For one night only the tables were turned on the X-Factor's judges as they risked ridicule themselves by wearing tutus to join the cast of Billy Elliot at a charity gala performance.





Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh joined Sir Elton John, the show's composer, and Liam Mower, one of the most popular young actors to play Billy, to mark the sale of the millionth ticket.


Cowell, Osbourne and Walsh played examiners at the Royal Ballet School during a short scene last night at Victoria Palace Theatre.


Sir Elton said

"It was one of the funniest things I've ever seen when they made their appearance. But they were brilliant. Should they ever want to go back on stage again, they've got it made. Being in a tutu is a whole new career for Simon Cowell."

Cowell was his usual self on the subject of his stage debut

"There's already a rumour going around that we're up for a Tony Award. It was easy, but then we only had a couple of lines and we were not dancing with boxing gloves."

After the trio put on their tutus for an encore, Cowell joked "Louis Walsh brought his own."


The night raised £25,000 for The Place 2Be, which provides emotional and therapeutic support for vulnerable children. It is donating the money to schools in Easington, in the North-East, where the musical is set.

Sir Elton John has accepted £100,000 libel damages in the High Court over allegations he issued a "bizarre and absurd edict" to guests at his annual charity ball ordering them not to approach him during the event.


At a hearing in London, a judge was told that the proceedings related to articles published by the Daily Mail last June. The star's solicitor-advocate Nigel Tait said that following a complaint from Sir Elton's lawyers, the Daily Mail promptly published an apology to him.


Mr Tait told Mr Justice Eady:

"The articles falsely alleged that Sir Elton had issued a bizarre and absurd edict to guests invited to his annual charity fundraising White Tie and Tiara summer ball ordering them not to approach him during that event, thereby acting like old-fashioned royalty or some tinpot dictator and exhibiting self-important, arrogant and rude behaviour bordering on paranoia.

In fact, not only was no such edict issued at all, Sir Elton greets each guest as they arrive and is well-known for chatting to as many people as possible who attend the ball, not least to thank them for helping him with his fundraising efforts."

Sir Elton is donating the damages to the Elton John Aids Foundations, which have raised 100 million US dollars for charitable purposes throughout the world.