Pop Idol Darius makes himself at home for an interview in a flat owned by sex shop boss.

Impressionable younger readers of glossy magazine OK! Must have thought they were in for a treat - an exclusive interview with Pop Idol star Darius at his trendy loft-style home.

It read: 'From his tasteful home in London, Darius spoke exclusively to OK! About the year when all his dreams came true…'

Sadly, one that didn't come true is the assertion that the pad in Clerkenwell is actually his. The real owner, Tony Pithers, who runs a sex shop in Shoreditch, was perplexed when he read the feature.

'I had no idea they were going to pass it off as his,' says Tony, who rents out the minimalist loft conversion for discreet magazine shoots - the most recently for a Japanese fashion spread.

In OK!, Darius Danesh, 22, appears at home in the two-bedroom duplex, which was converted from a former print works.

Photos show the singer grinning on a beige leather sofa and helping himself to fruit salad in the immaculate kitchen. 'Darius was very nice, says Tony, who doesn't bear a grudge about the ownership detail. 'He was very sweet and he loved the flat. I spent time showing him around and he seemed really interested.'

In fact, Darius could realise his dreams as Tony has put the apartment up for sale with Thomson Currie Estate Agents (020 7251 5666) - even reducing its price from £715,000 to £669,950 last week.

The exposed brickwork, vast metal windows overlooking Summers Street and the Philippe Stark-designed bathroom particularly struck the star. But he confided that it was slightly beyond his means.

'Darius told me he wished he could afford to buy a flat like this because he loved it,' Tony says.

'He said it had given him some really good ideas for when he finally got a place of his own.'

In real life, Darius shares a humble London flat with two mates. But who knows, if his debut album Dive In flies off the shelves, maybe he'll be able afford this trendy bachelor pad.

Darius Danesh has signed a £100,000 book deal to tell his life story. Good for him. OK, so he's only been around for a couple of years, but if he's been offered the money I think he should go for it.

I like Darius because he comes across really well in interviews - he seems relaxed, genuine and doesn't try to be anything but himslef. And, after all the grief he got for performing that Britney Spears number, Baby One More Time, on Popstars, he fought hard to get where he is and he deserves his bit of success.

Big D pretends to rearrange date's knickers!

The invitation said 'smart/casual' but that didnt stop darius' date turning up in two bits of a flimsy nightie held together by a few chains!

Model Jacqui Ainsley was snapped falling out of her dress at a private screening of Ashton Kutchers new movie , 'Just Married' at londons Covent Garden Hotel. Quick as a flash, gallant darius did a Justin and got friendly with her rear end as he hid her bum from public view. He met the flesh-flasheron the set of his Colourblind video - and it looks like he's become pretty closeto her since then! However, he our sneaky source at the party that he wasnt seeing any girl seriously 'cos he doesnt wanna look back when he's 35 and realise that he hasn't played around enough.

So move over Jacqui, sweed'art.

Darius Danesh became a national joke after his famous rendition of Britney Spears' Hit Me Baby One More Time on Popstars three years ago.

Now he's having the last laugh - by dating stunning underwear model Kate Groombridge.

Darius met 21-year-old Kate, who models for Gossard, while filming the video to his new single Incredible.

The couple made their first public appearance at the premiere of the Britpop movie, Live Forever, in London. "It's early days, but Kate is fantastic," the 22-year-old Scottish singer gushed.

And it's little wonder, as the girl from Ashford, Kent, once claimed: 'I never wear horrible underwear. I feel more sexy when I've got something racy on."

This isn't the first time that Darius has used his videos as a dating agency for himself. He went on several dates with a girl known only as Jacqui, after meeting her on the set of his first video, Colourblind. The stunning blonde also appeared in the credits of the James Bond film Die Another Day as a gyrating silhouette.

And after publicity work with girl-band Sugar Jones, a rumour spread that Darius was to marry lead singer Mirella Del'Aquila.

But Darius insists he has no marriage plans as yet.

"I'm a young guy enjoying myself and I really don't want to give that up just now." Hope you're listening, Kate.

DARIUS was pelted with custard pies by The Sugababes - but it wasn't because they don't like his latest single.

In a dream opportunity for dozens of fans, Darius was put in a ring with Heidi, Muya and Keisha and dozens of custard pies.

But the singer wasn't a gentleman - and made sure he beat the girls rather than allowing himself to be covered in custard by the trio.

The custard pie match, part of Comic Relief, can be seen tomorrow on The Saturday Show. Each of the contestants had to sit on a Space Hopper disguised as a red nose and bounce around a boxing ring filled with pies. Whoever stayed on the longest was the winner.

Dressed in a red jumpsuit, Darius fought each of the Sugababes separately and won before squaring up to Richard Blackwood.

An insider said: "It then got very messy and both went flying. Darius ended up covered in custard from head to foot."

Comic Relief night is on Friday, March 14.

Pop star charts his rise to fame

CHART-TOPPER Darius Danesh has secured a £100,000 deal to tell his amazing life story so far.

The Popstars reject's book will hit the shelves in September.

Darius, who had a No 1 hit with the self-penned Colourblind, will focus on the past two years of his life.

He said yesterday: "I can promise this book will genuinely reflect my feelings and thoughts over these amazing two years, with a few surprises as well."

His frank account of life in the fast lane is expected to concentrate on his relationships, family and the pressures of life on the road.

Rendition

The deal with Headline publishers is confirmation that Darius has finally arrived.

His debut album Dive In went platinum and he is due to tour the UK in May.

Darius, 22, first sprung to fame when he took a battering on ITV's Popstars.

His toe-curling rendition of Britney Spears' song Hit Me Baby (One More Time) turned him into a national joke and his future as singer looked doomed.

Against the advice of family and friends, the boy from Bearsden, near Glasgow, decided to apply for the follow- up series Pop Idol.

He ditched his goatee beard and made it to the last three behind Will Young and Gareth Gates.

He was then offered a deal by Mercury Records.

Headline's Emma Tait said: "Judging by the response of female members of staff, we've got a guaranteed hit on our hands."

Darius danesh shocked pop lovers by his diva-ish behaviour at the premiere of Live forever on Monday night. He was overcome with glee to discover that he was the biggest star at the documentarys screening due to the desperate nature of the competition He arrived with gorgeous model Kate Groombridge and held court - sorry gave interviews - for half an hour before disappearing upstairs with his attractive pal. After 15 mins behind closed doors they emerged and made a bid for freedom. What could they have been doing the mind boggles especially given Darius's fetish for that cinema staple the malteser. He told Smash Hits I like to play the malteser game. Find someone and ask them to hide six maltesers about their person while you do the same, now find each others chocolate. I played it with a girl before we went to a movie I left a couple on her and they melted. Wonder if he got all hot and stickly with Kate?.

The Sun 4 March 2003

THIS is the sexy underwear model who has turned the head of Pop Idol heart-throb DARIUS DANESH.

Darius arrived with stunning Gossard pin-up KATE GROOMBRIDGE at last night’s premiere of Britpop movie Live Forever.

The Scottish hunk has been wooing the 34D model since meeting her on the set of the video for his new single Incredible.

Darius said: “She’s just about the nearest to Incredible you can get.

“This is our first proper date and it is early days, but Kate is fantastic.”

Darius has previously enjoyed dates with a girl known as only Jacqui, who features in the opening credits of Bond film Die Another Day.

He met the stunning blonde on the set of first video, Colourblind.

Jacqui had a small part in the video as well as appearing as a gyrating shadow in the movie.

SCOTLAND'S students of the fame game have fared better than most when it comes to chart success.

First off the mark was Darius Danesh who became a laughing stock when he tried out for the initial series of Popstars.

His goatee beard and absurd remarks led him to become a figure of fun to millions of viewers, but he vowed he would have a No.1 hit single and album by the time he was 25.

He surprised the nation when he auditioned for Pop Idol, ditched the goatee and made the last 10 by default after obese singer Rik Waller pulled out due to a sore throat.

Despite fending off criticism from Simon Cowell, he made it to the last three before being voted out.

Darius, 21, subsequently landed a record deal with Mercury and his debut single, Colourblind, shot straight to No.1.

The singer, of Bearsden, followed that with another Top 10 hit, Rushes.

His self-penned album, Dive In, has also been a huge success with more than 400,000 sales to date.

Meanwhile, two Scots have benefited from the BBC's Fame Academy. Winner David Sneddon, of Paisley, won the first prize to live like a star for a year.

He resides in a £900,000 luxury flat in London, has the use of an Audi TT and signed a £1million record deal.

His first single, Stop Living The Lie, spent three weeks at the top of the charts, but he only got into the finals after Scots student Naomi Roper quit the BBC show due to throat problems.

Naomi, 19, has vowed to become a star despite the setback.

She said: "I know it could have been me at No.1, but everything happens for a reason and it obviously wasn't the right time for me. My dream is to be a solo artist and I am still determined to make that happen. I have as good a chance as anyone else from the Academy and hopefully it will happen this year."

Fame Academy finalist Ainslie Henderson is at No.5 with his single Keep Me A Secret.

He is also writing songs for his debut album to be released later this year.

POP idol Darius Danesh reckons lesbian pair Tatu only got to No1 because of THAT kiss - but you won't catch him doing the same.

Russian girls Julia Volkova and Lena Katina famously smooched on the video for their single, All The Things She Said.

Darius said: "I'm amazed no one thought of it before.

"Two teenagers kissing in schoolgirl outfits is going to have everybody watching. It's very clever marketing."

But chart star Darius added: "You won't see me in a gay snogging scene or wearing a schoolgirl uniform!"

HUNKY Scots pop star Darius told tearaways in troubled Easterhouse that he had been a bit of a brawler in his days at Edinburgh University.

Six footer Darius, according to my spies, was more than a useful rugby player when he turned out for Glasgow Academy's first XV.

I'm also told that if he hadn't been a singer Darius could have made it as an actor. After the latest debacle in Paris, Scotland's rugby scouts must be kicking themselves in not giving the strapping Glaswegian pop star a try out.

Even if he's not quite international class, Darius could probably have acted the part... which by all accounts is more than can be said for some of those who wore the Scottish jersey that day.

Even more important from where I was sitting, we'd have had at least one guy on the park who looked as tasty as the Frenchmen

192 reader Fiona MacLeod had an Incredible night with Darius after winning tickets for an exclusive gig with her favourite pop star in London.

Fiona and best friend Jill Young were the Pop Idol singer's special guests as he played to a private audience in the Beatles Room of the famous Abbey Road studios.

Darius played a set of seven songs from his album, Dive In, including his next single, Incredible.

And Fiona and Jill wasted no time in grabbing the sexy singer. "I just wanted to tell him how fantastic he was," said Fiona, 35, from Dumfries." Jill, 32, from West Lothian, said: "Darius is so sexy."

Darius' Dive In tour begins in May. An extra Glasgow show has been announced. Tickets for the matinee on Saturday, May 3, at the Glasgow Armadillo, cost £18.50 and go on sale today at 9am. Call the 24-hour Ticket Hotline 0870 735 5000 or book www.bookingsdirect.com