Entertainment

Jedward for Eurovision semi-final tonight

Jedward will take part in the Eurovision semi-finals tonight in Baku, Azerbaijan in what promises to be a show stopping performance. The duo are apparently set to ditch their trademark high hair style for tonight’s performance as they are expected to be drenched in water.

The pair will don gold robot costumes, which are reported to have cost €3,500. Jedward’s stytlist revealed to the Irish Independent that: "They cost a lot of money because it’s a special waterproof fabric and covered in a lot of bling and we had to get exact doubles for the dress rehearsals".

Jedward are to perform in the first semi-final tonight in Baku.

Jedward will be up against Russian favourites the Buaranovskiye grannies, amongst 17 other countries. The Irish Eurovision hopefuls will perform their song Waterline last.

Check out the full Eurovison semi-final line ups

The decision to wear their hair down reportedly comes after discussions with their hair stylist Louise Teasdale, who is in New York with boyband One Direction.

"The lads have made the decision to wear their hair down as they call the shots when it comes to styling," their tour manager Liam McKenna tells The Daily Star.

RTE's Eurovision expert Paul G Sheridan unravels the mysteries of the Eurovision Song Contest, read his feature here.

Lopez announces first Irish concert

Jennifer Lopez has announced her first ever Irish gig at the O2 in October.

J.Lo is coming to a block near you later this year. The international superstar – she’s an actress, singer, producer and entrepreneur don’t you know – has confirmed that her first ever show in Ireland at The O2 in Dublin on Friday 19th of October as part of her Dance Again world tour.

Lopez has sold over 55 million records worldwide since her debut in 1999 and starred in multiple box offices number ones, including Monster-In-Law and The Wedding Planner. In 2001, The Wedding Planner was the top-grossing film in the US, while her album, J.Lo, was number one on the Billboard Top 200 Chart. This meant Lopez was the first woman to have a No. 1 movie and album in the US in same week.

Lopez recently announced that she will virtually invite fans backstage during the upcoming tour via her recently-launched interactive website. Fans will have the opportunity to access special concert ticket giveaways, interviews, messages and photos from behind the scenes.

Tickets for her O2 performance go on sale Monday 28 May at 9.00am from all usual outlets.

Byrne joins TV series Vikings

Gabriel Byrne has been cast as Earl Haraldson in Vikings, the first scripted series from the History channel, which will be shot in Ireland.

The Hollywood Reporter says that Byrne's character, a former warrior, becomes an enemy of the show's hero, Ragnar Lothrok.

The Irish/Canadian co-production will be filmed at the newly-built Ashford Studios in Co Wicklow and throughout Northern Europe.

It will premiere on the History channel in 2013.

BBC chief wants Voice coaches back

BBC One controller Danny Cohen has said he would "love" if all four coaches on The Voice – Tom Jones, Jessie J, Will.i.am and Danny O'Donoghue – returned for a second series.

Cohen told the Radio Times that the quartet's "constructive criticism" was "one of the great aspects of the show".

"I love them all in multiple ways," Cohen said of the coaches.

While the show has lost viewers in recent weeks, Cohen said he did not "imagine mega-changes" would be made.

Matt Cardle dropped by record label

Former X Factor winner Matt Cardle has been ditched by his record label Columbia.

The 29-year-old singer won the show in 2010 mentored by Dannii Minogue, but he has now left the label after just one album.

Matt tweeted: "I have parted ways with Columbia records, we were heading in different directions, big news coming soon... So excited!"

After beating Rebecca Ferguson and One Direction to the TV show title, Matt was signed up by Simon Cowell in a joint deal with his label Syco and Columbia, another umbrella of Sony.

Matt - who possibly made a rod for his own back when he criticised Cowell for allowing the runners-up to release music before him, branding the process a "free-for-all" - is the latest in a long line of X Factor contestants to fall prey to the winner's curse.

Steve Brookstein won the first ever show in 2004 and was dropped just eight months later. The 2005 winner Shayne Ward was dropped last year, at the same time as 2009 winner Joe McElderry.

Leon Jackson, who won the show in 2007 was dumped by Cowell's record label in 2009.

Cowell recently admitted he had "wasted time" on the male flops who had won the show.

Boyband One Direction, who came third behind Matt, are currently taking America by storm.