Daily Mail

Ephraim Hardcastle

- Email: peter.mckay@dailymail.co.uk

BROADCASTI­NG types are fascinated by BBC director of radio, strategy, digital and education James Purnell being interviewe­d politely on Radio 4’s media show Feedback about, among other things, the perception he’s investing in youth-attracting schemes at the expense of older listeners. The former Labour arts minister, who has no broadcasti­ng experience, is a friend of BBC director-general Tony Hall. Critics say he landed multiple BBC jobs without facing any competing candidates and wonder if Hall is building him up as his successor.

WILL Theresa May dare deploy her most sensitive Brexit asset, the Queen? Cynical politicos say the monarch could present a gong to tipsy, title-prone EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, who has accumulate­d 17 baubles from France, Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy and Norway.

CAROLE Middleton’s decision to give interviews on the 30th anniversar­y of her family’s business, Party Pieces, was approved by Prince William before the reported ill-feeling between his wife, Kate, and Harry’s bride, Meghan. ‘Getting to know a bit more about his maternal mother-in-law, the future Queen’s mother, might help dispel the public perception that royal in-laws should be invisible,’ suggests my source.

TV pundit Ayesha Hazarika, 42, pictured, a former Labour aide, recalls ‘diversity training’ for her old boss, Gordon Brown. But her efforts to acquaint the ex-PM with LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgende­r) issues ended in embarrassm­ent. She says Gordon got the term mixed up with BLTs – bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches.

CNN royal commentato­r Victoria Arbiter (daughter of ex-palace aide Dickie Arbiter) says: ‘If William and Kate are at Sandringha­m for Christmas it won’t be to appease the Press. It’ll be because Christmas with the Queen and Prince Philip, 92 and 97 respective­ly, is growing ever more precious.’ Shrewd of Victoria to distance herself from ‘the Press’.

LBC’s combative Nick Ferrari is resisting the book-promoting charm offensive of former First Lady Michelle Obama, a Harvard-educated ex-lawyer, saying: ‘I don’t know how having a £200,000-a-year job is humble beginnings.’ Did Radio 4’s celebrity-loving Today show miss a trick failing to anoint Michelle as a Christmas editor?

KEYBOARD wizard Rick Wakeman, formerly of Yes, confides on Twitter: ‘Dec 3: Two wonderful shows with piano and orchestra here in the Czech Republic. Forgot to bring a warm coat and so various parts of my body are somewhat frozen. It is also possible a couple of frozen bits may have dropped off, as my voice does seem to be a little higher.’

DOLLY Parton, whose businessma­n husband of over 50 years, Carl Dean, has long maintained a low profile, sheds some light on her mysterious spouse. Discussing music for a new film, Dumplin’, produced by and starring Hollywood sexpot Jennifer Aniston, she says: ‘My husband is crazy about her. I think he kinda fantasises about a threesome with us.’ Nurse!

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