Ephraim Hardcastle
WHY don’t the heads of government at April’s Commonwealth summit nominate the Queen for the Nobel Peace Prize after heading the often unruly international body since 1952? They’ve discussed this, most recently at the 2015 Commonwealth Summit in Malta. In 1990, President Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia nominated Princess Anne for her muchadmired Save The Children work (1970 to 2016) but she lost out to Russia’s Mikhail Gorbachev. ‘It’s rather disgraceful HM has been overlooked,’ says my source.
BROADCASTER Andrew neil remarks to acting German envoy, Tania von Uslar-Gleichen, at a party: ‘If your embassy here hadn’t told (German Chancellor) mrs merkel we’d vote to Remain, she would have given (David) Cameron more concessions and we might well have voted to Remain.’ The arrogant-sounding Frau Uslar-Gleichen replies: ‘What’s your source for that?’ neil: ‘Your embassy here.’ Hapless Cameron ended up being hated by Leavers and Remainers.
FLAME- haired Sky News presenter Sarah-Jane Mee, 39, pictured, is scolded by viewers for flaunting her cleavage on air. ‘How can anyone take Sarah-Jane Mee seriously? She is showing a great deal of cleavage on Sky Sunrise!’ one complained this week. Mercifully saucy Sarah-Jane is followed by the well-nourished, far-from-sexy political pundit Adam Boulton.
HIGHLIGHTING President Trump’s startling suggestion that American teachers could be armed to protect pupils from shooters, socialite authoress Kathy Lette, 59, reports: ‘Just got an email from (comedian) Billy Connolly saying, “Thank (goodness) they didn’t arm my teachers in Glasgow. I wouldn’t be here at all!”’
PAYING tribute to US evangelist Billy Graham, who has died aged 99, crooner Sir Cliff Richard, 77, says: ‘I found him inspiring to be with.’ Sadly, Sir Cliff’s memories are also haunted by a false sex-assault claim made against him dating back to a Billy Graham rally in Sheffield he attended in 1985.
CONSTANTLY on our TV screens for over 25 years, northern actor Christopher eccleston, now to play macbeth with the Royal Shakespeare Company, tells Radio 4’s mishal Husain: ‘I don’t hear accents like mine. It’s discrimination and I loathe it. It’s held me back... in terms of the classics, darling.’ my theatre source says: ‘maybe it hasn’t held him back enough, darling.’
GODFATHER to privately-educated TV comic Jack Whitehall, Ia di da actor Nigel Havers, 66, admits: ‘When he first started, I remember I went to see him in a pub in Putney where he was doing stand-up. I said, “Well, that’s not going to work, Jack. My advice is to get a proper job!”’ Given the insecurities of showbiz we must hope Jack doesn’t have to give Nigel the same advice one day.