the Miss World’s reputation.
- Youngest ever Page Three Girl at the tender age of 16.
- The scandal contributed to the collapse of the Conservative government.
- She dated George Best and Tom Jones in the 70s.
- The Sun’s Page Three Girl of the Year award for three consecutive years between 1984 and 1986.
- She OD’d on a few too many sleeping pills, but claimed it was never attempted suicide.
- Had a number 1 hit “Touch me (I Want Your Body)” and sold 30 million albums worldwide.
- There is also a Marjorie ‘Shiona’ Wallace who is a British writer and broadcaster.
- Insured her breasts for a quarter of a million pounds.
- The star died at the age of 36 from a drugs overdose. - In her lifetime she lived in 47 different properties. - Fearing blemishes, she washed her face fifteen times a day. - There are over 600 books written about her.
- She had to give her Miss World title back after 104 days of being crowned.
- Hired as a topless showgirl at Soho’s ‘Murray’s Cabaret Club’. - She dated Beatle Ringo Star and American actor and director Warren Beatty.
- Only ever model given an exclusive 4-year contract with The Sun.
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CELEBRITY
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Pamela Anderson Rebecca Loos
Kim Kardashian
A visit to a baseball match launched the beginning of her modelling career as she appeared on the big screen, fetching massive applause.
This American socialite rose to fame in February 2007 after appearing in a sex tape with R&B singer Ray J.
- Sex tape of her and Tommy Lee was stolen from their home, and made a huge stir on the Internet. - Reported to have had breast augmentation surgery six times, but this is not official, just observational. (not such a fact then) - Breast enhancement surgery secured her most famous role in ‘Baywatch’ - Wants marijuana legalised. - She has stared in 18 Playboy videos.
Beck’s infamous former PA was catapulted into the media spotlight after selling her story of the affair alleged affair to ‘The News of the World’.
- Before admitting to the sex tape she was an assistant and stylist to the stars.
- Her alleged affair made her into a media personality.
- She now is a media mogul having starred in movies and her own reality TV show.
- She is a second cousin of Piers Morgan. - She has featured on the cover of Playboy, FHM, Nuts, Zoo and other men’s magazines.
- She has even launched a clothing line, perfume, and weight loss products.
- She made headlines and grossed-out many a viewer by masturbating a pig on reality show ‘The Farm’.
- She has a net worth of 35 million dollars – that’s around £21.7m. - BFFs with Hollywood hottie Paris Hilton.
- Appeared in Celebrity Love Island; Temptation Island, Extreme Celebrity Detox.
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MUSIC
Music editor Fergus Dufton
Jet lag, a blackout in New Orleans and to help out the heavy nights some great pills…WUWO chat to Murph, the all singing, guitar playing, keyboard master from the Wombats. Name: Matthew “Murph” Edward Murphy Where are you: Amsterdam What are you doing: European leg of a tour How do you feel: Tired, jet lagged but will find energy from somewhere
How have things been going so far? Amazing yeah, been touring heavily non stop for 5 weeks – Australia, USA - hence extreme tiredness and jet lag. Any major catastrophes at this point? Or big surprises? Erm no, not really but a bit of a black out in New Orleans. Massive hangover, loss of personal possessions – there must be something in the alcohol over there! The next couple of weeks sees you touring Europe before coming back to the UK, is there a big difference between touring the mainland and touring Britain? Yeah we’re doing a European tour for a month then 3 home coming gigs. I guess regional in Europe some places are a bit errm different. Brussels a bit dry, not so many people losing their minds but I guess they just listen a bit more. The crowds are all usually quite young and energetic.
there must be something in the alcohol over there!
What are the essential items you won’t get on the bus without? My mum actually got me these immune system tablets which I swear by. Since I’ve been taking them I haven’t got ill - apart from the hangover anyway. Do you get homesick on the road? What are the things you miss most on tour? It’s all relative really. I’m not sure where home is now, as we’ve been touring for so long. You miss loved ones, family and your own bed but when you’re back home you just want to be on tour again. It’s like an addictive buzz. Do you have any pre-gig rituals? Anything you have to do before you get on stage? We’re actually quite gentlemanly. We always have an embrace, shake each others hand, look each other in the eye and say ‘have a good show’. We’ve been doing it for quite a few years now and if we don’t we get freaked out. We have separate things with all our crew as well - me and the sound engineer Dave have the weirdest high 5 known to man, that lasts about a minute. We tour with the same the crew and it gets bigger
and smaller depending how big the venues are. Do you get a lot of time to look around the cities you play in? It depends really - no not that much to be honest with you, you have to make a real effort to try and do it and we used to try and do it back in the day but you end up being knackered and exhausted for the gig, which is the whole reason we are there in the first place. When we have a chance we try but generally not really. The album has been out for a while now, are you proud of what you have achieved with it? Yes - it was quite difficult in parts, but you know it was a lot of fun as well. Just happy it is out there and you know doing as well or if not better as the last, so that’s what I’d wanted. Are you finding that people are singing the newer songs back when you play? Yes they always get a good reaction probably even better than the old songs.
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3 BANDS TO WATCH
Clock Opera Clock Opera specialise in making epic, emotive anthems that are intricate yet accessible www.clockopera.com
Ronika
Nottingham based singer/ songrwriter/producer who is generating a lot of buzz with her homemade electropop. www.myspace.com/ ronikamusic
The Social Club
An excellent live band who specialise in mixing pop and punk to create music that makes you want to have a good time. www.myspace.com/ thesocialclubband
just laugh at all your mistakes and wrong doings. The cover art for the album is really cool, where did the idea come from? We had various pitches or ideas, but then we heard of this guy Storm Thorgerson who is a legend who did Pink Floyd’s ‘Dark Side of The Moon’ and pretty much all of Floyds -he also did Biffy Clyros and Led Zeppelins. When we realised we had a way in with him and he was up for it, I went to meet him and had a deep conversation for about an hour. Within the next few weeks we got about 30 drawings with ideas and a brief explanation about each. He’s amazing, a very interesting character. You’re a band that are known for their energy both on record and live. Where does it all come from? I have no idea, we ask that question every day and I will be asking that question about half an hour before we go on tonight. But somehow it all works - I have no idea.
If you had to summarise what the Wombats are all about in as few words as possible, what would they be? Mayb e some th i ng to do w ith locating all the downfalls or pitfalls in human beings and the way they act and trying to make something positive out of them and essentially just laugh at all your mistakes and wrong doings. Early next year you are heading to Australia, where they have really taken a liking to you. Do you think the band’s name helped? It obviously pricks up peoples ears – our success is not surely just linked to that - but the tour we just did was insane. We are as big in Australia as we are in the UK and Europe and we playarenasouttherethencomparethat to Kansas in USA where we played to 80 odd people. You’re doing lots of touring at the moment, are you working on any new material alongside that? We work on the odd idea and lyric or musical thing on tour but like to keep it separate, things come up but I have not written a complete full song yet - but lots of ideas kicking around.
StooShe’s debut single ‘Betty Woz Gone’ caused a huge stir when its accompanying lyrics video was unveiled last week. Within a day, the video had been viewed over 100,000 times, making it YouTube’s most viewed music video in the UK and the 14th most viewed in the world. Retweeted by the likes of Ed Sheeran, Rizzle Kicks and Wretch 32. Check it out just youtube StooShe Betty Woz Gone (Official Lyric Video)
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MUSIC
With a second album soon to be released, lead singer Andy and guitarist Lee from Sound of Guns took a break from their Headline show at Hoxton Bar and Kitchen to talk to us about the road, plans for the new album and the easiest games of chess they’ve ever played… You’ve been on the road for a couple of days now, how are things going? Andy: I think that literally we’re at our peak at the moment. It takes a couple of dates to get into it but we’re flowing on nicely, it’s good. Lee: The tour lurgy hasn’t set in yet, we did a three or four week straight tour and by the end of that we were fried. But a 10 date tour we just blitz, bang bang bang. What stage are you at with the new album? When will people be able to hear it?
Do you spend a lot of time waiting around when you’re on tour? Andy: There’s a lot of waiting around.
Andy: We’re looking at getting it out in February 2012, it’s going to be called ‘Angels and Enemies.’
Lee: Our lives consist of about 23 hours of waiting. Andy: And one hour of actually doing something. Are there any games you play to pass the time? Andy: Wind our tour manager up, he gets it man. Just a lot of winding people up. That’s our main talent actually, not being in a band. Just being wallies. I shouldn’t have said that, but it is.
Lee: We didn’t really want to alienate people with the new album. There is a lot of stuff on the new record that we really love and we think our fans will love. Andy: It’s a lot more dynamic, there are a lot more highs and lows on this one. Outside of the band what do you like doing? Andy: I like playing footy with my kids, literally booting them everywhere. I had a game of chess with my little boy the other day and I know he can’t play. I still beat him like 20 times and I didn’t not enjoy it.
Tour story
Whilst in Dundee, the band managed to blow up the PA. The band says: ‘We started playing and there was just smoke every where, halfway through the first tune, it was packed to the rafters as well and then everything went off. We saw our tech running about and thought ‘that smoke machine is a bit close to us’ there was just smoke billowing out from somewhere. But they managed to go out and get a new PA and it was all good.’
Lee: I’m writing a kids book, been writing that for a few years. Its about my little brother, its called Duncan’s Dreams and that’s all I’m going to say incase someone rips it off! Andy: The rest of them go to the gym and just grow! Sounds of Guns doesn’t shorten very well (S.O.G.) is that something you were always aware of? Lee: We never knew and then people started calling us SOG, chanting SOG and calling themselves the Sogites Andy: Most of the kids at the show are drunk anyway so SOG works!
Sound of Guns are set to release their second album early next year.
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MUSIC
(and a surprise appearance from Ed Sheeran) at Propaganda
Propaganda are well known for having big name guest DJs (Greg James, Mumford & Sons and Huw Stephens have all appeared in the past four weeks alone at Propaganda in London) but when the right band comes along we love nothing better than to shake up the dancefloor with some live music. And when we say the “right band” we mean bands like Rizzle Kicks. Having managed to secure five live dates with the band at Propaganda clubs throughout the UK, we caught up with Jordan and Harley at a strange London location. At the launch of the new Republic store at the shiny new Westfield Stratford we found the guys DJing to some very surprised shoppers. When asked why they are the perfect band to play within a club environment Jordan replied “We love performing and we go a bit crazy, so as long as the crowd are up for it, which I’m sure they will be, they are in for a good time!” It’s been a while since a band has had as much hype as Rizzle Kicks and their style makes a refreshing change from an otherwise predictable pop scene. Their style has been likened to every imaginable genre and when pushed to narrow it down Jordan says “I’d like to think our style is reminiscent of old skool 90s hip hop but we’ve also got a naturally commercial poppy element to us, but hip-hop is definitely our main influence.” The broad ranging style of Rizzle Kicks has made them the ideal band for some really exciting collaborations with the likes of Norman Cook, featuring on Olly Murs smash hit number one ‘Heart Skips A Beat’ and more recently remixing Ed Sheeran’s ‘You Need Me, I Don’t Need You’.
Harley: “We’ve been talking to DJ Fresh about possibly doing something, but are really looking forward to our album coming out first.” Jordan: “We’d love to do something with any members of Jurassic 5, Roots Manuva or Jamie T!” Clearly having fun DJing to the bemused shoppers, we asked the guys what would get them on the dancefloor, assuming the dancefloor wasn’t a shop in Westfield Stratford... Jordan: “‘Tracktor’ (Wretch 32) or ‘Look at me now’ (Chris Brown)” Harley: “When that comes on in the club I literally lose the plot!” With their dates at Propaganda looming, we asked what we would need to put in their dressing room to keep them happy. Jordan: “Attractive women.” Harley: “We normally bring them anyway, but if they’re there that’s good!” Jordan: “And sambuca for our drummer!” Despite not filling their dressing room with attractive women, the guys were happy enough at their gig at Propaganda in Newcastle to bring Ed Sheeran on stage to perform ‘You Need Me, I Don’t Need You’ live for the first time. However, if Newcastle seems a long way to go for a good night out then we have plenty coming up at Propaganda in London to keep you entertained...
Friday 25th November- Nick ‘Grimmy’ Grimshaw DJ set Every Friday 10:30pm-3:30am, O2 Academy Islington For more info check out www.thepropaganda.com
Rizzle Kicks debut album ‘Stereo Typical’ is out now.
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COMPETITION
Ash to headline the Energy Sessions sponsored by Relentless Energy Drink - Saturday, 3rd december 2011 - The Garage sponsored by Relentless Energy Drink - Tickets available at ÂŁ5, on sale now - Over 16s only - Support from the Young Husband
Win ticket s
Northern Irish rockers Ash are set to finish an awesome stint on their best of tour by hitting the stage at The Garage sponsored by Relentless Energy Drink on December 3rd, 2011. This landmark gig will also be the final instalment of 2011’s Energy Sessions, sponsored by Relentless Energy Drink, and this is your chance to win a pair of tickets to the gig.
Just simply email competition@whatsupwhatson.com with Ash in the title for your chance to win.
FASHI ON
WUWO are on the streets ready to snap our nosey camera at all you fashion conscious and style crazy people. Ashleigh Monagle
Camden - do it justice
Francesca Higgins, Blackpool
James Tattington, Blackpool
Zampicinini Serena, Italy
Lara Harris, Middlesex
Age 20 Occupation Student Look Ethnic Princess Time 10mins From Topshop Icon Street
Age 21 Occupation Student Look Poncho Perfect Time 30mins From Vintage Icon The Smiths
Age 20 Occupation Student Look The English Man Time 8mins From TopMan Icon Jeff Buckley
Age 21 Occupation Waitress Look Death Rock Time 30mins From H&M Icon My sister
This month I’ve been in the diverse town of Camden enjoying the strobe lights at Cyberdog and getting groovy with Escapade’s Halloween costumes. I stepped out of the station surrounded by woolly knit granny jumpers and patterned underground creepers, only to realise how varied this place actually is. Home to Morrissey and the late Amy Winehouse, Camden has everything to offer from 60s one offs to gothic latex. I made my way towards the market, stepping past the high-street typicals like American Apparel and H&M and preparing myself for the original side of Camden. The market, full of giveaways, covers itself in Kurt Cobain Tees and Doc Marten lace ups that are ready for anyone daring into the world of fashion. This month’s weather is giving everyone the run around so create a cool outfit that says ‘I don’t give a **** with an oversized music Tee and a pair of slummed criminal damage jeans. The market got hectic so the stables it was for me, flagging down every good vintage bargain like Indian khussa’s and dazzling 70s gowns. I’ve said it before and I will say it again- whatever time of year, Camden has it all. Just get ready to hunt for the good stuff and wrap up warm!
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BEAUTY
Celebrity Stylist and salon owner Award winning, celebrity hairstylist Leo Bancroft first hit our screens in 2003 on Channel 4’s reality show The Salon. His boyish good looks left girls swooning and he soon became hot property as everyone wanted Leo to work his magic on their hair... and that’s still not changed! In the years that have followed h e h a s go n e f ro m s t r e n g t h t o strength, building up his celebrity client base, opening his own flagship salon and training academy and making regular TV appearances, including being the resident hair expert on ITV’s This Morning. What has been the highlight of your career so far? There have been so many on so many different levels – I know that sounds naf but its very true. I still remember the overwhelmingly amazing feeling when I opened the doors of my own salon, the nerves and excitement when I appeared on ITV This Morning for the first time (and the proud tears of my mum when she watched me) and then the shock when I picked up Southern Hairdresser of the Year 2009 at the British Hairdressing Awards which are like the Oscars of the hair world. It has been a bit of a rollercoaster but with many more amazing times than bad. How did you end up going on C4’s ‘The Salon’? I got the job through my agent, Carol Hayes. I was a lot younger at the time and this was my first real TV job – I was nervous but at the end of the day it was a real working salon and I just settled in and worked hard. I used to go to a wide variety of castings, all hair related obviously. This one came up and it was a huge challenge, but that’s me, I love a challenge!
Do you get much time to spend in your own salon? Absolutely, my salon is my business a n d n o m a t t e r h o w b u s y my television or session styling career is, I ensure I can run my column in the salon and see my regular clients. I’m also there to run education evenings with my team, give reviews with every team member and check how they’re all getting on. I’m there as a boss, a mentor and a friend to my team and it’s my name above the door so I want clients to know that I care. Do you find it difficult to juggle your busy career and your family life? I won’t lie – it can be difficult at times. My schedule when shooting for TV during London Fashion Week is crazy and there are times where I wish I was just on the school run or taking the kids to the park but it’s no different from any other working parent. It’s hard but we make it work Who is your favourite celebrity client? I have a quite a large celebrity client list and I adore them all – I know we hear it all the time but they really are just normal people. I absolutely love styling Ruth and Eamonn Holmes – they’re a great couple and always have great chat. Abbey Clancy has beautiful hair and looks so good no matter what we do with it so she’s always a pleasure to work with.
Who would you love to get your hands on for a hair makeover? This could be a long list, but maybe one of the The Only Way Is Essex stars. They need to bring it back a bit and go for a more natural look. S e x y a n d g l a m d o e s n’ t m e a n overloading with product and cheap extensions, it can be chic and simple. Can you tell us a secret or something that no one else knows? I’m a total geek, I love all things digital and spent months creating my own website. I’ve got some really exciting digital projects coming up including an app.
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SEX
1 Sleep with him on the first date. Then call the next day asking when it was he was last ‘tested’.
2 Straight after he accepts your friend request on Facebook, send a relationship request. Follow it up by uploading a photo yourself photoshopped into one of his pics. Hello new profile picture!
He’s the man of your dreams. Your knight in shining Armarni. So enamoured are you that you lose all reason and rationale and instead opt to become The Mayor of Crazytown. Follow your heart right into singledom with our guide to becoming the world’s best bunny boiler.
3 Call and text relentlessly. Sure, he could be ignoring your calls because you’re crazy but it’s more likely that he is being held hostage by his college tutor in a stand off over coursework.
4 Describe your bodily functions as and when they occur “I’m really gassy today”; “My ears are waxy”; “It feels like all the grease in my skin is bubbling up towards the surface.” Well. Aren’t you a treat.
5 After a week of dating, you know it is meant to last forever. Say the three words you know he is dying to hear. It’s ok to cry- he isn’t like other men, he understands you right? Wrong, he thinks you’re mental.
Got any embarrassing chat up stories? Well WUWO want them. Send them to editorial@whatsupwhatson.com the best ones will win a trip for two on the London eye and have their pictures featured in WUWO.
And so, in a few days, you have sent him hurtling back into the safety of his other single friends, secure in the knowledge that no, he is definitely not ready to have a girlfriend.
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TELEVISION
Name: Claire Cooper Character Name: Jacqui McQueen Favourite Pizza Topping: Veggies! Childhood Nickname: Coops Dog or Cat: Cat Favourite Supermarket: Marks and Spencer Favourite Song: “In a little while” U2
Congratulations on your 2011 British Soap Awards nominations! How surprised were you when you found out? When I found out about my nomination it was a surprise, an honour. I never expect anything I just love my job and hope it has an impact. But the fact that the public shortlisted me had a huge impact on me, shock and gratitude, wow! They shortlisted me?! Thank you. How did your part on Hollyoaks come about? The job came about like any other audition via my agent - popped in & did an audition with Jen (Mercedes) she said “all I know is, you have to be bigger than me.” To be honest, I thought ‘how can I be bigger than Mercedes McQueen?!’, but it turned out turned out to be bigger in a different way, the energy of Jacqui has certainly evolved, nothing was set in stone. I have played her for 5 years which is an amazing experience for any actor. We weren’t sure who Jacqui was when she arrived, it was trial & error. No right or wrong way. Hollyoaks had never had a character quite as brash & grotesque on screen! Lucky me, I couldn’t wait to get my teeth into her! What has been your favourite Hollyoaks episode to shoot? Obviously the first one was so exciting, getting to meet the family and everyone who works on the show. There was one particular episode with Jorgie and Nicole where a professional SWAT team ran onto the set, the director didn’t even warn us! We didn’t stop laughing the whole time we got them all singing and I was in hysterics!
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TELEVISION Did you always want to be an actress? I know you were a gymnast for ten years…. Well at the time it was something to do and I loved it, I went professional and took part in National competitions but in the end I grew out of it. My whole family is extremely artistic and I think I always knew I wanted to be an actress; I have always been a very creative person. Do you love dressing up in Jacqui’s often outrageous outfits? How does it compare to your own style? Yes! I love how she is not bothered what people think and is so laid back, she just wants to be herself. I don’t normally wear much make up like Jacqui and I have naturally curly hair. Although, we both love to wear lip-gloss! I also really love that she can see the good in a lot of people, I really admire that. What’s the weirdest thing a fan has done for you? I was walking around just doing some personal shopping and a man came up to me and said “Hello Claire” I didn’t know him so I carried on walking, then he asked if he could come shopping with me, it was very weird! After carrying on walking he wouldn’t stop and asked me out for dinner, I said sorry but no then he asked me out for breakfast, he just wouldn’t quit!
Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years? I love my job so definitely still working, married and hopefully a Mum! Perhaps pursue dramas and maybe films, I think the British film industry is amazing. I just want to be loving life and surrounded by my friends and family. What do you like to do when you’re not acting? Definitely catching up with friends, pottering around mainly, I’m always busy! What’s the best part about being on Hollyoaks? The people I work with and getting to do something I love every day. What is your favourite TV show? I’m a very big fan of Sky Atlantic, I love Boardwalk Empire and True Blood! What advice would you give to aspiring actresses? Most people go into the industry, not for the love of acting but just aspiring to just be famous. I would definitely advise people to go on a reality show is fame is all you are after. You must be able to believe in yourself to succeed in this tough industry. What can we expect from Jacqui McQueen for the rest of 2011? I can’t say! You will have to watch and see... Catch Hollyoaks on Channel 4 at 6:30 or catch up on 4 od!
On demand TV
WUWO focuses on shows that you can watch anytime on demand, hoping to find you a gem that you can pass on to all your friends. Channel:4OD Name: Dispatches (TV series) Category: Documentary
Channel: ITV 2 Player Name: Peter Andre - My Life Category: Documentary
About: The programme covers issues about British society, politics, health, religion, international current affairs and the environment, usually featuring a mole in an organisation. There are loads of episodes to check out if you feel like having a weekend learning about what is really going on across our country and the rest of the world. Fact: First transmitted in 1987 with AIDS: The Unheard Voices which won a Royal Television Society Award in 1988.
About: 38 year old Pete is going about his daily life and running into problems that make ours look 100% worse. Great if you feel like escaping into another world. Plus WUWO actually likes Peters bad ‘Dad’ jokes from time to time. Fact: Andre released a fragrance for women called Unconditional. Following the success of Unconditional, Andre released a male fragrance Conditional
Channel: Cbeebies IPlayer Name: Waybuloo Category: Children’s Entertainment
Channel: Demand 5 Name: The Man Who Injects Venom Category: Documentary
About: Series set in the magical land of Nara. Yes we know it’s a children’s show but give it a go when you get back from a drunk night out to calm you down. The Piplings practise yogo, a gentle form of exercise similar to yoga so you can join in and sleep well, then wake up the next day feeling great! Fact: business is booming in the children’s TV realm. This show had a massive £10 million budget. It took a team of seamstresses four months of sewing artificial leaves on to the branches of real trees before the filming could begin.
About: Reptile enthusiast Steve Ludwin is convinced venom has medicinal prop er ties and has b een slowly building up his immunity to the deadly toxins by injecting venom. Fact: Steve Ludwin is available for birthday parties, school talks, fetes, corporate events, and film/fashion/TV shoots. Covering London, and surrounding counties for all your reptile needs!
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MONEY SAVING
The economy’s gone down the toilet, unemployment is through the roof, everybody’s skint, so what are you gonna do about it? Have fun on the cheap, of course!
The days are getting shorter, but the nights are getting longer. Cosy evenings in require good films, good company and most importantly, good food. Stuff your date silly with a plate of steaming Rigatoni - because nothing says l’amore like a shed load of pasta.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED Take in the seasonal glow in the run up to the festive season and take your date to one of London’s open air ice rinks. Glide back into the black from as little as £6. Remember to book in advance as they fill up fast!
Rigatoni - £1.15
For the historians amongst you, take a short train ride out to Bromley (£2.70 with a young persons railcard). In Chislehurst you will find the endlessly atmospheric Chislehurst Caves. £5 will get you a guided oil-lantern lit tour of a section of 22 miles of man made caves, where you can hear about the caves’ associations with the Druids and Romans.
Cream cheese - 80p
For an evening of free entertainment, take your date to an intimate gig in a record shop. Book in advance to secure your place, then go chill out for an evening of chilled acoustics. For upcoming gigs, check out Rough Trade East on Brick Lane. With its purpose built stage in-store, your date won’t help but be impressed. And more importantly,a tenner will get you a couple of pints afterwards, sorted!
Boil the pasta. Once it’s cooked, stir in a dollop of cream cheese. Stir in chopped rocket and parma ham, roughly chopped. Place back on the hob to heat through. Season with salt and pepper.
Parma ham - £2 Rocket - 90p
WHAT TO DO
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TRAVEL
All in for a nifty £250 Amsterdam TRAVEL
We hope that we can give you destination ideas that will not hurt your bank balance too much! A few ideas tried and tested by WUWO.
Return flights available from BMI Baby from as little as £61.50 (Thurs to Tues) See www.bmibaby.com
ACCOMMODATION For something a little bit different you can stay on a boat, the accommodation is compact and basic, but you will meet loads of cool people, from as little as £20.47 per night if sharing with 3 mates in a 4 bed private room. Book through www.hostels.com or www.hostelworld.com
ACTIVITY
Holiday for £100
A cultural hub, throughout the year Amsterdam hosts a number of events, such as festivals and carnivals in various cosmopolitan locations throughout the city. Check out www.iamsterdam.com/en/visiting/ things-to-do/events for what’s going on and when. Be a part of the trend and opt for the bicycle as your mode of transport to view the city. To be a part of the growing number of cyclists rent one yourself from one of the many bike stores. If you want a traditional local bike, head to Bike City in the Jordaan neighbourhood: www.bikecity.nl Believe the hype and get a feel of the infamous red light district. Visit erotic theatre Casa Rosso for an erotic show with good acoustics and a drinks service to your seat.
FOOD Pancake’s are popular in the city of Amsterdam. Check out Amsterdam’s most famous pancake house, Pankcake Bakery on Prinsengracht 191. Prices range between €6 and €10
DRINK Let’s face it; if you’re going to Amsterdam, this is where the majority of the budget is going to be spent. Some of the coolest places to be see are Jimmy Woo and Sugar Factory.
Edinburgh TRAVEL
Travel like your Dad did in the 70s and hitchhike! If you’re going to travel, you might as well meet some interesting people on the way. Check out www.carpooling.co.uk to see who’s going when and where. Travel safely, never hitchhike alone, and always take a photo of the driver and their registration plate and send to a friend. For top tips go to www.hitchwiki.org.
ACCOMMODATION Travelling cheap, there is no better accommodation than hostels for meeting like minded and equally broke holiday mates. If you don’t mind dorms (the more the merrier) try www.royalmilebackpackers.com Central location, and beds from £13 per night.
ACTIVITY Visit Edinburgh Castle for an atmospheric view of the famous landmark. Entry is £14. Descend to the Edinburgh depths with City of the Dead Tours of Edinburgh’s legendary underground city.
There are a variety of exciting tours depending on your requirements, prices ranging from £5- £12.50. Every Wednesday there is a 2 for 1 offer, and they even host free tours! Visit www.blackhart.uk.com for more information. For more information on things to do in Edinburgh, visit www.thingstodoinedinburgh.co.uk
FOOD The Chanter is a lively pub in the heart of Edinburgh that offers popular meals for as little as £1.99. With drinks flowing and live music every night, what more could you want?
DRINK With a large student population, Edinburgh has its fair share of cheap pubs! For the student feel visit St Andrews SU bar - you may even bump into alumni William and Kate! Edinburgh is famous for comedy- to team your whisky with live comedy, visit www.thestand.co.uk/listings. aspx for information on listings, admission prices start at £5 a head. For further offers check out www. thingstodoinedinburgh.co.uk/offersand-discounts
Got any holiday stories that stood out from the rest? Did you end up having dinner next to Rhianna? Or did you get stuck out at sea without a paddle? Let us know and we will publish your story. info@whatsupwhatson.com
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SPORT
Zac Purchase is a rower and one of England’s most talented young athletes, he already has an Olympic Gold Medal and MBE, gaining the prestigious title from his success at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Zac is hoping to repeat his success in London next year in the Lightweight Men’s Double Scull....
You recently won Gold (congratulations) at the World Rowing Championships, what does that mean for the 2012 Olympics?
Hhmm, that beats my 5 minute rowing sessions in the gym...
During the World Championship we had to come in the top 11 in order to qualify for the Olympics, so coming first means a huge deal of pressure off - we have to just keep doing what we’re doing. There is always room for improvement but it is important to focus on what will make the biggest impact. I was suffering from an illness earlier in the year which meant that in the lead up to the championships we only had time for 6 weeks of training, compared with 2 years before the Beijing Olympics, so it was really reassuring to see we’re getting it right.
Well, sometimes I wish I could stop after 5 minutes! You must need to follow a rather strict diet? No, not really, when I am training I need to consume roughly 6000-7000 calories per day, so I can pretty much eat whatever I want. Though as I compete in the lightweight events, I must weigh in 2 hours before each race at 70 kilos, that means that 2 weeks before each race my diet drops to just 1500 calories per day and I lose roughly 8 kilos Sounds like a pretty good diet plan?!
Will you be involved in any of the opening ceremonies for the Olympics?
Haha, if you want to join me in the gym everyday for 6 hours, feel free!
No, our event is very early on and so we are focusing on that. For me it’s all about the winning, maybe when I retire I will get more involved in the ceremonies.
Has rowing ever brought you to tears?
What is your training regime in preparation for the Olympics? Well, I have just had 3 weeks holiday after the World Championships, but now it is back to training, I do roughly 5 hours a day, 6 or 7 days a week. I start off with 2 hours on the water, paddling about, followed by 1 1⁄2 hours in the gym. I then have lunch which is followed by a further 1 1⁄2 hours on the rowing machine.
Yes, standing on the medal podium in Beijing, hearing the national anthem being played and seeing the Union Jack being raised. It really made all of the hard work and effort seem worth it and I felt so happy, it was a massive relief. Sounds like it can get pretty tough? It can, there have been a few times when I thought ‘why am I doing this?’ Once in New Zealand, on a huge natural lake, the winds were incredibly strong and there were rather big waves, and it was horrible, but we knuckled down and got on with it and we won!
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My 3 unusual sports this month are:
Rowing facts:
World Beard and Moustache Championships - think you’re doing well this Movember, check out these bad boys who compete in categories such as Natural, English, Dali, Imperial, Hungarian and Freestyle! www.worldbeardchampionships.com
The reason most people row backward today is because this is the way preindustrial English river men rowed their boats. Rear facing rowing was taken up as sport by English university students. Eventually rules were set down, and rear facing rowing became an established sport.
World Chess Boxing - competition designed to test your brain and your brawn, alternating rounds of chess and boxing, The WCBO’s (World Chess Boxing Organisation) motto is: “Fighting is done in the ring and wars are waged on the board”. Check out the rules at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_boxing
One of the rules is that you must row facing backwards. Rowing is one of the original sports in the modern Olympic Game “Power 10” is the call for rowers to do 10 of their best, most powerful strokes. It’s a strategy used to pull ahead of a competitor.
Man versus Horse - started to settle a pub argument in 1980, the annual event now sees men on horseback racing men on foot over 22 miles in the Welsh town of Llanwrtyd Wells. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_versus_Horse_ Marathon
Scientists estimate that laughing 100 times is equivalent to a 10-minute workout on a rowing machine.
I hear you are an excellent motivational speaker, what advice would you offer anyone hoping to make it in the world of competitive sports? Make sure you enjoy what you do, you will be better at it. Always stay relaxed and avoid all unnecessary tension. Set yourself achievable targets; if you pursue an unrealistic path it can be very demoralising, it is important to always have a laugh and never be bored! Oh, and make sure you always get up there that little bit earlier so you have plenty of time to warm up properly! Finally, you must spend a lot of time with your ipod? What do you listen to? Definitely, spending so long in the gym I listen to anything with a good base line, but I really like variety, it can be anything from Metallica to Katy Perry and Lady Gaga!!
Pelé sports The new global football brand from soccer legend, Pelé - has unveiled a ground breaking football boot for Spring 2012, the result of years of ergonomic research and footwork analysis. For the first time ever, the ultra light Trinity 3E boot has harnessed the ability to perform a dual task: maximising a player’s game & speed potential and actually training your muscles as you play. The Pelé Sports team worked with Formula One Engineers to strip away unnecessary weight & structure within conventional boot design.
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