It may be a wild rumour but, if not, you read it here first. While England are doing their 2018 bidding in South Africa there is intriguing speculation buzzing around sport's political circles that the show-stealing David Beckham is to be given a knighthood in the New Year's Honours.

Someone surely should commission a biopic based on the bizarre life of Gyles Brandreth, that Zelig in the world of contemporary celebrity. For more than 50 years, Brandreth has played the fool in one way or another, modifying and varying his act and career as the culture around him changed.

Olympic swimmer Rebecca Adlington's agent said the BBC did not take tough enough action against a comedian who joked on TV about her appearance.

So Aussie Jessica Watson, 16, begins her attempt to break British 17-year-old Mike Perham's record as the youngest person to sail around the world solo. Well beat this, Sheila. Sail Chapman may have nothing to do with sailing but he has become the youngest to climb all 214 of "Wainwright's peaks" in the Lake District – aged five years and 22 days. He began at the age of two, and his brothers Eire, eight, and Evan, six, had achieved the feat a fortnight before. Sail appropriately finished on Sale Fell, his father David saying: "It's a joke really, it's only a grassy little hill." Surely a case of "competitive dad". Brother Coel, two, has just started his own attempt too. These lads are peaking far too early.

Michael Phelps, the most successful Olympian of all time, will compete in Britain for the first time in December in a Ryder Cup-style "Duel in the Pool" event pitting some of Europe's best swimmers, including Britain's Rebecca Adlington, against America.

A "bad taste" joke made by comedian Frankie Boyle on Mock The Week about the Queen did not breach editorial guidelines, the BBC Trust found today.

Six people have been charged over an alleged £5m online ticket scam involving ticket sales for the Beijing Olympics and other sporting and music events.