Ephraim Hardcastle
He WAS once a front runner to become Prime minister, but my sources say George Osborne’s ‘image makeover is unravelling’. His ‘caesar-style’ haircut is replaced by a less severe side-parting. And having shed weight on the 5:2 diet, he has now ‘put on a few pounds’. But is it enough now to reverse his near-pariah status?
FLIRTY Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis, 45, pictured, while shopping for new outfits, tweets: ‘The moment the new world order finally hit home... Victoria Beckham makes skirt with elasticated waistband.’ The former Spice Girl’s husband, David Beckham, will be promoting Motability scooters next.
RADIO 4’s Today presenter mishal Husain interviewed Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Saunders before last night’s film premiere of Absolutely Fabulous. They also appeared on Tuesday’s edition of BBC1’s The One Show, and on yesterday’s Breakfast News, promoting the picture. Why such enthusiasm for a film the public hadn’t seen? Perhaps because Ab Fab is funded by BBC Films.
DAME Penelope Wilton, 70, pictured, who starred as family member Isobel Crawley in Downton Abbey, is asked whether she was embarrassed about having to ‘brandish sex aids’ in her new ITV comedy Brief Encounters. She replies: ‘The Hermit Extender [a manhood enlarger] with remote control was extraordinary. All the men in the crew went very quiet.’
Why do some palace flunkeys prefer Boris Johnson, 52, to Theresa may, 59, as the next Tory leader? Because they think Boris (eton-educated, not too good on detail) is preferable to Theresa may (Holton Park Grammar, sharp on detail) when it comes to reviewing royal finances.
TENNIS is experiencing a revival of royal affection after being virtually ignored by the Queen and her children. Her father felt differently. A source says: ‘George VI competed in the 1926 Gentlemen’s Doubles at Wimbledon when she was two months old. He lost in straight sets.’
EUROPHILE Tory MP Sir Nicholas Soames, 68, quarrelled with Leave’s Boris Johnson, 52, but now supports him for the party leadership. Courtier Soames sounds like a chateau-bottled, ocean-going hypocrite. Tory MP Jacob rees-mogg also supports Boris. But shouldn’t it be the other way around? rees-mogg, 47, is a civilised, respectable old-school Conservative, whereas Boris is seen as a skirt-chasing bounder loyal only to himself.