Sister Act legend Whoopi Goldberg tips James Corden to be next star to host Oscars as she prepares for live stand-up shows at the London Palladium
Hollywood legend also reveals her thoughts on Donald Trump and what she plans to do in the UK in world exclusive interview
WHOOPI GOLDBERG knows what she’s talking about when it comes to the Oscars.
The Hollywood icon has hosted the Academy Awards four times throughout her career and even won one too, for 1990 flick Ghost.
Now, in an exclusive interview, Whoopi has backed our very own JAMES CORDEN to follow in her footsteps and take charge of the ceremony next year.
She said of James who will test the waters by presenting the Grammys next month: “The way that these shows work — things like the Grammys and the Oscars — they have to be done by passionate people.
“You have to be passionate about it.
"We know he’s passionate about music, about movies, so it’s fun to watch him do it.
“I would watch him do anything.”
After more than 35 years in the business, Whoopi is Tinseltown royalty.
But despite being best known for her role in 1992 classic Sister Act and as the host of influential US chat show The View, the actress now has her sights set on the UK.
The 61-year-old has revealed she wants her next gig to be a British TV show — and she’s even begging Doctor Who bosses to cast her.
She told me: “I always hope when I come to England the BBC will say, ‘Hey we want you to do something.’ I would love that.
“You have a different quality now on television.
"The way you guys have always done shows has always been the smartest and we’ve finally just figured it out.
“I like the idea of doing things the way y’all do them, you do some really fun stuff like Black Mirror or, you know, I’m still dying to do Doctor Who.
“Ab Fab women, they are spectacularly funny women so you know I have all these dreams.
“Maybe Channel 4 or BBC 1, 2 and 3, who knows? Maybe somebody will say, ‘Hey stick around kid’.” And moving here would be easy — it would just be her and her cat.
After three failed marriages and other high-profile romances with actors TED DANSON, TIMOTHY DALTON and FRANK LANGELLA, she is happy to be single.
She explained: “I like living by myself.
"I like not having to explain why there’s stuff in the bathroom on the floor and why I haven’t picked stuff up.
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“And what came to me is the realisation that in a relationship you have to work on it, strive to communicate.
“I don’t wanna communicate, I have a cat.
“I’m quite happy about it because I’m not afraid of being alone. It doesn’t mean that no one wants me it’s that I’m comfortable here now.”
One man she certainly doesn’t have time for is DONALD TRUMP.
She said of her country’s new President: “All I can do is b***h as loudly as I can when there’s something wrong and, you know, I have a feeling there’s going to be a lot of b***hing done.”
Whoopi is now preparing to return to the UK for a show at London’s Palladium — her first time here since a painful stay in 2010.
Back then, she was playing in the West End version of Sister Act when she got the dreadful news that her mother had suffered a stroke and died.
She immediately pulled out of the show and rushed home to her family in the US — helped by none other than DAME MAGGIE SMITH.
Her co-star in the original movie of Sister Act as well as its 1993 sequel happened to have come to see her old friend in the audience of the show that night.
Talking about the occasion for the first time Whoopi told me: “She’s the one who actually got me through that evening when I heard.
“She had come to see the show and so she was with me when I got the news.
“A friend of hers and Maggie stayed with me that whole evening so I could go get on a plane. I owe her so much.
Whoopi has not seen Dame Maggie since, but that is something she hopes to put right when she returns to London next month for her first ever stand-up show in the UK.
She said: “It’s kind of a wonderful thing to be able to come back and this time when I go, go without sadness. Well, my mother would have said, ‘Listen, you can’t bring me back!”
Whoopi even hopes she can reunite Maggie and the rest of the Sister Act cast for a third film.
She explained: “I’m up for having as good a time as I can in my life because I appreciate it. I appreciate it in ways I never realised I did.”
Whoopi Goldberg Stand Up Live takes place at the London Palladium on Saturday February 11.
Get tickets at rutlive.co.uk or call 0845 505 8500.
READ ON FOR THE REST OF DAN WOOTTON'S BIZARRE COLUMN
Gi's hot summer
Things could have turned out very differently for ZAYN MALIK had he stayed with STEPHANIE DAVIS.
The former Hollyoaks star, who he dated for five months in 2011, gave birth last week and claims the baby’s dad is a different ex-lover, JEREMY McCONNELL.
I suspect Zayn is rather pleased he ended up with GIGI HADID instead.
She looked far from pregnant while modelling her Summer of Love-inspired TOMMY HILFIGER collection.
They are unlikely to start a family together any time soon, but she was spotted wearing a ring last week prompting rumours they are engaged.
After what happened with his former fiancée PERRIE EDWARDS, I hope Zayn behaves this time.
Amir no Khan do
AMIR KHAN will be glad he skipped brother Harry’s wedding on Saturday.
The boxer, who is training in the US, would have found out he’s no longer a favourite in the Khan household – following his wife Faryal’s long-running feud with his family.
Younger sister Mariyah described Harry as “the best brother in the world”.
However in her speech at the wedding at Bolton FC’s Macron Stadium, she added: “Amir would have loved to have been here to join the celebration, but unfortunately due to training camp he can not be here.”
Perhaps it was for the best.
The Killers are UK thrillers
THE KILLERS’ return to the UK has been a long time coming – but the wait is finally over.
I’m thrilled to say that BRANDON FLOWERS and Co – one of my favourite bands – are coming to British shores this summer for a headline show in London.
It’s their first big gig here since 2014 and a UK festival exclusive for Barclaycard presents British Summer Time Hyde Park in London.
A source said: “The band have been booked to perform on July 8. Their first album in five years is being released soon after and they have promised to sing brand-new music at the show.”
KINGS OF LEON, GREEN DAY and JUSTIN BIEBER are among the other headliners as part of this year’s BST shows. Bring it on.
BIZMETER: DAN'S DIARY
TUESDAY
A La Land, Moonlight and Manchester By The Sea are all top contenders to receive nods when the Oscar nominations come out tomorrow. NATALIE PORTMAN and EMMA STONE are likely to be in the running for Best Actress, while CASEY AFFLECK’s Golden Globe could mean more success. Expect La La Land to dominate.
WEDNESDAY
DERMOT O’LEARY is gearing up for his all-singing, all-dancing opener at the National Television Awards.
The X Factor presenter is to belt out a song at the glitzy event which sees Poldark and Victoria battling for the Period Drama gong.
I’ll bring you all the action from the red carpet live on my Facebook page, facebook.com/danwootton.
FRIDAY
For fans of cult film Trainspotting, the wait is finally over with eagerly awaited sequel T2 Trainspotting finally hitting cinema screens.
EWAN McGREGOR, JONNY LEE MILLER, EWEN BREMNER and ROBERT CARLYLE reunite 21 years after the original.
With director DANNY BOYLE at the helm again, expect more magic.
SATURDAY
GARY BARLOW won’t be watching his talent show Let It Shine this weekend.
The TAKE THAT star will instead be in attendance at the opening night of musical The Girls, which comes to London’s West End on Saturday. Gary has provided the score for the show, which is based on the 2003 movie Calendar Girls.