‘Ageing popstar’ Andy Burnham faces an uphill battle with one foreign leader | UK | News
Although President Trump has publicly praised Andy Burnham for his plans to accelerate oil and gas drilling in the North Sea, our incoming Prime Minister’s sartorial tastes are likely to challenge this special relationship. I was reminded that Burnham’s insistence on regularly appearing in front of the cameras in casual attire would go down like a lead balloon in Donald’s White House, where suits and ties are publicly considered non-negotiable. “Of course she’ll dress appropriately for face-to-face meetings with the President, but looking like an aging pop star the rest of the time won’t help her credibility with Trump,” grumbles a Washington source.
Ahem, Mr Gove
Delighted at the news that Shabana Mahmood will remain as Home Secretary, former Tory cabinet minister and current Spectator magazine editor, Michael Gove enthuses: “Once again The Spectator gets it right.” Michael, who divorced journalist Sarah Vine in 2022, isn’t exactly impartial, according to Ms Mahmood: he awkwardly admitted in April that he was in love with the 45-year-old Labor politician.
Strange!
Oscar-winning Irish star Brenda Fricker, who has died aged 81, once found herself reassuring anxious candidate Al Pacino that he was guaranteed to win the Academy Award for which he was nominated after being booked to present said gong on the night.
Unfortunately, at the time, he had no idea whose name was actually on the sealed envelope. Shy Brenda explained years later: “Then when it comes to doing it, I go out: ‘The Oscar goes to…Joe Pesci!’ “I could see Al Pacino sitting there.”
I can’t keep a good man down
Gyles Brandreth, now 78 years old, announced that he will reach this century as required by contract. “Because I’m writing a book with my physical therapist called ‘Seven Secrets of 100 Years of Life,'” he explains.
Who would bet that the irrepressible Gyles will still be flogging his goods in 2048?
At least he’s happy
John Cleese, 86, who is celebrating 14 years of marriage to his fourth wife, Jennifer Wade (the Bath-born jewelery designer who is more than three decades his junior), says mischievously: “I think the best thing in my life is that I finally married someone I love. I tried three Americans but it didn’t work and then I found an English girl.”
The divorce from American wife number three Alyce Faye Eichelberger set Cleese back £15 million.
Don’t be so hard on yourself!
West End star Ruthie Henshall, who is busy promoting a new memoir about her long-ago romance with Prince Edward, insists she is an unsuitable royal wife. “It wasn’t really going to happen. [work out] “Because I would get away from nightclubs and things like that,” he says. “I would really bring out the royal family.”
There’s been much worse, Ruthie!
Farewell to great football
The news of the death of the great star of English football, Kevin Keegan, is mourned in Germany, where Keegan played for the famous Hamburg team from 1977 to 1980. With Keegan’s signature, there was an increase in babies born in Hamburg being named Kevin in the late 1970s.
