Ephraim Hardcastle
WHILE her bearded joint chief of staff Nick Timothy is described as the Prime Minister’s ‘Rasputin,’ her all-powerful adviser, perma-tanned George Hollingbery MP, 52, is the aide responsible for Theresa May’s jokes at Prime Minister’s Questions, where she’s proven herself no Ken Dodd. A multi-millionaire whose Cornish villa has been used by the Camerons, Hollingbery, I am told, ‘tours Westminster wreathed in cigarette smoke and mystery, quietly tipping his favourites the wink and emitting more sulphurous clouds over Mrs May’s foes. Having made his money in pet shops he’s no novice when it comes to chewing ankles’. Handy for keeping MPs in line.
BEATLES biographer Hunter Davies, 80, recalls seeing Arsenal FC recently: ‘I’d been invited by a friend, Jason, whose friend, Ernest Hecht (aged 86, the managing director of Souvenir Press) has seats in the very expensive club part, where you get champagne just for turning up.’ Who is well-connected Jason? Jason Cowley, editor of the Left-wing weekly, the New Statesman. A ‘champagne socialist’ presumably.
POP veteran, Rick Wakeman, 67, of Yes, recalls a memorable experience at the BBC: ‘I was doing [TV arts show] Omnibus, and I accidentally walked into the wrong studio. And there in front of me was Basil Brush, sat at his desk just like you see him on the TV. He says in that Basil Brush voice, “I say – it’s Rick Wakeman!” As there’s an audience, I mumble, “Hello Basil. Very nice to meet you”. And he just says, “Right. We’re in the middle of rehearsal, and ever so behind. So if you could just **** off, there’s a good chap”.’ Basil’s original ‘voice’ belonged to his ventriloquist, Ivan Owen, a take-no-prisoners sort of chap.
SHAMELESSLY plugging The Night Manager as ‘the compelling BBC1 crime drama’, Radio 4’s Nick Robinson gushes to its Emmywinning director, Susanne Bier, 56: ‘It’s beautifully directed. It’s on the scale of a giant Hollywood movie.’ Encouraged by Robinson, Ms Bier calls her series ‘a compelling thriller... yet very psychological’, adding: ‘Forty million Chinese were watching it... so it’s been quite a substantial success everywhere.’ Robinson, finally: ‘It was an extraordinary programme enjoyed by millions.’ Enough already!
CONSCIENCE of the world Bono, the U2 multi-millionaire, attending a Montreal conference called to raise funds for Aids, malaria and TB, hoses Canada’s PM, Justin Trudeau, down with treacle, saying: ‘You’ve always been ahead of the curve in realising we can do more if the international community works together and subsuming your ego into the grand plan.’ What unearthly force would be needed to subsume the Bono ego into a grand plan?
TENNIS champ Serena Williams, 34, who had her £300 dinner bill at Ricardo Steak House in East Harlem paid by the restaurant’s flattered owner, is accused of not thanking him, or leaving a tip. ‘Multi-millionairess Serena might only recognise service when it’s on the court,’ suggests my source.