MISSING LINKS

HOW two seemingly unrelated figures in the news might just be connected to each other after all…

JENNIFER LOPEZ

… last week finally married Ben Affleck, 21 years after they first met – and 18 years after they first broke up. Beyond her film and musical work, J-Lo is credited with helping create Google Images. The search giant realised it needed the function after being inundated with queries about the green Versace dress she wore to the 2000 Grammy Awards. Also inspiring search engines was…

JEEVES

… with PG Wodehouse’s fictional manservant lending his name to the now defunct Ask Jeeves. Bertie Wooster’s valet (not a butler as he doesn’t run a household, although he could ‘buttle with the best of them’) was named after cricketer Percy Jeeves, and, to Wooster’s shock, eventually revealed a first name: Reginald. Just like…

ELTON JOHN

Born Reginald Dwight, he took his name from bluesmen Elton Dean and Long John Baldry (and the middle name Hercules, not from the mythical hero but the horse in sitcom Steptoe & Son). In the film Rocketman, the superstar was played by Taron Egerton, who also portrayed…

EDDIE THE EAGLE EDWARDS

… in his 2015 biopic. Although something of a laughing stock, the ex-plasterer is still the sixth all-time best British ski jumper, thanks to his 71m jump at the 1988 Winter Olympics. He also recorded a Finnish novelty single, Mun Nimeni On Eetu (My Name Is Eetu). The song made No 2 in Finland. Just one place lower than…

BARRY CRYER

… achieved in 1958 with The Purple People Eater, after legal wranglings prevented Sheb Wooley’s original being released in Scandinavia.

The late comedian suffered such chronic eczema early in his career that he was hospitalised 12 times. Others who have suffered from the skin condition are…

KATE MIDDLETON

Not that you’d know it now, but she was bullied as a teenager over the condition. The Duchess has just become an aunt again after sister Pippa gave birth to her third child, a girl.