Gordon in the morning: Choices, choices

For Alexandra Burke the city was crowded, her friends were away, and she was on her own:

While other chart stars had headed off to Bangor in Wales to perform at Radio 1's Big Weekend, Alexandra chose to thrill the crowds in the capital.

She played GAY - which really has become just another tick box on the list now - rather than playing the big, high-profile Bangor event on the TV and the radio and the onlines. That much is true. I'm doubting there was very much "choice" involved, though.

Meanwhile, Cheryl Cole is burbling on about how GREAT it is to be thin:

The 5ft 3in X Factor judge, who weighs 7st, revealed a fan keeps her image on the fridge as motivation for gym sessions.

She said: "I like to think I can be inspiring someone like that."

Surely that would only work if you took your fridge to the gym? Wouldn't it be better to have the picture of Cole on your gym locker? Or does she just despise Cole so much, she can't stand to be in the house if there's a photo of her on the fridge?

I wonder which picture of Cole the fan has put on the fridge door? Perhaps this is the one she uses to "thinspire" her:

But it's not all great for Cheryl, you know:

But Cheryl, 26, finds being a beauty icon "cringeworthy".

Well, if by "being a beauty icon" she means "appearing in Nestle's L'Oreal adverts", yes, that is pretty cringeworthy.

Gordon rounds off his piece with this helpful background detail:

The GIRLS ALOUD star is rumoured to follow the blood group diet, which limits foods to a person's blood type.

That's unlike the rest of Girls Aloud, who enjoy all the blood groups in their diet.alex

Wonka plonks cash

The US Bamboozle tour has just announced a big sponsorship deal with Wonka. Which is Nestle under a name which used to evoke the precise opposite of the corporate, baby-milk flogging behemoth which Nestle suggests.

The Brand Week story which runs the story seems to have confused the real Wonka with the fictional character:

Nestle’s Wonka candy brand will be the presenting sponsor of The Bamboozle, a music festival and 22-market tour featuring No Doubt, Fall Out Boy and other pop-punk groups. Live Nation is producing Bamboozle, which is in its fifth year, and secured the sponsorship deal.

Wonka probably evokes the term “experiential” like no other candy brand thanks to the Ronald Dahl book Charlie & the Chocolate Factory and the 1971 film (Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory) that inspired it. It linked to a music event because it is positioned as the festival that connects artists to fans. Wonka will help ensure that by presenting backstage interviews and fan experiences via its Web site and its new SKUs by sampling candy on site.

Yes. They do say Ronald Dahl.