With a fortune worth tens of millions and his career looking better than ever, Simon Cowell could afford to be generous this Christmas. And so he was. The music mogul, who has been enjoying a break in sunny Barbados, splashed out thousands of pounds on his newest rising stars Leona Lewis and Ray Quinn.
Simon, 47, has apparently treated the X Factor winner, 21-year-old Leona, to a diamond necklace and matching earrings worth £15,000 to congratulate her on her stunning performance. He has also paid for her and her boyfriend Lou Al-Chamaa and her close family to spend New Year in Barbados, putting them up at the luxurious Sandy Lane hotel.
And runner-up Ray, 18, was also given a special Christmas treat. Simon bought him a £9,000 Jacob & Co watch popular with wealthy football stars David Beckham and Ashley Cole. The youngster is being groomed to be a Rat-Pack style crooner while Leona is expected to become one of Britain's hottest musical talents.
"He thinks they both have a bright future in the music business and wanted to give them their first taste of the luxuries their new careers will bring them," a source told a British newspaper.
Victoria Beckham, meanwhile, who has been known to bestow extravagant gifts on her husband David, has revealed details of their family Christmas back at Beckingham Palace in Hertfordshire. The Madrid-based mum-of-three has been looking forward to the festive season for months. "The boys were so thrilled to be having a proper big Christmas with all the trimmings - especially as it's the first Christmas that Cruz really knows what's going on," she told the Daily Mirror.
But she is adamant that her kids aren't spoilt despite their parents' wealth. "People say, 'Oh they must get everything' but the truth is they're pretty undemanding. All they asked for this year was a pair of remote-controlled water-skis which cost about 15 quid on Amazon!"
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
