Baby Jenkins can already carry a tune

KATHERINE Jenkins is already giving her two-year-old, Aaliyah, singing lessons.

‘She comes with me when I’m working and gets to see a lot of it live, and I think that’s a good way to expose her to classical music. I can see she loves music already,’ Katherine, 36, tells me at the launch of haircare collection Hair by Sam McKnight at Liberty London. ‘She loves the singing classes and those kinds of groups, but I’m not going to push her in any direction.

‘I don’t think parents should force kids into something before they are old enough to decide for themselves.

‘All we can do is introduce them to things and see if they like them. Otherwise, the pressure gets too much.’

Paul O’Grady recalls how he and the late Cilla Black were once mistaken for lovers during a ‘romantic’ trip on the Orient Express. Ex-drag queen O’Grady, who is gay but has a daughter and grandchildren from a youthful liaison, recalls: ‘I took Cilla on the Orient Express for her 60th. The conductor said: “Shall I make up both bunks or shall I put two bunks together?” I said: “I’m not getting in with her!” and she said: “I’m not getting in with him neither!”’