I want people to feel like, stop caring about those stupid little things that we really
shouldn't care about, you know?
I don't care Oh
I don't care Oh no
So I'm here with the beautiful Cheryl Fernandez Versini.
Hello.
The most sexiest name in showbiz, may I say?
Thank you.
Now you look smashing at the moment. Now let me get this straight. If you get a number
one this weekend with I Don't Care, you're going to break records.
Yes. It's all a bit crazy, isn't it? Apparently British history. I'll be the only female to
have had five number ones. It's madness.
I mean, how does that make you feel? Looking back when you first auditioned on Pop Stars
to that. That must be incredible.
It feels crazy, honestly, if I think about it. It feels crazy. We're still only on Thursday,
so obviously it's still nerve wracking, you know. I have to wait until Sunday to celebrate.
Keep positive, Cheryl.
I have to stay positive.
Now your new album Only Human out on Monday. What was your inspiration behind this album?
I had some time off, and during that time off, I just had so much life experience and
different things going on that I was inspired by a lot of different things. So doing this
album, I was really ready to come back, so there's a lot of excitement in the air. It's
quite upbeat. I just want people to enjoy it, a pop record. I want to be part of young
people's lives for an hour take them out of their madness, take them out of the worry
of their exams if it is. And for all the people to just enjoy an hour of music.
I Don't Care, one of my favourite tracks. Was it almost like therapy for you? Like yeah,
I'm going to vent writing this song. Is that kind of how it felt for you, writing that song?
I Don't Care really just feels carefree, literally like just what it says on the tin. I don't
care. I want people to feel like stop caring about those stupid little things that we really
shouldn't care about, you know? It's just a bit of fun, a bit of carefree attitude.
And a few naughty swear words in there. I mean, that's when you really know you're angry.
I did the explicit version and the clean version. Obviously, the clean version is the preferred,
but the other version is just for effect. You know when you really mean something?
-Yeah, you've got to swear sometimes. -You've got to put in a bit of a swear word.
I can hardly stop Open your eyes
Let your mind take flight See your dreams come to life
Now Nicola Roberts co-wrote some of the tracks with you, which is amazing. What was it like
being back in the studio with her? Was it like Girls Aloud nostalgia all over again?
It was completely different to being with Girls Aloud, being with Nicola because obviously
it was just her and I, and I had her focus completely.
And I love the way she works. She thinks very differently to me, so we're very complimentary.
She is so talented. It's unreal. She's like a volcano. She's bubbling away, and she's
going to erupt into an amazing songwriter at some point. She's very, very talented at
song writing.
And I love the song Goodbye Means Hello. What does that actually mean, or am I being really stupid?
So when you listen to the track Goodbye Means Hello, the whole song is about one of those
volatile relationships, where you're like get out, I've had enough. You know, you're
really annoying. And then the minute they leave, you're like oh I wish we didn't fight. I want
him to come back, or we text each other. It tends to happen a lot.
Typical relationships.
When you're in a younger relationship, you know? And you have a big fight, and then you
think, so it's just about saying I told you goodbye, but really I meant can you come back?
Yeah, we can all relate to that.
Yes.
Like you said, you had two years out. Was it kind of nice stepping out of the spotlight
for a couple of years, just to relax and have some me time?
It was so nice to not have a deadline, not have to do something. I was doing something
because you wanted to, not because you had to, which I'd never had for ten years. So
yeah, it was a pleasure to have some time out.
And tonight, you're turning on the Christmas lights. Very exciting. What is it like in
your household at Christmas? I can imagine a Geordie Christmas is a bit wild. What was it like?
I love Christmas. Christmas is like my best thing ever. Once you start getting those smells
in the air. It's nostalgic, and Home Alone is on the TV, and the Christmas decorations.
Yeah, we go wild. We go wild.
And you've got a banging bod. You're super, super slim. But do you really pig out at Christmas?
Are you eating roast dinner?
Oh, I can't wait. My best two days are Christmas Day and Boxing Day because you eat your Christmas
dinner and all the shenanigans that goes with that, and then the next day you eat your sandwiches
and all the bad stuff you shouldn't eat the day after, they're the most two fun days.
Five four three two one
Go!!!
Merry Christmas!
What's on your wish list for this year's Christmas?
You know what's funny? I get asked this. Honestly, for the past few years, I've been asked this,
and it's a normal question, but I don't have one. I just want to have fun with my family.
I just want it to be a happy environment. The kids, I've got 11 nieces and nephews,
and then Kimberley just had Bobby, so it's going to be Bobby's first Christmas.
Is he going to be getting spoiled?
So yeah, there'll be a lot of spoilage, and actually I get more pleasure from giving the
gifts and watching the kids faces than I do from receiving anything, so I just wish on
my wish list that we have a happy and healthy Christmas.
And one last thing. You've had the most incredible year. Best comeback ever. With you Cheryl,
what's been the highlight?
The highlight of this year has probably been Bobby being born.
Aw...
Having my best friend for ten years giving birth to a child is pretty astounding.
And is she doing well, Kimberley?
She's literally natural. Duck to water.
Well thanks for chatting to us Cheryl, and I think you're going to make history. I can
feel it. I can feel it. It's going to happen. Fingers crossed.
Thank you.