Ephraim Hardcastle

CONVIVIAL Tory MP and former Deputy Speaker Nigel Evans, 59, discussing on Radio 4 his emergence as a homosexual in 2010, says: ‘If I’d left it much later I was in fear of dying before I came out, to be honest.’ Evans, who made the announcement following the death of his mother, adds: ‘You really do have to understand the struggle of people like myself, growing up in Swansea in the 1960s, where I don’t know whether it was worse to come out as a Conservative or come out as gay.’ Good for him! AIMING barbs at Buckingham Palace, Earl Spencer, 53, is handicapped by his newsworthy private life. Thrice-married, with seven children, he had a bitter divorce from first spouse, Victoria Lockwood, who said he admitted to affairs with 12 women over a period of five months, a claim he disputed. In 2007, he split from his second wife, Caroline Freud – former wife of sleazy PR boss Matthew Freud – after becoming friendly with US TV reporter Coleen Sullivan. In 2011, he wed wealthy Canadian Karen Gordon, 44, promising: ‘You’ll never be bored with me.’ An implausible claim! PRESIDENT Donald Trump’s newly-appointed communications boss, Anthony Scaramucci, 53, flirts with gamine Emily Maitlis, 46, of BBC2’s Snoozenight, complaining: ‘You’re coming across a little bit elitist!’ The ruffian, pictured with slinky Emily, puts his arm around her shoulders remarking: ‘Sorry I called you elitist.’ She replies Mae West style: ‘You can come back and call me an elitist any time you want!’ What’s Emily, a London-based, married, mother-of-two, doing in Washington? Isn’t she putting BBC North America editor Jon Sopel’s nose out of joint? ARNOLD Schwarzenegger, 70 this weekend, a former governor of California, says: ‘When I took office, the first thing we did was to have experts come in to talk about sexual harassment because laws are so strict now. It has changed so much that any kind of a comment you make to a woman now about her clothes could open the door to a lawsuit.’ You don’t say, Arnold! WHILE Prince Charles and Camilla plan their visit to Australia’s Gold Coast next spring for the Commonwealth Games, Prince Andrew is there this September. Indeed, Amanda Thirsk, his indispensable private secretary, is there now drummingup trade for Andrew’s pitch@palace business scheme. ‘Without her efforts he might find himself talking to an empty room rather than being surrounded by fawning, would-be apprentice tycoons holding-up their phones and tablets to catch his pearls of wisdom,’ says my source. ‘It’s like watching [North Korean dictator] Kim Jong-un.’ PRINCES William and Harry advertise for a senior communications manager. A cynic in the royal cloisters says: ‘They’ll be looking for someone over whom they have total control. But the Kensington Palace team, known as the Kindergarten, needs an older and wiser head in the mix before Charles becomes king and everyone steps-up a gear. Playtime is nearly over.’