DUNDEE THESPIAN

Brian Cox’s frantic retreat — just months after bad-mouthing all and sundry in the memoir — continues apace. Having publicly cast doubt on Michael Caine’s “range” (hardly a novel assessment!), I gather Brian urgently wants to “redress matters considerably” by instead lavishing fawning praise on Michael in the upcoming paperback version. While revelling in his powerful TV alter-ego of late, Mr Cox’s feeble response to the furore that greeted his original observations of Caine, Depp, McKellen and co regrettably exposes a considerably less formidable figure away from the screen.