Ephraim Hardcastle
FRASIER star Kelsey Grammer, 63, has had the name of his fourth wife, Kayte Walsh, 39, tattooed on his privates. ‘It’s an ownership thing,’ the father of six explains. ‘I guess it was based on the idea that if ever I thought maybe a peccadillo outside the marriage was a good idea, that whoever it might be with, you know, would read that this particular piece of equipment was already signed and owned by someone named Kayte.’ His third wife Camille Donatacci, 49, divorced Grammer in 2011 – after his ‘peccadillos’ with Miss Walsh.
THE Queen might be amused to hear how celebrated luvvie Emma Thompson, 59, described her forthcoming investiture as a dame on the BBC’s The One Show: ‘I go [to Buckingham Palace] on November 7th with my family. You’re allowed three people, so I’m taking my husband and my kids, and they’re hysterical. But I don’t know which of the royals it’s going to be. I don’t know if it’s Queenie. I suppose it’s whoever’s still alive, or available.’ The show’s co-host, Matt Baker, stammered: ‘Moving swiftly on!’
TONY Blair’s eldest son Euan, 34, was on Sky News yesterday promoting his company, White Hat, encouraging would-be university students to take apprenticeships instead. Somewhat at odds with his father’s pledge as PM in 1999 to have 50 per cent of young people go into higher education. And also with Euan’s own choice – he went to the University of Bristol.
LABOUR-supporting writer-broadcaster Owen Jones, 34, pictured in a selfie with his partner at a street party in Brighton, is indignant about a cartoon in The New European newspaper showing him crying while carrying a wreath labelled ‘Corbynism,’ pointing out that an ‘overly emotional/hysterical gay guy [is] one of the oldest homophobic tropes in the book’.
RADIO 4’s John Humphrys, 75 today, never drinks excessively prior to broadcasting after getting ‘blotto’ one night before interviewing then Liberal leader David Steel. ‘Halfway through I ran out of questions. I couldn’t actually remember Mr Steel’s name. I’ve never got blotto since and I’m in bed at 9pm come hell or high water.’
APROPOS fading royal institutions – I mentioned the Court Circular yesterday – is the curtsey on the way out? ‘Members of the Royal Family no longer observe the complicated rules about who curtseys to whom,’ says my source. ‘Everyone curtseys to the Queen and that’s about it.’ Ladies are now urged not to ‘go too low’. Rear Admiral Colin Cooke-Priest, a gentleman usher of the royal household, used to advise nervous old dears: ‘Just the merest jiggle of the knees will do.’
CROSS-dressing ceramicist Grayson Perry CBE, 58, discussing his masculinity, says: ‘I get on my motorbike, or my mountain bike, and exercise my masculinity like I’m taking my dog for a walk.’ Not in one of his lovely frocks, I hope.