Ephraim Hardcastle
JAMES Naughtie’s radio 4 interview with Michael Buerk after the Moral Maze presenter’s ejection from ITV’s I’m a Celebrity jungle bristled with disapproval. Naughtie, 63, who made much of Buerk’s appearance in a chicken costume, pontificated that by taking part, Buerk, 68, had ‘raised some eyebrows’ and as a serious BBC figure was bound to be set up. Buerk good-naturedly conceded as much but shouldn’t he have asked if his interrogator would dare follow in his footsteps? When asked later if he might – Buerk trousered £120,000 – Naughtie snapped: ‘don’t go there. Merry Christmas.’
FURTHER wit and wisdom from the man who would have been Regent had the Queen succeeded to the throne before she came of age. Though no fan of opera, the late Duke of Gloucester was obliged to attend a Covent Garden production of Tosca. After the heroine hurled herself from the ramparts in Act 3, the respectful silence was broken by a voice from the Royal Box. ‘Well, if she really is dead,’ piped up the Duke, ‘we can all go home.’
SHADOW work and pensions secretary rachel reeves, who is tipped to be Britain’s first woman Chancellor and a Labour leader, is expecting her second child with civil servant husband Nick Joicey in June, shortly after the General election. It suggests reeves, pictured, will be preoccupied if Labour lose and ed Miliband falls on his sword. ‘rachel will be the leader after the next one,’ says my Westminster source.
A COFFEE table tribute book to the late Nelson Mandela has been postponed after world leaders failed to meet deadlines. Opus Group planned to publish in time for today’s first anniversary of his death. ‘First President Putin failed to deliver his manuscript on time, then President Obama decided to revise his chapter. Now China’s president Xi Jinping, has missed his deadline,’ says a publishing figure.
AS AN honorary member of the reform Club, Prince Charles won’t vote in an election to fill five vacancies on the general committee. he’s well out of it. I am told: ‘A leading committee member, Anthony Capo-Bianco, has nominated six of the 15 candidates. there’s talk of cronyism.’ Cronyism in a gentleman’s club! Who’d have thought it?
THERE was no love lost between Rod Stewart and Faces keyboard player Ian McLagan, who has died in Texas after a stroke aged 69. He was upset over Stewart’s plans for a Faces reunion next year after he said he was ‘unavailable’ for McLagan’s own Faces tour of 2011. Of Stewart’s plans, McLagan remarked: ‘Why would we f*** around with The Faces? We’ve done The Faces and he [Rod] didn’t turn up.’
tory Zac Goldsmith, 39, is irked at being constantly mistaken in Parliament for fellow posh boy, Labour’s tristram hunt. diane Abbott MP is the most recent offender. eton-educated Mr Goldsmith was far too polite to suggest Miss Abbott might pay a visit to Specsavers.