Cheryl Cole backs Tyler James for Voice glory

Cheryl Cole has given her support to Tyler James ahead of Saturday final of The Voice - turning up unannounced to visit him during rehearsals. The Girls Aloud singer reportedly arrived at the studios with balloons and a cake for the 30-year-old singer - who is Will.i.am's remaining act in the final. And she later tweeted, "Was nice talking to you Tyler. Good luck for the weekend, I'll be rooting for you." Tyler - who is second favourite behind Bo Bruce to win on Saturday night - said Cheryl had given him "really good advice". "She said you can get overwhelmed by people voting for you and it all gets a bit messy in your head," he told The Sun. "But she told me to just remember when I get on the stage that this is my dream — to recognise the opportunity. It was good for her to put it all in simple terms," he added. "It has made a difference." Tyler - a former friend of Amy Winehouse - also revealed he had spoken to the late singer's parents Mitch and Janis ahead of the final. "I talk to Mitch all the time. He has wished me luck. He said he is really proud of me," he said. "Janis also wished me luck. She looks so much like Amy. Amy is always with me but I love speaking to her mum and dad."

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Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix.

An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.