Ballad Singer Takes First US X Factor Crown

The 19-year old ballad singer, whose voice drew comparisons to Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, beat runner-up Josh Krajcik to land a $5m (£3.1m) recording contract.

Amaro will also take a starring role in a new advertisement for Pepsi.

She had been tipped to win after an impressive rendition of Beyonce's hit "Listen" in Wednesday's live show.

Last night, she dropped to her knees and wept with joy, speechless at her victory.

A delighted Simon Cowell said the Amero was a worthy winner.

"We came here to find a superstar and we found a superstar," he said.

Second-placed Krajcik, 30, a bluesy rock singer who worked in a burrito restaurant before joining the show, also congratulated Amaro.

"Melanie deserves it. She has a wonderful voice", he said.

Recovering drug addict and rapper, Chris Rene, came third in the Christmas-themed, two-hour finale, which also saw performances by Justin Bieber, Stevie Wonder, Leona Lewis and 50 Cent.

Ratings for the show have fallen short of expectations, drawing an average of 12 million viewers - about half the audience for "American Idol".

Hugo film review: Martin Scorsese's first family movie is pure 3D magic

The man responsible for Raging Bull, Taxi Driver and GoodFellas has tackled his first family film. Not only that: it’s in 3-D, and a must-see for anyone who loves cinema.

From the absurdly flamboyant opening shot onwards, it shows Martin Scorsese in his prime, making a movie he cares about passionately.

Though aspects of the film are evocative of Tim Burton (especially the love of old-fashioned machinery) and Terry Gilliam (notably an affection for the ramshackle side of showbiz), this is recognisably a Scorsese film, and one of his best.

The film, written by John Logan and based on a Carnegie prize-winning novel by Brian Selznick, is ostensibly a child’s adventure about a young orphan called Hugo (Asa Butterfield, from The Boy With Striped Pyjamas) struggling to survive within a French railway station, where he’s been dragged as child labour by his uncle (Ray Winstone) after the untimely death of Hugo’s dad (Jude Law).

Abandoned by his uncle to live – literally – inside a gigantic clock beneath an ominously large pendulum, Hugo steals in order to survive, which brings him into conflict with one of the station’s stallholders, bad-tempered toymaker Georges (Ben Kingsley), though Hugo manages to make friends with Georges’ orphaned niece (Chloe Grace Moretz).

The station is awash with talented British character actors including Sacha Baron Cohen as an officious but comically inept railway inspector, Emily Mortimer as the florist he fancies, Christopher Lee cast against type as a friendly bookseller, and an unlikely pair of tentative lovers in Richard Griffiths and Frances de la Tour.

Unlike most 3D movies, Hugo was shot using 3D not as a money-making gimmick but as a storytelling device, to add height, depth, humour and intensity.

Another virtue is that the picture shows a fascination with early cinema that’s joyful and infectious.

And it has a worthwhile lesson about the importance of preserving old film for future generations, that I know is close to Scorsese’s heart.

Hugo has a magic that’s rare in modern movies. This is a real Christmas charmer, and easily the most gorgeous live-action movie ever made in 3D.

Cheryl admits: 'I want my whole back tattooed' in first interview of 2011

Rumoured sackings, a malaria scare, some tattoos – Cheryl Cole’s had a lot on her plate in the past couple of years and refused any interviews for the entirety of 2011.

Until now. This week she’s back and looking better than ever on the cover of In Style’s December 2011 issue.

Although she’s ready to talk malaria, she’s keen not to dwell on the disease: “The malaria ate away at my muscles” she says, rolling her eyes, “but let’s not get grim. It opened my eyes to health and things I hadn’t focused on before. It’s now less about work, work, work and more about making time to chill and be with my friends and family.

I had to take good care of myself and I was told to stop exercising and to gain weight to get well. I just ate everything.”

She’s moved on from all the X Factor US drama too admitting: “The X Factor just happened, really. Simon had previously asked me to do Britain’s Got Talent and I’d kind of said yes, then said no at the last minute and dropped them in it.”

The singer's even undergone something of a style reinvention - the InStyle shoot sees her with a decidedly '60s edge - all flicked black eyeliner, shift dresses, leather gloves and Mary Quant-inspired caps.

But when it comes to style, Cheryl has one very shocking revelation indeed: She wants to get an allover back tatt’!

Cheryl admits: “They are addictive, they really are. If it was up to me – and I could be brave for one day – I would have my whole back done. My friends say ‘Cheryl, please, you might regret it’, but to me, it’s art".

We love you Cheryl, but we’re with your mates on this one.

The full interview is in the December issue of InStyle, on sale Thursday

Catherine Tate 'made first move with Jason Orange' reveals John Bishop

It's the romance no-one saw coming, and now John Bishop- of all people- has revealed how it all started.
The comedian has described how Catherine Tate asked out her Take That lookalike Jason Orange.

The confident actress apparently approached Orange and said to him: 'maybe we should have a coffee, can I get your number?'- while filming a spoof of the manband for Comic Relief.
 Telling all: Comedian John Bishop, pictured with James McAvoy and Joanna Lumley on The Graham Norton Show, to be aired tonight, has revealed how Catherine Tate asked out Take That's Jason Orange
Hit it off: Catherine asked Jason out for coffee while filming a Take That skit- called Fake That- for Comic Relief
Bishop, who was starring alongside the comedienne for the skit, has told all on BBC1's Graham Norton Show.

'Yeah.' Now they are supposedly seeing each other,' he revealed.

'It must be odd fancying someone that looks like you, but I think, good luck to them. They are both lovely people.'
The singer and the comedienne - who also starred as The Doctor's sidekick Donna Noble in Doctor Who - are reported to be dating.
Caught by fans! The first picture of Catherine Tate and Take That singer Jason Orange spending time together away from work
She played Orange for the Fake That send-up earlier this year, which also featured the real members of the chart-topping act.

Bishop - who played Robbie's lookalike - said: 'I was there when Catherine Tate - who was playing Jason Orange and looked like Jason Orange - was talking to Jason Orange'

Fans were quick to spot the budding romance however- which was revealed just over a week ago.
Catherine, 43, has been pictured posing happily in a park with nine fans during a day out with Jason, 41, in a photo posted on Twitter.
No escape! Though Jason avoided being pictured with Catherine he was all smiles when three eager fans descended
Her new beau is seen in the background on a park bench, avoiding being snapped with the funny-woman.
But three of the fans then descend on the aviator-clad singer who beams at the camera.
The couple were also pictured together in David Walliams' hotel room last month as they supported the comedian during his River Thames charity swim.
According to The Mirror Jason was taken with Catherine immediately, and told friends: 'She's got great legs.'
 Time together: Jason and Catherine watched in David Walliams' hotel room during his River Thames swim for Sport Relief
A source told the paper: 'Jason seemed very taken by Catherine during filming. She was great fun and really got into the spirit of it. They obviously hit it off.'
The Sun said by the final takes, the smitten pair were hugging and larking around the stage together.