Having insisted he makes a rule of defiantly wearing his trademark woolly jumpers in a heatwave, Gyles Brandreth appears to have finally been rumbled. Championing his bizarre choice of summer attire, publicity-hungry Brandreth has eccentrically claimed: “I wear this for a good reason: the absorption of heat is purely psychological, it’s all in your head. If you think cool, you’ll be cool."
Comedian Frank Skinner now provides evidence to the contrary, however: spotting sweaty Gyles in the VIP area when they were both attending a recent open air performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Regent’s Park, Frank mischievously reports: “It was a warm, warm night, and who should turn up but Brandreth... he had the jumper with him, but it was too hot to wear, so he had it around his neck.”
As England prepare for their World Cup quarter-final, delightfully bonkers Flash Gordon actor Brian Blessed adapts his famous catchphrase in honour of the team's star winger. “Gordon's alive!” Blessed bellows. “Anthony Gordon!”
Causing an uproar after being photographed in an England football shirt over in California, Welshman Sir Anthony Hopkins is no stranger to upsetting the land of his birth.
The Oscar-winning actor memorably met with anger back home when choosing to become an American citizen in 2000. Now 88 and wed to third Colombian-born wife Stella, Hopkins’ claim he still hopes to relocate from the US back to Wales is increasingly taken with a pinch of salt.
Asked about his unlikely longevity while promoting the Rolling Stones’ latest album Foreign Tongues, old hellraiser Keith Richards, 82, jokes: “Healthy living and going to bed early."
Following Prince Harry’s legal defeat in London this week, the Sussexes’ long-time foe Piers Morgan crowed: “A very bad day for ginger, whining, treacherous little weasels.”
It’s now over five years since Piers was axed by ITV’s Good Morning Britain after his outspoken attack on Meghan.
Days after I reported that actor Rupert Everett had taken umbrage at customers ungratefully complaining about his skills behind the bar when volunteering at local Wiltshire boozer The Swan, the Enford-based pub is now officially honoured for serving “perfect pints” by real ale watchdog Casque Marque.
No praise for Rupert, alas: the film star’s services haven’t been required since new owners arrived.
Often spotted posing for selfies with fans during regular trips to her local Marks & Spencer in Wales, the late Bonnie Tyler cheerfully clarified: “I don’t go around with bodyguards - I’m not Mariah Carey, darling!”
By chance visiting the Miami area with her family during the same weekend as England’s World Cup quarter-final against Norway, outspoken property presenter Kirstie Allsopp is on the hunt for tickets.
While complaining about predictably exorbitant prices, surely jet-setting Kirstie can afford to splash out?
