Battle of the Gleeks: SuBo vs J-Lo

One is a girl from West Lothian whose fishwife-next-door looks made her an unlikely hit on a TV talent show; the other is a billionaire superstar from the Bronx. Unlikely rivals? Perhaps. But thanks to a surprising casting choice from the cult musical television show Glee, Susan Boyle and Jennifer Lopez are now set to be Hollywood's latest grudge enemies.

The expensively groomed J-Lo, who was expected to be a shoo-in for the part of the dinner lady on Glee - which follows a group of high school misfits in a song and dance club - has now been pipped to the role by Britain's very own dragged-through-a-hedge-backwards SuBo. Asked about Boyle's proposed role in the series, Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy said: "I have two words for you: Lunch. Lady. I think Kurt [played by Chris Colfer] would just die to give her a Christmas makeover. I don't even know if she's interested, but it's been pitched."

Boyle, 49, shot to fame overnight after her performance on Britain's Got Talent of I Dreamed a Dream garnered millions of hits on YouTube. To rub salt in the wound for J-Lo, who has appeared in several hit Hollywood movies, this would be the first acting role for SuBo. Cynics may point out that Boyle's record label, Columbia, is the same as that of the cast of Glee, while J-Lo is signed to Def Jam. But then again, Glee's whole raison d'Itre is to allow the underdogs to shine.

- INDEPENDENT