He might be busy presenting The Xtra Factor with Caroline Flack, gigging across the country AND releasing a new album, but we still managed to catch Olly Murs for a quick natter about those rumours with Flacko, being axed by Simon Cowell and his desire to host Top of the Pops.
Your current single Dance With Me Toinght goes back to your time on The X Factor - was that a conscious decision to go back to that sound?
I didn't want to talk about my X Factor days too much because I get told off for it but that's one of the reasons I chose to release Dance With Me Tonight. Obviously when I was on the show I was famous for Superstition and that old school Stevie Wonder, Mowtown vibe and the doing the album, I was like 'I've got to do an old school record', and I think the fans wanted me to do one anyway. The response has been incredible, everyone is really liking it.
You and Caroline have been very flirty on camera. What's the story there?
Honestly nothing's going on! We love it. We love working with each other and that's the key thing about it. We genuinely have found a real friendship and we're very close. We're working with each other on the biggest TV show in the country and we're both working at this opportunity and doing the best we can with it. We've increased the viewing figures from last year, made it a much more exciting show, much funnier. We've got a great relationship with the panel where they're happy to get involved.
Did you get jealous over the rumours of Caroline and Harry?
Harry's great. The thing about it is everyone is going to be drawn into the fact that me and Caroline are together and the whole 'are they/aren't they' and obviously everyone knows about Caroline snogging Harry. It's common knowledge, but I don't delve into people's private lives so it's up to them what happened.
You've said people think there is something going on because you're very flirty - would you be flirting if Konnie Huq was still presenting the show?
I think I would! I'm just an instant flirt with most people. I'm very cheeky. When we do the script meeting with Caroline, we just try to bring out the cheekiness in me and getting involved in the banter with Caroline and she loves that too. We bounce off each other and regardless of the woman, you have to have some kind of attraction and she's a good looking girl. We have a laugh with each other and that's as far as it goes. I think we're very professional as well. We understand that if anything was going to happen between us, and if it did, can you imagine the awkwardness on camera? So the fact that we haven't is great.
What is Caroline's most disgusting habit?
I don't think she's got one but if she was sat here now she'd tell you every dirty habit I have. I think she's very clean and hygienic. She's pretty much the perfect girlfriend. I sure she has got some but you only really get to know them when you've known someone for ages and we're just at the start of our friendship.
It's been reported that Louis is quitting and Kelly is unsure if she'll stay after this series. Do you think the rumours Cheryl's been offered a return and Simon's coming back are likely?
It's obviously up to them. I don't know what their contracts are and it's a big job to take. I think Cheryl was a big key part of the show and she'll always be linked to the job, but it would be pretty amazing if you imagine Gary and Simon on the same panel! I wouldn't want to dismiss Kelly, Tulisa and Louis because they've done such a great job and I'd be delighted if they were all back next year. It would be brilliant for them to come back for a second year and really make a go of it, but we'll see. You never know in this game - Simon is a very secretive man and he'll make a decision when he feels it's right.
Current and past judges aside, who would you love to see on the X Factor panel?
To be honest, I'm all for the current line-up. I'm very happy with the judging panel as it is now. I'm only speaking on behalf of my show, but they've given a fresh new twist on it. They're happy to do all kinds of stuff with us. It would have been weird having Simon, Cheryl and Dannii there. Don't get me wrong, they were great on the show, but the show moves on. It needed a change.
Will you be back on The Xtra Factor next year?
I don't know. I'm delighted at how the first year has gone. Would the second year be as good? I don't know. For me it's a different case of being a judge because that's such a big job, but it's less pressure on Xtra. But the important thing is for me to concentrate on my music to be successful. If I did it again next year, it would probably affect my music a little bit, so we'll see. I've managed to do it this year with limited time and I'm sure I would be able to do it next year.
Do you worry Simon will axe you like he did Cheryl?
If the show was going badly yes, I would be worried. I'd be worried if people were saying it wasn't as good as last year's but I think that the positive feedback we've had, people know it's a better show than it was. So if we can continue to keep it good, we're laughing. Hopefully I can say 'look Simon, we've done a great job on the show, give me a pay rise!'.
Does he call you up to feedback about the show?
Simon is brilliant, he's a fantastic man. I've only had limited conversations with him because obviously he's doing the show in the US but I know he's really proud of what I've been doing. He's really proud of how my music's doing as well. On all fronts at the moment he's a proud boss. But that could all change - that's why Simon's so clever. Being around him all the time gives me that desire to keep impressing him. When we put the album together, we sent it to Simon for his feedback and he was really positive about it all.
Would you like to do more TV now you've broken into it?
No. I'd only work on The X Factor. If there was a job on it, I'd take it because I've got a reason for being there. I think when you're a TV presenter you have to have a reason for doing it and a lot of them have been around a long time and grafted for that. The reason why it works with me on The Xtra Factor is because I was a contestant on it and I have a relationship with the viewers at home. If I went and did Changing Rooms, they'd be like 'what relevance does he have?'. That's not saying never say never. A job might come up for an amazing show.
Like what?
I'm trying to bring back Top of the Pops. I don't know why us artists haven't just stood there and said 'let's back a campaign and bring it back' because it would be the most amazing thing ever. X Factor has got the Sunday show and except for Later with Jools Holland, which is a massive success, there isn't one music show. If you had Friday nights, Top of the Pops for all us artists across the board, and I could host it! I'd love to do that.
And finally, rank in order of hotness Dannii, Tulisa, Cheryl and Kelly.
Oooh. Tough, so tough! I can't do it! Cheryl is my favourite though, only because she's so gorgeous. I would love to...