The duelling divas Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj have revealed that their cat-fighting on American Idol isn’t an act — and their latest public snipe-fest is proof.

The judges of the hit singing show were at a press conference for the Television Critics’ Association Winter Tour on Tuesday morning and while things started out pleasantly enough with the two stars complimenting each other, the atmosphere soon soured. When asked if their sparring was real or merely a ploy to generate more buzz about the show, Mariah, said: “It’s a passionate panel.

“The fight is what it is.” According to the blog Vulture.com   a journalist then asked the warring women to say something nice about each other. Nicki, 30, went first and said: “I say nice things about Mariah all the time. She is one of my favourite artistes of all time. To be on a panel with her, it’s kind of crazy. All the singers come in aspiring to be Mariah, in terms of talent and in terms of career length.” Mariah apparently ‘flinched’ before replying: “That was a very sweet thing to say.

“We did a song that was from my album and it was called, ironically, Up Out My Face. It was one of my favourite songs.” Mariah added: “And I did feel like she was going to go very far, and still have that feeling. I am grateful for anything nice that she or anyone has to say.” The stars both agreed that their fighting — most sensationally seen on leaked footage from an audition last October — ‘distracts’ from the show so they decided to put it behind them.

However, it wasn’t long before the simmering animosity between the two resurfaced. “It was sort of a one-sided thing,” Mariah said. “No, it wasn’t!” Nicki snapped back. “See? They don’t want a rising star; they want drama.” Throughout the rest of the press conference the pair rolled their eyes at each other’s comments, sneered or just stared daggers at each other.

— Daily Mail

Zara Phillips moves back in with her mother

Five months after the thrill of winning a team silver medal in the Olympics, the Queen’s granddaughter Zara Phillips is turning her attention to matters domestic — moving home to mother. She and her rugby star husband Mike Tindall have sold their white stucco marital home in Cheltenham and are planning to live at Princess Anne’s Gatcombe Park estate near Minchinhampton, about 20 miles away.

The couple’s £1.2-million house has been quietly on the market for some time and apparently has now been purchased by Shaun Wills, finance director of clothing company Superdry.

The move makes sense for Zara because she already stables her horses at Gatcombe and it’s where she trains both racehorses and her three-day eventers. She and Tindall bought the detached house, which is on a main road but set back in its own grounds, before their July 2011 wedding. And although some were surprised they had opted for a house in a town with no special security arrangements, the couple liked its proportions and also wanted to lead as ordinary a life as possible. At one stage Tindall’s rugby-playing pal Ollie Phillips became their lodger.

However, Zara has always kept the home she previously lived in on her mother’s estate. And while the Princess Royal will be delighted that she has decided to move back, it’s going to make things a little crowded. Zara’s brother Peter, his wife Autumn and their two daughters are already living there. Zara says she and Tindall have no immediate plans to start a family. “Before we got married, everyone was like: ‘When are you going to get married?’ Then as soon as we were, it was: ‘When are you having kids?’” she said. “In the future we’ll see what happens, but we’re not, sort of, putting a date down.”

— Daily Mail

Taylor Armstrong forced to sell wedding ring to settle financial debt

Taylor Armstrong was seen breaking down in tears as she discovered she would have to forfeit her wedding ring from her late husband in order to settle a debt.

The emotional scenes were aired on a recent episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills as she was given the bombshell news by her lawyer in a phone conversation. Taylor, 41, said she felt sick as she was told she would have to relinquish her $250,000 10-karat ring which was given to her by Russell, who committed suicide in August 2011.

The mother-of-one was caught up in a $1.5-m lawsuit with one of her deceased husband’s business associates, medical company MMRGlobal, over financial obligations relating to Russell. “I feel like I’m going to be sick,” Taylor said breaking down in tears during the phone conversation with her lawyer. “I can’t imagine someone even having the guts to ask someone for their wedding ring.”

— Daily Mail