Over 35 years since their divorce, Pattie Boyd, publicly attempted to reach out to second husband Eric Clapton via social media following his 80th birthday, sweetly announcing: “Aren't we lucky to still be around and enjoying life?” I’m reminded modern-day relations between the pair have been particularly tested since Pattie’s decision last year to auction off her memorabilia - notably including intimate love letters once written to her by Clapton - for just under £3 million.
These days married to property developer Rod Weston, the former model, also ex-wife of George Harrison, awkwardly claimed that the guitar legend, shouldn’t be upset, insisting she was showing the world what “a very creative man” he was - with “exquisite handwriting” to boot. Mr Clapton isn’t known to have seen it that way!
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Dame Helen Mirren’s widely-reported comments this week regarding never being a fan of the “sexist” James Bond franchise provoked cynical chortles among those of us with longer memories.
This being the very same Dame Helen who enthused to the press in 2018: “I’ve always had a secret ambition to play a villain in a James Bond movie!”
Heaven forfend our esteemed actress has since jumped on the bandwagon...
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With California-based Eric Idle now confirmed to be returning home for a British tour this September, one reconciliation is on the cards.
As this column recently noted, fellow Monty Python star Sir Michael Palin has been particularly keen to make peace after Eric's much-publicised falling out with his old comedy colleagues over business affairs. While a reunion with London-based Palin (always the most conciliatory of the bunch!) is deemed likely, it's feared relations with John Cleese and Terry Gilliam are beyond repair - not least since Idle singled out Gilliam’s daughter Holly, these days Python’s manager, for criticism in the press.
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Having previously claimed that Bridget Jones co-star Hugh Grant had avoided talking to her for over 20 years due to her "giant mouth" (not to mention long-ago drunken antics during filming in Thailand), actress Sally Phillips had insisted they were back on friendlier terms while making the fourth instalment.
I however can’t imagine Hugh being delighted to learn that gossipy Sally’s been gleefully telling folk she recently caught sight of the actor’s “embarrassing” and little known pre-filming ritual - involving Grant geeing himself up off-camera, whispering the triumphant words, “Hello audience!”
Who would have believed cynical Hugh was such an old show pony?
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While the excruciating sight of preachy celebrities endorsing Labour has proved all too familiar down the decades, it appears luvvies have finally fallen out of favour over at party HQ.
Currently starring in hit series The White Lotus, long-time Labour supporter Jason Isaacs, admits to discreetly enquiring whether celebrity backing was truly proving useful. A senior party figure replied: “Actually, we just commissioned a report that came in that says it doesn't make any difference at all and it might even affect us negatively.”
Took them long enough to work that out!
