Katherine Jenkins

YES, she is dating Blue Peter presenter and Strictly Come Dancing star Gethin Jones but Katherine Jenkins is doing her damndest to keep schtum about the relationship. In recent interviews she has politely declined to comment, so I take a different approach. Not that she doesn't see it coming like a coachload of paps.
You were a new entry in the FHM World's Sexiest Women poll - at a disgraceful No. 83.
"Why, thank you."
Behind that bag o' chips-faced Kirstie Allsopp off Location, Location Location.
(Giggles)
So who do you think is the world's sexiest man?
"Oh, I can't possibly answer that one," she says coyly.
You can.
"I can't. I'm not going to answer that one. I'm going to keep that one to myself."
I know who you were going to say.
"Well, if you know, why do you ask?," she laughs.
Because we'd like you to say.
Obviously, you're trying to keep the relationship as private as possible but have you had that conversation not to talk about it, to avoid becoming a celebrity couple?
"Well, I'm just a very private person," she begins, swerving the question. "And although I will answer as many questions as I can, I don't really understand why people need to have such an interest in people's personal lives. Because for me I always want it to be about my music.
"Sometimes the rest can be distracting."
Half you audience want you to be single anyway, so just tell them you're single, you've dumped him.
(Laughs).
The answer would be to date a middle-aged, balding fat bloke...
"Yeah?"
I know a few of them. That'd be the key because the tabloids wouldn't be interested in him.
Silence.
No? Shall I let them down gently?
(Laughs).
She's careful not to be drawn in to delivering a snappy quote that may backfire and resorts to a giggled reposnse much of the time.
When your date at the Royal Concert Hall in December was announced, there were a few choice comments (some of which had to be removed) from readers on our website. Such as: "I tell you what Katherine Jenkins is so damn hot."
She's laughing.
"God she's fit" was another. "What? She sings as well? My, she is one talented (and very fit) lady" another.
Oh, she's stopped laughing. Does the focus on her looks and ignorance of her talent frustrate her in any way?
"Um, no, in some ways it's nice," she says.
"I am a real girl's girl. I love getting dolled up and getting to wear beautiful dresses and jewellery. That's really me. It's not something that's been dreamt up by a record company.
"If I can use my image in a positive way to make classical music a bit more accessible then why not?"
You wouldn't prefer to have a face like a bag of spanners and the backside to match to be taken more seriously, then?
(Laughs).
That's a no then. Thought not.
Making classical music more accessible has prompted criticisms from "real" opera buffs. Dame Kiri Te Kanawa reportedly called her music "fake opera".
But Katherine Jekins has never retaliated.
"I'm not a person that likes to argue," she says.
"I don't like confrontation. My mum brought me up to be polite and well mannered and I don't think publicly having an argument is, you know...
"And Dame Kiri's actually a friend of mine so I don't believe she said it in the first place."
Jenkins has never professed to be an opera singer and had previously expressed plans to move into that field when she hits 30 (she'll be 28 later this month).
"I've just been doing some concerts with Placido Domingo and he has offered to sort of train me so I'm finding time to study with him.
"That really excites me because in the world of opera there's nobody better to help me."
What does it mean exactly. Changing the voice?
"No. Being more focused, learning a new repertoire, focusing on my technique, the projection of my voice and stamina. These all come with age and by the time I'm 30 I'm told my voice will be fully developed."
Here's another news story that she says is cobblers: Advising Britain's Got Talent's 12-year-old soprano wannabe Faryl Smith not to eat chocolate.
"I didn't tell her that. (Laughs) You should know, don't believe anything you read in the paper. I love chocolate. The dark chocolate. The only thing that I do say is that before you sing, don't have any dairy products."
Why not?
"It causes the throat to sort of have catarrh and phlegm."
Urgh.
"I know, how lovely. Basically it stops your voice being so clear."
So if you ever walk on stage and start spitting we know you've had a chocolate bar or a glass of milk.
"(Laughs) Yes, something like that."
Well, the base of the Montblanc perfume that you are now promoting is apparently chocolate.
"Is it really? I thought it was quite floral. I have to say I love that perfume and I'm not just saying it."
When she went to the Grammy Awards, the Montblanc people lent her £6m-worth of jewellery which meant her being tailed by six bodyguards all night. Everywhere.
"I think it's really funny because when you go to the toilet they all seem to have a bit of a panic. As if you're going to escape out of the toilet window with the jewellery."
Of late there has been also been a story about her un-diva like backstage demands, including veggie meals and old towels.
"This whole rider thing is again totally false," she insists. "I'm a vegetarian but I don't ask for six veggie meals to be served at 30-minute intervals."
It wasn't so much that as the old towels. What was that about?
"I read it and I'm as baffled as you are. I think I do have quite a basic rider. I've heard of a lot of people, that demand the most expensive champagne. I don't ask for anything really. It's very basic."
On Sunday she'll be headling an outdoor concert at Belvoir Castle, a different affair to her usual shows in the city.
"I always think the outdoor concerts are a lot more relaxed," she says. "There's no dress code, they can bring a blanket, a bottle of champagne and a picnic and be amongst friends. Really sort of chill-out and enjoy the music.
"We finish with the Last Night of the Proms, people get up and sing and wave flags.
"When I come back on the concert tour at the end of the year I'll be doing more arias and singing stuff that'll be on my new album."
Due in October, it be her interpretations of religious standards and sacred songs.
"Basically all the music I first learned to sing in church, as a chorister. That's going to be exciting for me. I haven't done a concert tour for two years because I've been doing Viva La Diva with Darcey Bussell."
That tour, which came to Nottingham in December, is done for now, but she'll be teaming up with the prima ballerina again next year.
"Darcy's moved to Australia."
Why, what did you say?
"(Laughs) She's moved out with her kids so we decided to do our own things. Then next year I'll go to Australia and tour with her there. Then we'll maybe finish 2009 with another arena tour.
"I'm kind of booked until 2010."
What about starting a family?
"Oh I know where this is going..."
You can't say I didn't try.