<\/p>\n
Days after old crooner Engelbert Humperdinck\u2019s public offer of a truce with Sir Tom Jones,<\/a> there’s sadly little sign of peace on the horizon. While Engelbert<\/a> announced to this newspaper last weekend he was ready to shake hands with the Welshman after decades of bad blood – they once shared manager Gordon Mills – I’m told Sir Tom is ruling out any reconciliation. Indeed, he’s still been known to fume in expletive-ridden fashion about Humperdinck all these years on.<\/p>\n Though The Hump maintains he\u2019s no idea why they originally fell out, it\u2019s been suggested it dates back to him dropping his trousers in the presence of Jones\u2019s then American girlfriend, Charlotte Laws.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n Confirmation Sir Stephen Fry<\/a> will return to the London stage as Lady Bracknell in the The Importance of Being Earnest, comes 30 years after he dramatically fled from West End production Cell Mates.<\/p>\n While Fry\u2019s walkout was blamed on a negative newspaper review at the time, he\u2019s since stated it was down to his bipolar condition. Left in the lurch by Stephen – who quit the play after three days and was eventually located in Belgium – co-star Rik Mayall bitterly reflected. \u201cYou don\u2019t leave the trenches, especially if the other actors become unemployed.\u201d<\/p>\n The show closed after a month – it’s said Rik, who died in 2014, never forgave him.<\/p>\n +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n Having made headlines wailing he\u2019d been \u201cfired\u201d from Netflix<\/a> drama Emily In Paris<\/a>, Rupert Everett now backtracks.<\/p>\n The film star, who played Italian fashion designer Giorgio Barbieri, awkwardly clarifies: \u201cI’d like to confirm that I was never fired from the show. I was talking to a group of acting students – in my shaky Italian – at a festival in the south of Italy. It all got a little lost in translation.\u201d Upsetting Mr Netflix<\/a> isn\u2019t a wise career move in 2025…<\/p>\n<\/div>\n +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n Now accused of \u201ccharacter assassination\u201d by The Who’s Sir Roger Daltrey<\/a>, Sir Ringo\u2019s Starr\u2019s drummer son Zak Starkey – recently sacked from the band – pleads innocence. \u201cI didn\u2019t make any nasty comments about Roger when I got fired,\u201d he protests. \u201dI love Roger…we go back too long for grudges.\u201d<\/p>\n Don\u2019t think Roger sees it that way!<\/p>\n +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n Legendary actor Sir Alec Guinness, who died 25 years ago this week, was unenthusiastic about Star Wars<\/a> alter ego Obi-Wan Kenobi.<\/p>\n Bristolian co-star David Prowse, who wore Darth Vader’s outfit (but didn\u2019t voice the villain), once managed to persuade the reluctant thespian to sign photographs for fans. He however recalled: “Under the ones where I’d signed ‘David Prowse is Darth Vader’, he’d written ‘Alec Guinness is Alec Guinness.\u2019”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n