Jolly Holly Willoughby

Holly Willoughby, who has taken over from Fearne Cotton as the host of the Xtra Factor, said that Simon Cowell had an unusual “presence” when filming. “I don’t fancy him, but he has a weird presence,” she told the Daily Star. “I mean, you have to in order to mentor people.”

A journalist then asked the TV host: “You mean he is a sort of Svengali figure?”

Confused by the question, Willoughby answered: “Is he from Svengal? I didn’t know that. Is Svengal in Africa?” [Digital Spy]