‘I’m too old to be a toy boy’

West End star Michael Ball, 58, says he wishes he ‘looked as young’ as his girlfriend, Sixties icon Cathy McGowan, 78

SIr TIM rICE usually has a way with the ladies, but Hollywood legend Faye Dunaway is immune to his charms. The celebrated lyricist reveals that the star of Chinatown and Bonnie And Clyde once attacked him in a lift. ‘On the way down from the 9th floor of a building in Downtown Manhattan one evening, the rather ancient elevator stopped at the 8th and a familiarlooking lady stepped in,’ he says. ‘By about the 6th floor, I’d clocked that it was Faye Dunaway. ‘She turned to me somewhat aggressively and said that I’d helped her lose her role in what she said was “your musical”. “What? Which musical?” said I. “Sunset Boulevard” said she. In vain did I explain that I had nothing to do with that show. ‘But the elevator show, like life, was too short and she stomped off, no doubt delighted that she’d put the rat who’d booted her off the show in his place.’ He adds: ‘At least she didn’t get violent.’

KATE WINSLET has never been afraid to bare all for her art, but she’s now revealed that some of her male co-stars became a little too passionate for her liking during their nude scenes.

Praising the new fashion for ‘intimacy co-ordinators’ who supervise nude scenes, she says: ‘I definitely wish I had them in the past.’ The 45-yearold star of Titanic explains: ‘I could have done with that friend. You could just do with someone saying, “Can you ask him not to put his hand there”, so it wasn’t me having to say, “Can you not put your hand there”, which can be pretty awkward.

‘It might have made a difference to me over the years.’

Time to name names, Kate.