Bunhill: Out of date home

THE NEW issue of Ideal Home devotes seven pages to the Belgravia home of Howard Hodgson, who, you may recall, built up a massive funeral parlours empire before selling out to the French for pounds 90m in 1990.

He caused a stir 12 months ago when he left his French wife Marianne for another woman, Caroline Ashe, just as his book How To Be Dead Rich was being published. Curious, then, that the magazine feature is decorated with lavish photographs and breathless text portraying Hodgson still living happily with Marianne and the kids. There's even a step-by-step guide to reproducing the coronet bed- drapes above the nuptial bed.

Has there been a rapprochement, perhaps? Alas, no. Just a a boo-boo by Ideal Home - using a story written long ago. The couple are still apart, though Marianne now shares the house with Michael Hackney, Howard's former financial adviser.