Ephraim Hardcastle
BBC today editor Sarah Sands was surprised when news of her resignation appeared on a website within 15 minutes of her sending a dawn email to the BBC. Director-general tony hall was apparently keen to persuade her to change her mind, but was denied the opportunity by the pre-breakfast publication. Sans Sarah, news and current affairs director Fran Unsworth should find it easier to apply the costcutting guillotine to today.
HAVING admitted he no longer pays for a TV licence, Laurence Fox receives a BBC letter threatening prosecution and a £1,000 fine. But Larry’s martyrdom isn’t guaranteed. Peering at the telly for free might soon be decriminalised.
POLITICAL commentator isabel hardman, pictured, expecting her first child with former Labour MP John Woodcock, asks for an instruction manual to explain why random strangers offer pregnant women a running commentary on their appearance ‘in a way they wouldn’t dare with no bump in evidence’. Kirstie Allsopp responds: ‘A man said to me, when i was pregnant with my 11lb 11oz son, “Wow, you are vast”. i bit his head clean off.’
JEREMY Vine’s curious purchase of a penny farthing is being blamed by friends on the male equivalent of the menopause. ‘I have learnt to ride the way they did in the 1880s,’ says the broadcaster. My head is at least 10ft above the ground.’ Some say it remains there even after you dismount, Jeremy.
SIR Mick Jagger might consult ex-Rolling Stone Bill Wyman about the claim that he slept with a 15-year-old fan. Bill, long haunted by Mandy Smith’s allegation that they first had sex when she was 14, tackled the issue head-on, explaining: ‘i went to the police and said, “Do you want to talk to me? Do you want to meet up with me, or anything like that? i got a message back – “No”. i was totally open about it.’
SIR Keir Starmer writes to the Cabinet Secretary expressing deep concern about certain political journalists being excluded from a briefing at No10. Is this the same Starmer who declared during the Labour leadership election, ‘I certainly won’t be giving any interviews to The Sun during this campaign’?
CHARLES Moore believes ITN’S Alastair Stewart was sacked for being too old, in a conspiracy by young people fed up at having to wait for top jobs. So why is David Attenborough, 93, still allowed on TV? ‘he has picked up the lingo,’ says Moore. ‘in recent years he has become wokery’s most famous hostage ever.’
ADMITTING to vanity about his intellect, London mayoral candidate Rory Stewart recalls Bill Gates starting an argument over dinner. ‘Unfairly, I felt that he felt he was cleverer than me,’ he tells Tatler. ‘One of my weaknesses is that I like to win arguments.’ Did you win this one Rory? Do tell!