HE’S spent the past two months secretly training for a Red Nose Day challenge which will see him pushed to his physical and mental limits.
But for DJ Jordan North, there is an upside to being tasked to row 100 miles from London to his “happy place” hometown of Burnley – his newly developed, rippling muscles.
In an exclusive interview, Jordan laughed: “I can’t get any of my trousers on. I look like Sandy from Grease, ‘Tell me about it, stud!’
“I had a black tie event and I tried on my tux trousers and I couldn’t get them over my thighs, they were so tight. I was a plus one at my cousin’s event and I said, ‘If I bend over these will split right up my backside.’”
Fans of the Radio 1 drive rime DJ and I’m A Celebrity runner–up will be able to see Jordan’s transformation up close — all thanks to a very tight outfit.
Jordan explained: “I am wearing Lycra and it doesn’t leave much to the imagination. I look awful in it but I am wearing it because it has padding on the bum. It is essential to have bum padding.
“I first tried on a small one but a couple of bits and pieces went missing. I won’t be wearing that one.”
Jordan’s challenge, which begins on Monday, will see him rowing for six to eight hours a day for five days to reach Burnley – all to raise cash for Red Nose Day on March 18. You can find out more about his challenge and donate at comicrelief.com/rowinghome
That support is well deserved, as he has trained six days a week for the past two months and overhauled his lifestyle.
Jordan said: “I have cut down on the booze a lot. I learnt the hard way. You can do a radio show hungover but you can’t do a hangover on the Thames on a Monday morning.
“When I have finished the row, I have told my mum I don’t care if it’s ten in the morning or ten at night – I want you there with a pint of Guinness waiting for me
“A lot of people think rowing is upper body, but it’s your legs and your back. But that is nothing deep heat can’t help.
“And my legs sometimes after two hours on the water, they just won’t work.”
The hardest part of the process for Jordan, along with hating the rowing machine Red Nose Day bosses installed in his bedroom, has been the toll the challenge is taking on his hands.
With two days to go before the start of Jordan’s row, his hands are covered in blisters.
Jordan told me: “The blisters are so bloody painful
“I am not allowed to pop them in case they get infected and turn septic
“The pain is something else but I try to remember, I have brothers and family members who have been in the army and they’ve been through far worse – they’ve been shot at. I’ve just got blisters on my hands.
“I am under no illusions this will be the toughest week of my life but we all know about the great work Red Nose Day does and all the people they help.
“That is my reason to do it. As long as the Radio 1 listeners get behind me, I will be great.”
We are all behind you, Jordan. I’ll be raising a pint of Guinness in your honour next Friday.
BECKY HILL has released her first single since winning Best Dance Artist at the Brit Awards earlier this month.
The Remember singer has teamed up with Galantis on her new single Run, and she flew to Cape Town, South Africa, to shoot the big-budget music video, from which my exclusive shot of her in a swimming pool is taken.
Chatting about the track, Becky told me: “I wrote it with my best friend MNEK, who I’ve been writing with for ten years.
“I feel like every single I release has the potential to better the last one, and this is no different, especially with Galantis featuring on the record too.
“With their catalogue of hits with the likes of Little Mix and Years & Years, I’m very proud to be a part of another huge collaboration with them.”
Explaining how, a decade into her career, she finally feels like she has made it big, Becky added: “This next stage of my artistry is an extension of me fully coming out as a pop star, but this time with a Brit Award in hand.”
TWO months into the year and Ed Sheeran has already collaborated with Taylor Swift and Bring Me The Horizon, and he has a duet with Camila Cabello coming out next week.
And fans can expect him to team up with more artists this year, suggesting he will release even more top tunes than he did in 2021.
Ed, who also recently shot a video for a new song with J Balvin, said: “This year is actually going to end up being busier than last year, which I’m really excited about. There’s a lot coming out.
“I’ve wanted to span genres. I had a load of people hit me up in different genres, ranging from metal to drill music, and I just said yes to everything. It’s been a really interesting collaborative process.”
Revealing exactly what he has coming up, Ed said on Radio 2: “It’s quite lonely being a solo artist sometimes and it’s quite exciting, like I did a session this morning at 7am with a guy called Kodak Black who’s from America and after that I did a session with a guy called Kwengface who’s from Peckham.
“I’m doing a song on Saturday with Cradle Of Filth, who are from Ipswich. I’m finding it really fun.”
Earlier this week Camila announced their collaboration Bam Bam will be out next Friday.
Referring to Ed on social media, she said: “One of my favourite people and artists ever. Also my b’day is the day before, so triple win.”
JASON DERULO will release a new single next month after taking time out of the spotlight.
I can reveal that he will drop the track in the next few weeks, and on it, the hip-thrusting star is as suggestive as ever.
A source said: “Jason took some time out after becoming a dad but is now ready for a bumper 2022.
“His new single is called Sliding and it’s annoyingly catchy. He’s hoping that his huge TikTok following will once again help to take him to the top of the charts.”
During lockdown Jason bagged himself a fifth No1 after his single Savage Love went viral on the social media app, sparking global dancing challenges.
While I can’t say I’m big on TikTok, I am partial to a Jason Derulo tune after a couple of glasses of vino.
DOJA CAT looks red hot posing with Freaky Deaky collaborator TYGA – and fans can see her blazing on stage soon.
The US rapper is playing Wireless Festival in the capital’s Crystal Palace Park on July 2. ASAP Rocky, J. Cole and Tyler, the Creator will headline the three-day event.
The festival is also at London’s Finsbury Park and Birmingham’s NEC, with acts including Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, Dave and Megan Thee Stallion.
Tickets go on sale on Monday.
BRITNEY SPEARS plans to quit the US, saying she is so stressed in LA she can no longer SWEAT there.
In a now-deleted Instagram post, she said: “I never sweat in Los Angeles. I get ice cold. When I work out there I hate it . . . I’ve been through too much in that state and my spirit subconsciously knows it’s OK to let go in other states.
“Soon I may have to say goodbye to America! Yo, it’s for my mental health.”
SINGLES
1. We Don’t Talk About Bruno – CAST OF DISNEY’S ENCANTO
2. Peru – FIREBOY DML & ED SHEERAN
3. Surface Pressure – JESSICA DARROW
4. Where Are You Now – LOST FREQUENCIES & CALUM SCOTT
5. Make Me Feel Good – BELTERS ONLY ft JAZZY
6. House On Fire – MIMI WEBB
7. Seventeen Going Under – SAM FENDER
8. The Family Madrigal – STEPHANIE BEATRIZ ft OLGA MEREDIZ
9. Down Under – LUUDE ft COLIN HAY
10. Overseas – BLOCK EUROPE ft CENTRAL CEE
ALBUMS
1. Equals – ED SHEERAN
2. Disrespectful – BAD BOY CHILLER CREW
3. 30 – ADELE
4. Everything Was Forever – SEA POWER
5. Sour – OLIVIA RODRIGO
6. Curtain Call: The Hits – EMINEM
7. Small World – METRONOMY
8. We’re All Alone In This Together – DAVE
9. Between Us – LITTLE MIX
10. 50 Years: Don’t Stop – FLEETWOOD MAC
YORKSHIRE–based garage trio BAD BOY CHILLER CREW have reached No2 with their album Disrespectful, being held off the top spot by ED SHEERAN’s Equals. There are other new entries from SEA POWER and METRONOMY.
