Ephraim Hardcastle
QUITTING Britain for the ‘gorgeous,’ (tax-free) Caribbean island of Nevis, comedian John Cleese, 78, describes its natives as ‘old-fashioned’ and ‘extraordinarily well-educated’. so it’s fortunate the BBC has removed a line from a 1975 episode of Fawlty towers – co-written by Cleese – which might have caused them offence. A Fawlty towers character, Major Gowen, referring to West Indians, uses the ‘N’ word. the BBC says it was removed ‘with the consent of John Cleese’s management’. Best forgotten!
THE passing of Lord Carrington at 99 deprives the Knights of the Garter of its longest-serving member. The order now has only one senior politician – ex-Tory PM Sir John Major, appointed in 2005. ‘The Queen has struggled to find people of the right calibre and the order has three vacancies,’ says my source. Ex-Labour PMs Tony Blair and Gordon Brown have already declined the honour, which involves wearing an ostrich-feather hat. Will the now-chastened Tory architect of the Brexit crisis, David Cameron, accept a garter knighthood?
DID sophie Raworth, pictured, recognise the planes she was supposed to describe at the RAF 100th birthday flypast? ‘You have to be able to recognise the planes,’ her BBC colleague Huw Edwards has said re flypasts. When the typhoons formation spelt 100, sophie said: ‘that shows just how forward-thinking and modern the Royal Air Force is.’
WHY, some wondered, were England players filmed throwing a blue rubber chicken at each other during training? After Harry Kane was shown doing so on French TV news, an unamused presenter said: ‘England think they’re already in the final.’ The chicken antics were taken in France to be a slur against the French World Cup team, whose symbol is a blue cockerel.
THE Queen is ‘highly delighted’ at the prospect of President Donald trump’s visit but he has been briefed not to touch the dogs if he can avoid it – or HM. trump is the 13th president of her reign. someone had to be, I suppose.
STRIKING Sky News anchor Jayne Secker, 45, tweets: ‘I like to do a little jive when off-camera.’ Strictly Come Dancing producers take note!
THE Queen’s media secretary, steve Kingstone, leaving after two years, joins a stream of departures from Buckingham Palace. Communications supremo sally Osman is going. Private secretary Lord Geidt has gone. so has assistant private secretary samantha Cohen, Keeper of the Privy Purse sir Alan Reid and director of the Royal Collection sir Jonathan Marsden. Due to her age, 92, the Queen’s household has a continually-refreshed list of vacancies. Prince Charles, who’ll be bring his own staff when he succeeds, doesn’t have any.
SPEAKER John Bercow interrupts proceedings to announce that two members of 1970s pop group The Osmonds – Jay and Merrill – are watching Prime Minister’s Questions. That’s what we’ve come to now.