HICKEY
HE may be one of Britain’s best-known comedy stars but John Cleese regrets missing out on a lucrative movie career.
Recalling being in demand after the success of the 1988 film A Fish Called Wanda he admits: “One of my sadnesses is that I had a real Hollywood moment and I didn’t take advantage.”
Blaming his turbulent private life at the time, thrice-divorced Cleese, pictured, says: “I took the call and it was [director] Frank Oz in London offering me Michael Caine’s part in [hit film] Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. My second marriage was a mess and I thought, ‘Can I really go off and do a movie without resolving whether I was going to stay married or not?’ So I turned the part down.”
The 77-year-old concludes: “I think if I’d done it I would have gotten lots more Hollywood offers.”
RETIRED BBC manager Ella Slack has played the role of the Queen for almost 30 years, standing in for the monarch during rehearsals for major state events.
While perks have included being driven up the Mall in Her Majesty’s car she tells Yours magazine: “There was a near disaster when I was practising lighting the beacon for the Diamond Jubilee. The wind blew at the wrong moment and suddenly the carpet caught fire. They made a lot of changes to make sure it didn’t happen again when the Queen lit it.”
WHILE David Cameron’s wife Samantha reveals she chews a mouthful of food up to 40 times in order to stay slim and healthy, the former PM is not known to follow her example.
Having long battled to keep off the pounds the ex-Tory leader describes himself as a “middle-aged, slightly overweight jogger”.
SHOWBIZ veteran Roy Hudd, who points out he is a long-time patron of organisation The Campaign For Courtesy, recalls: “A taxi driver once said to me, ‘Blimey, you’re Roy ’Udd! Wait till I tell the missus I’ve had Roy ’Udd in the cab!’ I said gratefully, ‘Oh, is she a fan?’ He said, ‘No, she thinks you’re blooming awful!’
Hudd optimistically adds: “But he did say it with a smile.”
REVEREND Richard Coles, the first vicar ever to compete on BBC One’s Strictly, reports he and new professional dance partner Dianne Buswell have quickly bonded.
“Dianne has started calling me ‘Revo’,” he cheerfully announces.
SKY News anchor Kay Burley, pictured, who has been presenting on the channel since its launch in 1989, has no regrets about having cosmetic surgery in the past.
“It’s common knowledge that I had a facelift when I was 50, which was the best thing I ever did,” Burley, 56, tells Woman magazine. “It keeps my jawline in place, which is great.”
She adds: “I’d never say never to more surgery – I think I look pretty good at the moment, though I say so myself.”
PLAYING Queen Victoria on the big screen for a second time Dame Judi Dench is asked on Radio 4 whether she ever feels the powerful monarch is “taking over” her personality.
The celebrated actress, 82, who stars in new film Victoria & Abdul, replies: “Never, ever, ever. You just think, ‘Thank God I’ve remembered the lines!’ ”