The English actor rose to fame in American TV series Gossip Girl, before going on to land roles in major films. The hunky British star is currently promoting comedy Chalet Girl, where he plays snowboarding resort boss Jonny.

The part saw Ed having to put his body on the line for some physically daunting scenes. He says that some skills picked up when he was a youngster helped him along the way.

“There was one scene where it wasn’t me [doing stunts], but it was for the rest of filming,” he told more! magazine.

“I learnt to ski when I was 11 on a school trip to the Alps.”

The 23-year-old star – who hails from Hertfordshire in England – has fond memories of the trip. One of the funniest things he has recalled is that all his teachers used the visit as an opportunity to purchase cheap alcohol. Unfortunately Ed himself was disciplined for seeing the funny side of their behaviour.

“It was one of those ridiculous 22-hour coach journeys, driving all the way from Stevenage. Just horrendous. And, of course, all the teachers had to stop off at Calais to pick up a bunch of booze,” he laughed.

“They got a free holiday and were all just hammered. I remember one of my teachers walking into a window, then I got punished for laughing.”

Other than the scandal, it’s the fashion that has us fixed to our screens during Gossip Girl, and the final episode of the fourth season promises to be one of the most stylish yet, as Ed Westwick and Leighton Meester were spotted outside New York’s The Plaza in their black tie finest.

Sheltering in the hotel entrance, Leighton revealed a glimpse of a sequin ball gown under a warming nude coat, while Ed donned an Ikat print jacket over one of his signature suits.

While Chuck’s been courting new girl Raina in recent episodes, we sense a reunion for him and on-off love Blair, or a joint scheme at least, if these pics are anything to go by!

We can only wait and see though, as it seems even Ed himself is yet to find out the pair’s fate, recently revealing to InStyle: “We’ll see where it all goes. Maybe one of them should die like in Romeo & Juliet!”

The up-and-coming actor, who plays millionaire ladies’ man Chuck Bass on the hit CW series, has revealed his hopes of filming some of the popular show right here in Ireland next season.

Fresh from the show’s stint in Paris last summer, which saw our favourite New York socialites Serena, Blair and Chuck cause mayhem in the chic French capital, Ed admits that producers are already on the lookout for their next location.

“I’d love to see it head to Dublin in the next series,” Ed told the Herald. “How cool would it be to have Chuck and the gang hitting the pubs for a proper session or Blair and Serena having a catfight in the Guinness Factory?

“There’s been no official talk about bringing the show to Ireland but we’re all big fans of the place and I know a couple of the producers have Irish blood, so I don’t think they’d be too adverse to the idea.

Fantastic

“I know the show’s all about New York and the Manhattan lifestyle but a couple seasons in, I love the idea that Gossip Girl’s going out on the road.

“We went to Paris, which was just amazing, absolutely fantastic because it brought this new novelty to filming,” he added.

Ed, who is currently starring in romantic comedy Chalet Girl alongside Felicity Jones and Sophia Bush, went on to explain how he would be keen to fit in some theatre work if the trip to Dublin comes to fruition.

The talented actor says he has a number of pals on Irish shores and is even planning a trip here next December to ring in 2012.

“Personally I’d love to go because it would give me a chance to do some theatre work there,” Ed said. “I’ve got a couple friends in Dublin, who I’m planning to visit for New Year’s so that would be cool to correspond with some time in the Abbey maybe.

“I’m a big fan of Sam Shephard and I know he’s done a couple of shows there, so it’d be cool to do something like that,” he added.

Ed also revealed how he is often mistaken for Castleknock actor Colin Farrell while out and about.

“I’ve gotten Colin Farrell once or twice. I had this guy at JFK [airport] come up to me, saying ‘I know it’s you, I know you’re that Irish guy.’

“And I was like, ‘Mate, listen to my accent, do I sound Irish?’” he laughed.

Ed’s new film Chalet Girls hits cinema screens on March 16.

The Chatty Man host and more! magazine interviewer spoke to Chalet Girl actor, Ed, who revealed it was a relief not to have to speak with an American accent for his latest role. He said: “It was great not having to do the American accent and it was great to work with English people for a change too.”

Despite spending most of his time in New York, Ed says he comes back to the UK to visit friends and family on a regular basis. “I’ve had decent amounts of time back home this year and last,” he said. “I love home and seeing my friends and family. It’s good to escape from America sometimes.”

He added: “In the US I have to watch the football on my own. At 10am. I don’t have a crew to see it with. I still haven’t found a good place that does really tasty fish and chips. And sausage rolls, man! I miss sausage rolls from my local bakery.”

Speaking about his next project, Ed says: “I’ve got a role in a new film with Leonardo DiCaprio that Clint Eastwood’s directing, called J. Edgar. I play a young FBI agent, so I’m very excited.”

Ed also revealed a crush on Cheryl Cole, saying: “She can pop over for a cup of tea when she comes over to the states. What’s going on with her and that Derek dude, though?”

The full interview appears in this week’s more! magazine, on sale now (Tuesday).

While Ed Westwick was busy causing heart palpitations in female fans at the premiere of Chalet Girl last night, OK.co.uk pulled him to one side to have a word about those Gossip Girl rumours.
We cornered Ed Westwick at the UK premiere of Chalet Girl to ask him whether rumours of him leaving Gossip Girl were true.

He told us: “That was kind of taken out of context, what I actually said was that I wanted to maximise my time but I had agreed to do other projects as well.”

The heartthrob told us he still loves his character, Chuck Bass, and isn’t ready to leave New York yet.

He added: “No [I'm not leaving], I’m having a fantastic time with Gossip Girl, great character, great cast and I live in New York city.”

The premiere, which took place at Vue Westfield, was also host to Ed’s co-stars Tamsin Egerton, Felicity Jones and Bill Bailey.

Tamsin – whose ridiculous good looks and VERY long legs made us feel slightly sick with envy – filled us in on what the cast got up to when the cameras weren’t rolling…

She said: “One night we had a few Jagermeisters too many and we had to get down this slope and Ed slid down the slope on his back and then the guys followed.

“So then I went and we all ended up piling on top of eachother at the end of this slope. We all had to brush ourselves off and get up to go back to the bar.

“It was quite odd but really funny. Luckily no injuries, thank god. I don’t think the insurance covered it, but it was fine – the director did it too!”

Later that evening at the Diet Pepsi Style Studio launch, Kelly Rutherford confirmed Westwick’s story: “They’re actually crossing out parts of the script, and we won’t even get it until the day we’re shooting. They’re all red, and you can’t copy them. They won’t even tell us [what's going to happen] anymore.”

Matthew Settle stopped by, and he had two theories about the script clampdown. “Maybe the writers aren’t sure what they’re going to write yet, because they want to be up to date,” he said. “I mean, who knows what’s going to happen in Egypt, and what they might have to use as a social reference for the show. So there’s that aspect.” His other idea? “They don’t want it leaking. They’ve gotten tight with everybody in the cast. In the past, there were too many loose lips sinking ships.”

He adds: “I can sing so perhaps a musical.” He also revealed that he sends his mum to showbiz bashes under his name when he can’t be bothered to go himself. Lucky Mrs Westwick.

CHALET GIRL is the fun and fearless story of Kim (FELICITY JONES), a down to earth Londoner who takes a job working in a luxury chalet in a high-end Austrian ski resort surrounded by champagne, private jets and endless wealth. Out of her depth and sidelined by her pushy co-worker Georgie (TAMSIN EGERTON), Kim soon discovers the freedom of snowboarding and strikes up an unlikely romance with her boss’ son, Jonny (ED WESTWICK).

The screening of CHALET GIRL in the Vue Westfield cinema will be preceded by an afternoon of events in the Atrium, beginning at 5pm with a live performance by Livingston followed by personal appearances from the cast and celebrity guests.

“Westfield London is the perfect setting for our World Premiere of CHALET GIRL,” said Jamie Schwartz, Marketing Director at Momentum Pictures. “An all-weather, world class venue in the heart of London with Vue’s state of the art cinema promises a great atmosphere for fans and the film’s stars.”

Directed by Phil Traill and written by Tom Williams, CHALET GIRL will be released in UK cinemas on 16th March.

The ‘Gossip Girl’ star – who is believed to have previously dated co-stars Jessica Szohr and Leighton Meester in the past – is a strong believer in “intoxicating” love, but does believe a lasting relationship has to be based on more than lust.

He said: “It’s incredible, it’s intoxicating. To fall in love with someone at first sight is fine, but in order to have a working relationship you need to realise that love is just one thing in a whole relationship.”

The 23-year-old star has previously revealed he has a crush on singer Cheryl Cole, but he now believes too many men are interested in the British star – who has been romantically linked with Black Eyed Peas member will.i.am and dancer Derek Hough since splitting from now ex-husband Ashley Cole last year – and thinks she may need some time away from the spotlight.

He told Britain’s Cosmopolitan magazine: “Everyone is obsessed with her right now so it’s freaking me out. I think she needs to chill out, disappear and give me a call.”

Discussing his dating style, the handsome star reveals he likes to be confident but not cocky.

He said: “You have to have a degree of confidence. I’m not uber-confident in that respect, but if you like someone you’ve got to go for it because if you don’t ask, you’ll never know.”

The full interview with Ed is available to read in Cosmopolitan magazine from 7 February.

The teen drama ” Gossip Girl” and the Philip Seymour Hoffman/Catherine Keener independent movie “A Late Quartet” shuttered production.

NBC’s New York-based “Law and Order: SVU” crime series issued an 11th hour production change on Wednesday night. The show was supposed to be shooting on location on Thursday, but production was switched indoors to “SVU’s” Chelsea Piers studio on Manhattan’s West Side.

“If they were on the streets today with all the snow banks, we’d never be able to get the trucks parked,” spokesman Sharon Pannozzo, tells The Hollywood Reporter.

The production also provided courtesy “snow rooms” last night for crew members who have to travel long distance to work, said Pannozzo.

The storm, which began on Wednesday afternoon and picked up steam overnight, dumped 15 inches of snow on New York, shuttering airports and trapping many New Yorkers inside.

The TV series “Blue Bloods” and “The Good Wife”, which are also filmed in New York, are working as scheduled, a CBS network spokeswoman said.