EDEN CONFIDENTIAL: Damien Hirst immortalises his lover Sophie Cannell – as Medusa!
When her boyfriend Damien Hirst told her he was going to create a sculpture based on her body as one of his four works for new Mayfair restaurant Bacchanalia, inspired by Greek mythology, Sophie Cannell was no doubt flattered.
But after the world’s richest artist, 57, let the former ballerina know that she would be Medusa, a monstrous Gorgon with living venomous snakes in place of hair, she may have been less thrilled.
Cannell, who is 28 years Hirst’s junior, puts on a brave face, though, pointing out that he has even included her tattoo on the statue’s right wrist.
‘Me — tatts and all,’ she declares, proudly. At least he didn’t pickle you in formal-dehyde, Sophie.
When her boyfriend Damien Hirst (right) told her he was going to create a sculpture based on her body as one of his four works for new Mayfair restaurant Bacchanalia, inspired by Greek mythology, Sophie Cannell (left) was no doubt flattered
But after the world’s richest artist, 57, let the former ballerina know that she would be Medusa, a monstrous Gorgon with living venomous snakes in place of hair, she may have been less thrilled
Tragedy for chocolate heir as wife dies at 60
With two marriages behind him, it proved third time magically right for chocolate heir Cosmo Fry when, after living for 15 years in unmarried bliss with fashion editor Lulu Anderson, he took the marital plunge once more.
But now, just a decade later, the couple’s enchanted life together — spent partly in Somerset and partly in Provence at the house bought by Cosmo’s father, inventor and heir to the Fry’s chocolate fortune, Jeremy Fry — has ended in heart-breaking manner, with Lulu succumbing to cancer aged 60.
Her close friend, author Catherine Fairweather, broke the news, assuring friends that Lulu’s spirit remained unbroken, as she ‘squeezed the last drop out of every moment [and] exuded vitality even while she was dying, battling the cancer and defying all the doctors’ predictions.’
Cosmo Fry’s, 65, fashion editor wife Lulu Anderson, 60, has died following her battle with lung cancer. Her close friend, author Catherine Fairweather, broke the news, assuring friends that Lulu’s spirit remained unbroken
Eton-educated Cosmo, 65, established the Big Sleep hotels with Lulu (both pictured), numbering Hollywood star John Malkovich among their investors. Guests at their wedding party included actor Richard E. Grant and designer Jasper Conran.
Cosmo’s first wedding, to Lady Cosima Somerset, was attended by 500 guests, including her cousins, Zac and Jemima Goldsmith. The pair parted six weeks later.
He subsequently married Amanda Aspinall, daughter of late gambling tycoon John.
They had a daughter, March, and son, Orson — sometime boyfriend of model Alexa Chung — before divorcing. Aspinall, who went on to marry U.S. pop star Daryl Hall, of Hall & Oates, in 2009, was found dead in 2019 aged 61.
With Lulu, Cosmo had one more son, Jude, now romantically linked to Ella Clapton, daughter of Eric Clapton — guitar legend and writer, of course, of Tears In Heaven.
Margot: My tipsy bedroom scene with DiCaprio
Seducing Leonardo DiCaprio may be some women’s fantasy, but Margot Robbie needed Dutch courage for her bedroom scene with the actor in The Wolf Of Wall Street.
Speaking at a Bafta: A Life In Pictures event in Piccadilly, London, the Australian actress (right), who was 22 when the Martin Scorsese film was shot, admits: ‘I’m not going to lie; I had a couple of shots of tequila before that scene because I was nervous — very, very nervous.’
Seducing Leonardo DiCaprio may be some women’s fantasy, but Margot Robbie needed Dutch courage for her bedroom scene with the actor in The Wolf Of Wall Street
How Sanjeev’s meet with Beatles went off the rails
Beatles obsessive Sanjeev Bhaskar felt like a Nowhere Man after a pair of disastrous encounters with his heroes.
First, the Unforgotten star panicked when he saw George Harrison heading his way at the Royal Festival Hall.
‘I was thinking, “Do I call him George? Do I call him Mr Harrison? He’s a Beatle.” And so I was thinking, “Harrison, George, Beatle, Beatle, George, Beatle” and, as he approached, I said, “Hello, Borge!” ’
The comic’s luck got no better when he collared Ringo Starr at a party. ‘I told him my kids were obsessed with Thomas The Tank Engine.
‘I just wanted to say thanks for that… and the other stuff. And he just said, “Tell him I’ve moved on to a new station.” Yeah, I’ll pass it on.’
My advice if you bump into Macca, Sanjeev: Just let it be.
Turkey’s back on the menu this Christmas at the home of Dame Joan Collins’s daughter, Tara Arkle.
Last year, the writer, 59, tried to please her vegetarian children by forgoing festive poultry.
The daughter of Joanie’s second husband, late actor Anthony Newley, admits her decision ‘did not go down well with my husband, who felt short-changed and hungry on Christmas Day’.
She says of writer Nicholas Arkle: ‘There’s nothing like a nut roast to leave a dry taste in your mouth, which even a badly cooked turkey cannot mimic. My husband will never again entertain a veggie Christmas.’
Turkey’s back on the menu this Christmas at the home of Dame Joan Collins’s daughter, Tara Arkle (pictured)
A starter for ten: how big a fortune did Bamber Gascoigne have? Newly published probate documents reveal that University Challenge’s original quizmaster, who died in February aged 87, left a £4.7 million estate.
Most has gone to his widow, Christina, but tens of thousands were handed to charity including £25,000 to the Trussell Trust, which runs food banks, and the same amount for student bursaries at Magdalene College, Cambridge, where Bamber studied.
He also left £35,000 to the West Horsley Place Trust, which helps maintain the Surrey stately home he inherited in 2014 from his great-aunt, Mary, Duchess of Roxburghe.
Newly published probate documents reveal that University Challenge’s original quizmaster, Bamber Gascoigne who died in February aged 87, left a £4.7 million estate
Probably Britain’s most famous lexicographer, Susie Dent avoids expressing anger or strong emotions in words on emails or texts, but she has no problems with using emojis.
‘They can be quite powerful,’ says the Countdown star, 58. ‘People often think I should hate emojis because they’re trying to replace words.
‘But, actually, they’re one of the fastest moving areas of language.’
Fearsome former BBC inquisitor Jeremy Paxman didn’t seem very happy to have been handed the title of Cuddly Rottweiler of the Year at The Oldie awards yesterday.
‘No I don’t f***ing take to being called cuddly,’ he growls at the ceremony at the National Liberal Club in London.
Paxman, 72, enjoyed the gesture, though. ‘Since I have felt 60 since the age of ten, I am very grateful,’ he tells me. ‘I don’t miss being on TV. It’s like saying, “Do you miss taking the bins out?”’
Fearsome former BBC inquisitor Jeremy Paxman didn’t seem very happy to have been handed the title of Cuddly Rottweiler of the Year at The Oldie awards yesterday
Peter Kay, whose comeback tour sold out within hours, is clearly not hitting the road again for the money.
Accounts for his main company, Hussein Traders Ltd, disclose that it now has almost £23 million in investments. The comedian has just sold an estimated £50 million of tickets to his new tour, his first in 12 years.
He will perform in front of almost one million people, which includes a 30-day residency at London’s O2 Arena.
Source: Read Full Article