Pandora: Scrum down at the Dorchester?
Wednesday 13 February 2008
Latest in Pandora
On Facebook
From the blogs
More than half of Afghanistan’s families live in extreme poverty
Leila is watching her baby intently, as his mouth moves trying to swallow the small blob of yellow p...
Time for a new approach to alcohol
Ambulances were called and three drunk teenagers were brought to my care. One was so drunk we had to...
Bahrain: One year on
I am used to endless lies and criticism from the BNP and its favourite blogster, as well as Islamist...
Paul Volcker stands tall against the banking lobby
Why is Europe, which likes to present itself as an opponent of speculative "Anglo-Saxon" finance, li...
David Beckham is universally regarded as the sporting world's foremost gay icon, but a rival is orchestrating the sort of public relations coup even Becks would be proud of.
The England rugby player Ben Cohen, who has a strong following among the pink community, has organised a special reception in their honour at London's Dorchester Hotel in May.
"I have received many letters and emails from guys. Some of them very graphic," he says. "I decided that if people are taking time to write to me and watch me play, I need to give them the support they give me."
Cohen is a happily married man, but it will interesting to see if any of his cauliflower-eared colleagues choose the occasion to come clean.
Vine's Stuckist rival sticks one on her at exhibition
The artist Stella Vine is about to renew her long-running hostilities with the Stuckists – the group of contemporary artists set up by her former husband, Charles Thompson.
The two parties have been at loggerheads since Vine, a former member, sold one of her paintings to their principal bête noire, Charles Saatchi. Now, one of their number, an artist called Mark D, is about to open an exhibition of paintings in London satirising Vine's work, which famously includes portraits of such celebrities as Kate Moss and Diana, Princess of Wales.
The artist, real name Mark Randall, has painted a picture of Victoria Beckham based closely on the Diana portrait bought by Saatchi. He has replaced a speech bubble of Vine's text of Diana begging her butler, Paul Burrell, to come over with Beckham, saying: "David, can you come home I'm really frightened America doesn't love me."
A picture also appears similar to one of her famous portraits of Moss, this time with the supermodel shown eating slugs.
Vine and Randall already have form. Several years ago, he tried to buy one of her paintings but was told to "go fuck yourself" once she discovered his connection to Thompson.
"There's no law against it, modern art does this sort of thing all the time," he tells me. "Stella is more than welcome to pay a visit to the exhibition but, judging by the last time we spoke, I can't imagine she will do."
Konnie spurns cash to protect her assets
Konnie Huq is discovering that life away from the Blue Peter sofa might not always be as cushy, but it is potentially far more lucrative.
Since quitting the BBC children's programme last month, Huq has reportedly been approached by several men's magazines to pose for a number of raunchy photo shoots.
It now emerges it wasn't small change that was being offered across the negotiating table. "Playboy were offering half a million for her to be the centrefold," her agent, pop impresario Jonathan Shalit, tells me. "Loaded magazine were also in touch wanting some topless shots. But Konnie is just not interested."
It is an admirable stance, though probably wise now that the 32-year-old intends to reinvent herself as a grown-up presenter.
"Konnie is from a very religious Muslim family, so let's just say that it would not have gone down well with them either," adds Shalit.
Jamelia's not afraid of ghosts
Jamelia has launched a refreshingly candid defence for employing a ghost-writer to pen her forthcoming memoir.
The leggy poptress, who has sold her life story to the publisher Orion, has decided to farm out typewriting duties to former Daily Mirror gossip-monger Jessica Callan.
"Let's face it, if I was writing it we'd be looking at being finished sometime around 2018," she told me at a party. "But I am working closely with Jessica and I'm sure she'll do a great job."
Orion reckons Jamelia's tale will be an "inspirational account" of a young woman combining a chart-topping career as well as being a mother.
Illustrating that point, she rather sweetly cut short our conversation to go and let her babysitter get home.
Red alert
The mutton-chopped Pensions Secretary James Purnell has enjoyed a steady climb up the greasy political pole, but is in danger of ruffling a few feathers in his Stalybridge and Hyde constituency in Manchester.
The area is home to a large number of Manchester United fans, which could lead to some tricky doorstep encounters for Purnell, a Londoner. He passionately supports Arsenal, who are five points clear of Man U in the Premiership.
* The tennis player Andy Murray faces opposition from his mother, Judy, over his mangled locks. Mrs Murray has hung a cartoon of her son with the slogan "Get Your Hair Cut!" at their home in Dunblane. "She is moving past the subtle suggestions as far as the hair's concerned," reports Murray's website.
- 1 No secularism please, we're British
- 2 Apple admits it has a human rights problem
- 3 'Drunk tanks' and minimum prices to help Britain sober up
- 4 Working as a jail torturer ruined my life
- 5 Lightning kills an entire football team
- 6 Reinstate Knox's murder charge, Italian court told
- 7 Caught in his own blast: an Iranian targeting Israel
- 1 Spotify: 1 million plays, £108 return
- 2 How Koscielny became prince of the Emirates
- 3 Apple admits it has a human rights problem
- 4 Mark Steel: If religion is 'marginal', I'm the Pope
- 5 No secularism please, we're British
- 6 Lightning kills an entire football team
- 7 Matthew Norman: There's always the Human Rights Act, Trevor
- 8 Special report: The hungry generation
- 9 I was born to be a killer. Every night I see the Devil in my dreams
- 10 Six Grammys, five years off: Adele puts love before career
Free trial of new Independent iPad app
Get your daily dose of the best of British journalism, sponsored by American Airlines
Win a three-week coastal jaunt
Spend three weeks exploring every nook and cranny of gorgeous Atlantic Canada.
Amazing restaurant offers
Three glasses of free champagne and a special menu at 46 top London restaurants.
Latest Independent competitions
Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page.
Commercial thought leaders
Watch the best in the business world give their insights into the world of business.
Career Services
Day In a Page
How an abortion divided America
Did they all live happily ever after? That's up to you...




Comments