Famous People

David Beckham

Let's be brutally honest here: David Beckham is a former Manchester United player who cost us the World Cup in 1998 by getting himself sent off against Argentina, and has spent the decade since then promoting himself in one of the greatest and most ruthlessly selfish ego trips in the history of sport.

And yet there can be no denying the power of his celebrity 
status.

Beckham has turned himself into an absolutely phenomenal commercial machine, raking in hundreds of millions of pounds and becoming arguably the most famous man alive after Barack Obama.

With all this has come the kind of real influence that only works if you're a truly global star.
And to be fair to Beckham, he has wielded that influence to great effect in campaigns such as Britain's 2012 Olympics
bid, and latterly our ongoing 2018 World Cup bid.

Simon Cowell

Probably the most important and influential celebrity in Britain right now is The Boss.

Anyone who can create, star in, produce and promote the biggest TV shows in America, the UK and dozens of other territories has a rare gift. Simon has always been the same: mischievous, arrogant, funny, vain, cunning and loyal. But crucially, he works unbelievably hard, never rests on his laurels, constantly takes risks and hates losing. 

He also has the boredom threshold of a small newt, which is 

why he declined a £100 million deal to continue with American Idol, so he could launch The X Factor in the States in 2011. On a personal level, he's never been happier! Professionally, and at home, Mr. Cowell is at the very top of his game.

Cheryl Cole

The darling of British showbiz, Cheryl has become the nation's sweetheart - after joining The X Factor as a judge - in less time than it took her idiot husband to wreck their marriage with numerous flings.

Beautiful, smart, emotional and funny, she's almost the perfect TV star. 

Add the domestic heartache to the mix and you've got almost the perfect celebrity too.

With No 1 hit pop songs to go with being in a No 1 hit TV show, an American career; Cheryl's probably the most powerful famous woman in Britain right now.

In terms of her commercial clout, her appearance on the cover of fashion bible Vogue saw it sell 240,000 copies, its best ever February figure.

And she has become the multimillion-pound face of L'Oreal. 

Walk down any high street and her gleaming white smile beams down at you from magazine racks, billboards, bookshelves and record stores.

She matters.

A “no-nonsense, tough Geordie lass”, with a heart of gold who has made the most of her talent, and the opportunities that have come her way. 

Kate Moss

There can be no doubting the influence Kate Moss has had on the fashion world, or the commercial power she wields.

Vogue magazine sticks her on the cover more than any other model for a very good reason - she sells. 

Just ask Sir Philip Green, Britain's richest and most successful retailer, who pays her a small fortune to sell her personal clothing line through his Top-shop stores.

He reckons she's worth every penny and more

But what's perhaps most extraordinary about Ms. Moss is that without all the make-up, she really does look pretty ordinary.

With it, though, she morphs into the No 1 glamour icon of our times. 

The clock is ticking on her career, as it does with all models when they hit their thirties. But right now, tiny pound for tiny pound, she remains the No 1 model in the country.

Ant and Dec

The truth is that Anthony and Declan are more joined at the hip than genuine Siamese twins - working, living, relaxing, drinking, golfing and holidaying together.

But their natural chemistry, on and off screen, is the key to their success.

Take one away and it just wouldn't work. 

To get a sense of their importance as celebrities, you need look no further than the fact that after Simon Cowell they're the highest-paid stars in British TV history.

And I reckon they're worth every penny.

To watch them up close presenting Britain's Got Talent shows is like watching a master class in live TV hosting. They never make mistakes or lose their cool. 

Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran is one of the biggest names in British popular music today.

A young and talented musician who appeared to come out of nowhere to take the UK  charts, Radio 1, UK festivals – and now the Brit Awards – by storm.

At the Brit Awards, Sheeran brought home the “British Solo Male Artist” award and “British Breakthrough Act”.

Sheeran’s songs are populated by love, life, and loss, delivered with his soothing melodies and catchy rhythms.

It's hard not to like this fresh-faced redhead; he is one of only a few gingers currently in the limelight.

Sheeran is definitely one British singer to keep an eye on.