Cory blimey! Auntie’s had an identity crisis

RED faces at the BBC this week after they were duped by a prankster claiming to be former Presidential hopeful Cory Booker.

Auntie’s World Service flagship programme Newshour had someone who claimed to be the New Jersey senator on air discussing the murder of US journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Sadly for the Beeb, it was an imposter who, despite duping them, did not dupe listeners.

Connie Kroll tweeted: “I’m not sure who the BBC World Service just interviewed on Newshour about US relations with Saudi Arabia, but it definitely was not Senator Cory Booker.”

Quite literally fake news.

Sounding like a game of Cluedo, anyone guessing Ms Hird, in the bedroom, with the cat, would be right. Police say ex-con Wendi Hird, 56, is back behind bars after she attacked her male roommate, 73, placing him within a whisker of serious injury. Police say during a fight at their home in Largo, Florida, Ms Hird “took their cat and threw it on the victim’s face, causing the cat to scratch the victim’s face”. She followed up the feline attack by striking the man in the face, leading her to be charged with battery.

In better mews, Brandy the cat has been reunited with her owner in Los Angeles – 15 years after she went missing. “It’s amazing. I think it’s unbelievable,” said Brandy’s owner Charles.

A good feline for both.

After winning both the girls and boys state wrestling titles, coach Damon Parker has been inundated with hundreds of bananas delivered to his front door.

That first shipment of 100 to the Kansas wrestling coach was just the beginning as, a few days later, he had more than 600 congratulations bananas.

Parker said: “My house, my office, my everything smells of potassium.”

His mantra to his wrestlers is “Win the Whole Banana”.

That might need a rethink.

A small porcelain bowl bought for £25 at a Connecticut garden sale turned out to be a rare 15th-Century Chinese artefact worth between £214,000 and £358,000.

It’s one of only seven such bowls known to exist.

US dating apps Tinder and OK-Cupid report keywords “Covid vaccinated” and “fully vaccinated” on profiles are among the users’ sexiest traits.

P.S. Since the pandemic struck, my barman Richard’s mother-in-law has let sparks fly between her knitting needles. I asked him if she had made him anything, and he replied: “She made me a scarf – but I swear it looks more like a noose.”