Ephraim Hardcastle
AMBER Rudd is poised to ask Nicola Formby, widow of her former husband AA Gill, for the return of an intimate, personal item. Amber wants Nicola, known as The Blonde, to return a bronze cast of her breasts she gifted to Gill, who died in 2016. Her action is prompted by mischievous daughter Flora’s disclosure: ‘I’ve seen your bronzed naked breasts, which I believe you had made and sent to dad.’ Admits Amber, who was married to Gill from 1990 to 1995: ‘It was a rather charming bronze bust. I must make a note and get them back.’
MEANWHILE Flora, 28, introduces her mother on Times Radio as the ‘failed politician Amber Rudd’. Mum counters: ‘More like the Right Honourable Amber Rudd... and her nobody daughter.’ What larks!
FORMER Murdoch editor Andrew Neil, highlighting the intense closeness between the media magnate and then PM Tony Blair, along with wives Cherie and Wendi Deng Murdoch, tells Radio Times: ‘Barely a week went by without some interaction between that government and the Murdoch family. There were sleepovers for the wives – even creches for the kids!’ And a jumbo crib for Alastair Campbell?
BRITISH Bangladeshi TV baker and mother of three Nadiya Hussain, pictured, is determined that none of her children will follow her example and have an arranged marriage, telling Woman & Home magazine: ‘When they’re ready to go off and get married, I’m going to buy a sports car and drive around Europe with the wind in my hijab.’
GHISLAINE Maxwell was a year ahead of Boris at Oxford’s Balliol College, while as a teenager, at Oxford High School, one of her fellow pupils was Dame Cressida Dick, now Metropolitan Police commissioner. Is there anyone in public life she hasn’t rubbed padded shoulders with?
IT’S not just Ghislaine Maxwell and Kevin Spacey who have sat on the throne at Buckingham Palace. Former Royal Protection officer Paul Page reveals on Twitter: ‘Royal Protection officers took pictures of themselves on the throne all the time, usually for a souvenir when leaving the department.’
HEART-rending recollection from Emily Mortimer of her late father John’s final struggle with dementia when sister Rosie, leaving his hospital room, said: ‘Oh Dad, Em’s here now, I’ll leave you with her.’ Recalls Emily: ‘He turned around and looked at me, then looked at my sister... “Who the f*** have you left me with?”’
WHEN theatres finally reopen Alison Steadman will not be treading the boards, as she tells Radio Times: ‘I don’t think I’m going to be doing theatre again. I’ve got a bit of stage fright now.’ She adds brightly: ‘OK, accept it. You can do telly. You can do radio.’