Ephraim Hardcastle
THe Queen placed a bulk order with Tesco for 1,500 of its £8 Christmas puddings, as gifts for her staff. They were on a three-for-the-price-oftwo deal, which means she likely got 500 of them free of charge. Previously her staff received Fortnum & Mason King George puddings, (£24.95 this year), which came with a monogrammed ceramic bowl. staff enjoyed adding to their collection each year. Alas, the Tesco versions don’t include such fripperies. Nor are they rated by gourmands. ‘Unexciting and with a rubbery texture,’ sniffs a food critic. The BBC is to make a 90-minute documentary on the rise and fall of disgraced movie tycoon Harvey Weinstein. I hope they will feature full, detailed interviews with Weinstein’s friends at the Corporation, including Alan Yentob, for whom he co-produced the 2015 BBC film Woman In Gold. And, of course, the Weinstein meanderings on the Chris Evans and Graham Norton shows, both chuffed to interview the notoriously persistent womaniser. NeWlY appointed BBC news boss Fran Unsworth, 59, pictured, can look forward to a challenging 2018. she will have to deal with the conclusion of sir Cliff Richard’s legal action after the BBC aired live coverage of a police raid on his Berkshire home in 2014 – following false sex abuse claims against the 77-year-old star. Her predecessor James Harding, 48, in charge when the Cliff footage was aired, is departing in the new year. Conceivably he might have been sacked if he’d stayed on. BOB Geldof seems to have shot himself in the foot by handing back his Freedom of Dublin award in protest at his fellow recipient, the discredited Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Councillors in his native city voted last week to strip Suu Kyi of the accolade she was given in 1999 – as Geldof had demanded – but they also backed his original request to remove his name from the roll of honour. Not something he wanted to happen if Suu Kyi lost her award. ‘I’m absolutely disgusted,’ whinnies the Boomtown Rat. WiTH Us ambassador Woody Johnson about to move into his $1billion embassy in south london, the Qataries will turn his previous home, an enormous Mayfair edifice, into a luxury hotel. Occupied by the Americans since 1960, it’s the only Us embassy in the world not owned by the Us. The third Duke of Westminster, who died in 1963, successfully fended off their attempts to buy the freehold. He’d sell if America returned to him the land his family lost after the War of independence. What land, they inquired? New York and Maine, he replied. PRINCESS Anne, 67, and Vice-Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, 62, celebrated their silver wedding anniversary last week. From marriage to divorce, Anne’s matrimonies have so far lasted 19 and 25 years. Charles’s two currently stand at 15 and 12 years. Andrew, 57, managed just short of ten years with ‘Fergie’ while Edward, 53, and Sophie, 52, are 18 years into their happy union. All a long way to go to reach the Queen and Prince Philip’s 70 years.