Rupert Everett finally explains why he dubbed Madonna ‘an old whiny barmaid’ in memoir

‘It was meant to be a compliment,’ the actor explained

Madonna and Rupert Everett at an event in 1999 (Stan Honda/Getty Images)

Rupert Everett has explained why he dubbed Madonna “an old whiny barmaid” in one of his memoirs.

The My Best Friend’s Wedding actor was formerly good friends with Madonna, having worked with her on the romantic comedy The Next Best Thing in 2000. He also performed background vocals on her cover version of Don McLean’s “American Pie”.

In Everett’s 2006 memoir Red Carpets and Other Banana Skins, he referred to Madonna in what appeared to be slightly disparaging terms, which he has now denied during an appearance on Piers Morgan’s Life Stories.

Asked by Morgan what he called Madonna in his book, Everett replied: “A screechy barmaid?”

“An old whiny barmaid,” corrected Morgan. “You didn’t finish there … You called her a curious little thing, Satan, a she-man. And you appear surprised that it put a little [cloud] over your relationship.”

Read more: Rupert Everett says he ‘ignored’ Bob Geldof while having six-year affair with wife Paula Yates

Everett explained that he didn’t intend the comment to be offensive.

“The whiny old barmaid was meant to be a compliment,” he said, adding that he remembered the star speaking in a specific and slightly whiny voice when she was younger. “She really got guys like that. And she was really charming. That wasn’t meant to be rude actually … Are you sure I put ‘old’?”

During the same episode of Life Stories, the British actor recalled a six-year affair he had with the late TV presenter Paula Yates, who was married to Bob Geldof at the time.

“We were very, very close, I must say, for a long time, and she’s someone that I adored and still do,” Everett explained. “I think I was in love with her. I adored her.”

Everett explained that he “just ignored” Geldof during the affair.

Everett’s episode of Piers Morgan’s Life Stories airs on ITV tonight (4 March) at 9pm.