'Sleeping Well Helps Me Slim!'

We discover how Nicole Scherzinger banishes ‘blah’ days and the secret to those killer abs

- Lucy Gornall

It’s a crisp weekday morning when we meet Nicole Scherzinger for breakfast and a chinwag at London’s Sanderson Hotel. While munching on buckwheat pancakes, yogurt and berries – ‘I’m gonna eat it all,’ declares Nicole – she’s quick to let us in on her latest project – a swish new pad in LA, which has taken two years to build and comes with what she describes as a ‘little’ gym.

‘I’ll invest in a Stair Master so my butt can get perky,’ giggles 39-year-old Nicole.

The X Factor judge, who has been dating Bulgarian tennis pro Grigor Dimitrov for two years, dominates the room with chat and a contagious smile. Yet she much prefers her own company.

‘I live alone and I’m quite private. I don’t like noise around me,’ she reveals, admitting that she doesn’t actually know how to work her TV. ‘But my assistants do.’ We nod along. Because that’s totally something we can relate to…

A hectic X Factor recording schedule and talk of a Pussycat Dolls reunion means Nicole isn’t exactly weighed down with free time. But keeping fit still remains a priority. ‘Running is a no-brainer for me – it helps me get in the zone. Or a fun dance class, hot yoga or spin.