HOGES’ MISSION TO WIN BACK LINDA!
The comedy legend wants the love of his life back in his arms again
At 80, Paul Hogan is making a last-ditch attempt to win back the love of his life, Crocodile Dundee co-star and ex-wife Linda Kozlowski.
The Aussie comedy icon is putting pen to paper and writing what insiders describe as part memoir, part love letter to Linda.
“Hoges is deep in the writing process, and he’s focused a lot on his relationship with Linda,” says a source. “His greatest regret is losing her, and he’s not ashamed to admit it. As an old man he’s feeling very sentimental about it.”
Hoges currently lives in a two-bedroom apartment in Los Angeles with the couple’s son Chance, 21, while Linda, 62, is nearby with her new partner Moulay Hafid Babaa.
“He’s grateful they’re still good friends and co-parent Chance together, which has been difficult as he’s been a handful over the years, but there’s no doubt having Linda living in such close proximity is torture for Hoges as he’s still very much in love with her,” says our insider.
Paul’s infatuation with Linda began while they filmed their 1986 hit movie. Soon after, he dumped Noelene Hogan, his wife of 30 years and mum to five kids.
Hoges and Linda married in 1990, but divorced in 2014.
“Paul may be a tough Aussie, but he cried writing all this down – from the moment he met Linda to what caused their divorce,” says a source. “He wishes he would have tried harder to be the stay-home husband she wanted.”
Now, we’re told
Paul is hoping his autobiography – titled
The Tap Dancing
Knife Thrower – will be the ultimate mea culpa to Linda, who may even be moved enough to give him another shot.
“This is Paul’s tribute to their years together,” says the source. “He’s a softie at heart.”
The pressure was always going to be on for the returning contestants to prove themselves in Masterchef’s Back To Win season, but according to Woman’s Day’s on-set spies, tensions are escalating between the overly competitive cooks, who are desperate not to lose again this time around.
“None of them imagined they’d be back, so this coveted opportunity has brought with it a lot of friction and angst on to the set that nobody predicted,” dishes a source. “It’s not all been hugs and kisses – when the cameras stopped rolling some contestants were quick to rush back to their apartments and practise for challenges rather than socialise,” insists the insider.
Certainly this season has seen a firestorm of drama surrounding the Masterchef kitchen. Last week Adelaidebased Laura Sharrad, 24, was branded “smug” and “tactless” by unimpressed fans, after an awkward encounter with Sarah Tiong, 29, exploded on set. After Sarah’s underwhelming attempt at the Mystery
Box, Laura tried to comfort her, but her insistent questioning didn’t sit well with the 2017 alum.
“Just give me a second!” snapped Sarah, before Laura was forced to turn her attention elsewhere.
“OK, I’m just going to hug everyone else,” she muttered, leading fans to speculate about their apparent feud.
“Laura’s gloating little dance at the end of the cook, where she asked everyone if they’d finished and delighted in their stress, ugh!” declared a fan.
Others noted the pasta whiz should have been more self-aware. “Laura really has no tact! If someone’s visibly upset, don’t ask how they did over and over and expect sunshine and rainbows,” sneered another.
It comes after contestant Sarah Clare, 33, was forced to deny claims she’d called Laura a bitch at last week’s Pressure Test. A satisfied Laura visited Sarah Clare’s station after her cook, where she quizzed Sarah about the elements of the challenge dish she’d missed.
The fashionable redhead told Laura she’d not been able to produce the chocolate
‘This coveted opportunity has brought with it a lot of friction’
soil, before Laura sharply said “that’s alright” and walked away. Eagle-eyed fans maintain that Sarah muttered “bitch!” under her breath when Laura turned her back – claims Sarah refutes – despite being unsure about what she definitely said.
It comes just weeks after Hayden Quinn, 33, was caught paying out on fellow competitor Poh Ling Yeow, 46. The restaurant owner failed to name Poh as part of this season’s “great line-up” of chefs, before telling reporters she’d “had enough”, referring to her extensive on-air time.
Similarly, last season’s runnerup Tessa Boersma, 28, found herself at the centre of rumours last week after it was revealed she was fed up with Melissa Leong’s apparent favouritism.