Izzy Johnston leaves Escala

The string-quartet Escala, has lost a member! Izzy

Johnston has left the group.

It was revealed in a Christmas video made by the

three remaining girls.

(To see it go to Escala's facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/escalamusic)

In the video, Tasya, Chantal and Victoria said the

sad news that Izzy was leaving. But they insisted

that even though they were one member down,

there are still going to release a new album in the

new year and go on another worldwide tour.

After several comments on the video that people

left saying they couldn't believe why Izzy was

leaving, a message was posted from the band

themselves. The aim was to reassure fans and

it certainly did that!

The message was:

"Escala will be auditioning for a new member to

join the band... We will put up a new video

advertising this on boxing day. Escala will be

recording a new album and re-launching in the

New Year! Watch this space :-) until then,

Merry Christmas!!! Xxxx"

But for now, lets enjoy some pictures for old

times sake....

Izzy is leaving to spend more time with her long-term

boyfriend, Harry Judd, and to continue her work for her

charity Eyes Alight in association with BIRT.

To find out more about Eyes Alight, check out Izzy on Twitter:

@izzyeyesalight

Or visit the Eyes Alight website:

http://www.birt.co.uk/eyesalight/

We wish Izzy the very best with all her charity work and

we hope she makes more people's eyes alight!

The Bribe

So as everyone will know - unless you live under a rock - Harry Judd won Strictly Come Dancing 2011. Wooooooo! I don't know about you but when the result was announced, I was jumping and screaming at the TV.

So cute!

The other McFly boys made us (The McFly Army) a deal on the Saturday night in question. They said that if we all voted and Harry won, then Tom, Dougie, and Danny would pose for a naked photo. This followed on from Danny's naked photo as a reward for Dougie winning I'm A Celeb.

Nom, nom, nom nom, nom!!

After making us wait for four days for the promised photo, they finally put us all out of our misery.

The long-awaited photo is here:

Quite a good bribe/reward/present, eh?

Merry Christmas Galaxy Defenders!!!

McFly: TV Takeover

So as everyone knows McFly are everywhere at the moment, and who doesn't enjoy that?!

McFly have been taking over our TVs gradually since Danny's appearance

on Pop Star To Opera Star in early 2010. Danny's amazing performances on the show scored him some well earned press as well as a few more fans, in the form of Katherine Jenkins. When Danny performed Time To Say Goodbye in week 3, Katherine said just one word, and that word was "Swoon." However, when Danny was voted out just before the semi-finals. Gutted, I know.

After having a taste of reality TV, the boys decided they wanted more.

On the 11 May 2011, the first episode of McFly On The Wall aired. The show went behind the scenes of the sell-out Above The Noise Tour 2011. The cameras followed the boys everywhere and the viewers got a taste of what it was like to be a member of McFly: "Four guys. One show. Nothing to

hide."

Their string of TV hits didn't end there. Tom decided to go it alone and enter the well-known game show, The Cube, in June 2011. He managed to get to the final game having four lives left. For his final game, Tom was given a more difficult version of Barrier, in which he had to cross three barriers instead of the original two. He decided to leave £100,000. This money was then split 50/50 between Comic Relief and Harry's girlfriend Izzy's charity, Eyes Alight.

Harry jumped on the bandwagon. Instead of just one TV appearance, Harry decided to go one better and take part in two shows that would air on the same night.

Harry appeared on the ITV1 show, All Star Family Fortunes on the

1st of October 2011. He took part with his mum, Emma, his brother,Thomas, his girlfriend, Izzy, and his friend, Ben. The Judd family were up against Emmerdale actor, Chris Bisson and his family.

The two families were battling against each other to win

up to £30,000 for their chosen charities. Harry's family didn't

win overall but they did manage to get some money for Eyes Alight.

The second show Harry appeared in was Strictly Come Dancing 2011. Partnered wit

h the 'pussycat' of the ballroom, the brightest haired Aliona Vilani. A favourite from the start, Harry could only get better, and he didn't disappoint.

Week one he performed a Cha Cha Cha to Moves Like Jagger and scored 28/40. Week two

saw a polished, scrubbed-up Harry dance a foxtrot to Just The Way You Are w

hich scored him 27/40. Week three gave us a full view of Harry's chest when he performed in

just a leather jacket on top in a jive to Grease Lightnin' and scored 33/40.

Week five and waltz to Come Away With Me that sparked some disapproving comments

from Len Goodman, but still Harry and Aliona scored 35/40. Week six and Halloween Night dawned. Harry performed a tango to Pyscho Killer in fangs! For which he scored 34/40.

Still in for week seven, Harry performed an Argentine tango to Asi se Baila el Tango. However, this dance caused a lot of controversy for Harry and Aliona. Len Goodman said that their dance had no passion whereas the rest of the judges as well as every other person watching thought that it had passion by the bucketful. But despite this, they still

managed to score 37/40.

Week eight and another dance to go. Harry and Aliona performed a salsa to I'm Still Standing and scored a 34/40. Week nine and the quickstep loomed. While most falter at the quickstep, Harry soared and scored a remarkable 39/40 when dancing to I'm Still Standing. As well as a quickstep, there was the dreaded Swing-A-Thon. But there was no stopping Harry and Aliona as they came top and scored maximum points: 7/7.

It's the quarter finals and Harry had to perform the risky rumba to (Every

thing I Do) I Do It For You. The rumba is a hard dance for a male celebrity, but Harry ma

naged to score 34/40.

Then came the semi-finals and Harry and Aliona performed two dances. The charleston and the viennese waltz scoring 39/40 for both dances.

They got through to the finals and we'll have to wait and see how Harry will far when he's up against Chelsee Healy and Jason Donovan.

Dougie after seeing that his bandmates were all off doing things, wanted to join in. He made his debut solo TV appearance in November 2011 on I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here. He was involved in several challenges that included; putting marbles through a tiny hole whilst wearing massive gloves, putting his head into boxes of animals to use his mouth to win stars, and sleeping with crickets in

the battle for immunity.

He turned 24 in the jungle and he found a new BFF in the form of Mark Wright. As more of the celebrities left, Dougie found himself able to open up to his new best friend. He spoke of his stint in rehab earlier this year for depression, and of his struggling with drink for several years. As the final four were revealed, letters from home were given out. In a letter that made Dougie cry, millions of people's hearts broke. With a letter from Tom and a letter from Lara Carew-Jones (Dougie's new gf) in his hands, Dougie found himself spilling secrets to Mark. Dougie revealed that he is completely in love with Lara and that he would be mad not to marry her. He described her as "the female version of myself" and that he couldn't wait to see her again.

After voting on a massive scale by the McFly Army, Dougie got through to the final and was declared the winner of I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here 2011. He was then reunited with his bandmates and his girlfriend after three weeks away from civilisation .

Tom, Giovanna, Dougie & Lara

And thus concludes our McFly TV Takeover for now. But stay tuned and remember to keep voting for Harry to win the Strictly final this Saturday.

Your fellow McFlyer/Galaxy Defender,

Izzy