Pixie Lott Becomes Marilyn Monroe in West End Comeback, a Decade After Leaving the Stage 'Broken and in Tears'

WITH the blonde hair and white dress, Pixie Lott looks the spitting image of Marilyn Monroe in her new stage show.

But has revealed the similarities do not end there, as she feels like she’s had to fight to be taken seriously — just like did seven decades ago.

In an exclusive chat after launching the play Who Killed Marilyn? at London’s Emerald Theatre, she said: “I think the industry definitely changed a lot. Just the world has changed a lot from those days.

“What the story kind of goes into and what unravels . . . I just don’t think that it would happen in this day and age at all.

“For Marilyn in particular, she just really wanted to be taken seriously as an actress. And a lot of the time she was just written off as like a dumb blonde. She did really fight to have lots of rights, which was a big deal at that time.

“I always feel so lucky and grateful for the kind of road I’ve had into the industry and still being in it.

“I think as a performer, or even breaking into the ­industry, you’re always fighting to prove yourself.

“Whether it’s being a live singer, a live performer or showing the producers and writers you are put with that you can write and you have a point of view . . .

“You don’t wanna be pigeonholed to just staying in your lane.

“You wanna be able to do whatever it is that’s in your heart that you wanna do.”

Busy has been rehearsing six days a week for the show, which runs until October 29.

But returning to the West End was a daunting prospect after a spell on stage as Holly Golightly in Breakfast At Tiffany’s a decade ago left her feeling “broken” and crying every night.

Pixie explained: “It did wear me down by the end. I was like, I’m not going to do that for quite a while.

“I mean, it has been ten years. It’s probably about time I do it again.

“Marilyn definitely is a character that has lots of layers and complexities.

“And I’m going to really go to all those places because you have to. This is a story that it’s my duty to tell of Marilyn.

“So it’s an honour to tell it. But I learned a lot from doing Holly and that whole experience.

“I will take that with me on this run so that I still feel good when I finish.”

High note  for Camila

is back in the studio and it couldn’t come at a better time.

She shared snaps of herself working on new music, just as her 2024 album C,XOXO is having a surprise resurgence.

US mag The Fader published a now-viral article about how it was under-appreciated when it came out, which has prompted its Spotify searches to surge by 475 per cent.

Bizarre’s Howell has long been a huge champion of the record, so fingers crossed her upcoming fifth album gets the respect it deserves.

has insisted she isn’t “making big bucks” on her massive 2026 concerts because touring costs have become so expensive.

She was criticised online after posting videos promoting her November show in Bangkok, which she said is her only upcoming gig that has not sold out.

Fans suggested it was because the tickets – priced from £62.50 to £87, with a VIP option for £200 – are too expensive.

Zara, who performs at East London’s All Points East festival this Saturday, wrote: “I agree! I don’t want my tickets to be too pricy and I will definitely see what I can do about that. But right now in my career I’m definitely not making big bucks on touring. It’s basically a non-profit at this point.”

New love blooms for Jesy

A FORTNIGHT after I told you was dating a gardener called Ben Davies, she has gone public with the green-fingered fitty.

through London’s Covent Garden at the weekend, stopping off at a pancake house for a sweet treat – and a snog.

She wore a bra top and cycling shorts for their date after it was revealed she is planning to relocate back to her native Essex from Cornwall.

Ben previously dated Towie star Lydia Bright for almost a year before they split at the end of 2024.

Meanwhile, Jesy recently denied she would be joining the cast of Towie.

And I can’t blame her because with twin 15-month-old daughters and a new romance to nurture, the ex-Little Mix star has enough on her plate right now.

ARTFULLY DODGING A.I. MUSIC

AS British garage stars, Artful Dodger are all for pushing boundaries – but there’s one thing they don’t think has any place in music:­ AI.

I caught up with the duo, DJ Dave Low and MC Alistair and they said computer-generated vocals are ripping the “soul” from music.

Alistair said: “You’re taking the talent out of it. Fact of the matter is, people that are writing music, it’s an extension of themselves.

“That’s what it’s there for – to invoke feelings or not invoke feelings. AI has no soul, so how can you put something out that has no soul?”

But the legends don’t shy away from putting a fresh spin on a classic, as they have teamed up with Kinder Bueno to give the memorable ice-cream van jingle a 2026 makeover.

If you spot a Kinder van, instead of hearing that familiar tune, you’ll hear their own Ice Cream Track.

Dave said: “My eldest came out of school and was like, ‘Dad, that track has been in my head all day.’

“And then the little one was just bouncing around the house, ‘Give me that ice cream now’.”

PHOEBE BRIDGERS is leading the race to No1 with her first album in six years, Lost Weekend, which is currently just ahead of The Script’s The User’s Guide To Being Human.

Other new records expected to enter the UK Top Ten on Friday include ­Katseye’s new EP, Wild, which is at No3, and ­JUNGLE’s fifth album, Sunshine, at No4.

PRODUCERS WANT DEPP ON BOARD

is in talks to reprise his role of Captain Jack Sparrow in a sixth Pirates Of The Caribbean film – 23 years after the release of the first movie in the £3.3billion franchise.

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer confirmed: “We’re talking with Johnny, we’re working on a screenplay, and hopefully we can get this done.”

After 2003’s The Curse Of The Black Pearl, Johnny was in 2006’s Dead Man’s Chest, 2007’s At World’s End, 2011’s On Stranger Tides and 2017’s Dead Men Tell No Tales.

The latter was the lowest-grossing film in the franchise and Johnny later fell out with Disney and ruled out a return, although now the tables seem to be turning.

Margot Robbie has also been tipped to appear in the sixth film, and Orlando Bloom has suggested he could return as Will Turner.

TATT’S DEVOTION FROM ARIANA

has gone from zero to 100 with her dancer boyfriend Ricky Alvarez, by getting matching tattoos just weeks after they reconciled.

The couple dated a decade ago but I told in mid-July how they had quietly got back together, and they are already showing their renewed commitment to each other.

Ariana kicked off her ten-date run at London’s O2 Arena at the weekend and eagle-eyed fans noticed a new inking on her left ­collarbone which reads: “I Do Love You.”

It matches one on Ricky in the same spot on his body, albeit in a different font.

Things are clearly quite serious between them already, as Ricky flew over to the UK with Ariana last week and is expected to remain with her for her whole run of shows in the capital before her break from the public eye.

It emerged in June that Ariana had separated from her Wicked co-star Ethan Slater after nearly three years together.

Earlier this month, it was revealed she will step back from her public-facing work when her tour ends on September 1.

She’s been working relentlessly for years, so that time off is well-earned.