SEBASTIAN SHAKESPEARE: Society magician Archie Manners conjures up Boy George by mistake
Lockdown, what lockdown? London’s social scene might have been put on the backburner, but its movers and shakers are refusing to let the fun come to an end.
Everyone from the Duchess of Cornwall to Health Secretary Matt Hancock and, reportedly, David Cameron is now socialising via Houseparty, the social network which allows group video calls.
Society magician Archie Manners — named by Tatler magazine as one of its top ‘power networkers’ — has revealed the highs and lows of rubbing virtual shoulders with the elite.
‘If I was at a normal party in normal life and a celebrity was there, I would never go up to them and interrupt their conversation — that would just be rude,’ Archie tells me.
Party trick: Archie Manners
‘But the great joy of Houseparty is that you can just barge into conversations — it’s considered socially acceptable.’
The 26-year-old, who has performed for the Duke of Cambridge and counts Alexander Warren, the son of the Queen’s beloved racing manager, John Warren, among his close friends, admits his first foray into Houseparty did not go smoothly.
He has also stumbled into a ‘room’ with pop star Boy George
‘When I downloaded the app, I accidentally opened it while trying to turn on some music after getting out of the shower,’ he says. ‘I was just in a towel with a face mask on looking like Casper the ghost. But as I was looking at the screen expecting it to be playing Les Miserables, I saw former culture minister Ed Vaizey smiling back at me!
‘He said: ‘Hi Archie, how are you?’ We spoke about quarantine life and he asked me to come on again to show his children some magic tricks — which I haven’t actually done yet, but will do.’
‘It’s quite normal for me to come into a conversation with someone who’s on Made In Chelsea. I’m sure Lottie Moss is probably on it but I haven’t got round to adding her yet.’
He has also stumbled into a ‘room’ with pop star Boy George. ‘I saw a mutual friend in conversation with him. I thought someone had just signed up with his name, but I clicked on it and found I was in the room with the actual, genuine Boy George.
‘He was even wearing his special hat. It was hilarious.’
‘It’s quite normal for me to come into a conversation with someone who’s on Made In Chelsea. I’m sure Lottie Moss is probably on it but I haven’t got round to adding her yet’
Harry’s ex Sarah Ann wins high honours
Burberry model Sarah Ann Macklin, who reportedly courted Prince Harry at the same time as he was trying to woo Meghan, has a spring in her step.
She has just been named by the London Metropolitan University as one of its highest-achieving students of Human Sciences.
The Harley Street nutritionist, 30, whose exes include model David Gandy, achieved a first-class honours BSc in Human Nutrition.
‘We need to be there for each other more than ever,’ she says, ‘and champion all the scientists who are working on a future cure to help us in years to come.’
Burberry model Sarah Ann Macklin, who reportedly courted Prince Harry at the same time as he was trying to woo Meghan, has a spring in her step
Best known for tootling around ancient ruins, classicist Mary Beard is having to acquire more modern skills for her new TV series Front Row Late. ‘It’s being filmed in my study — just me, as engineer, floor manager, presenter . . . and make-up artist,’ Cambridge University’s classics professor tells me from her home where she will film the BBC2 show.
‘I am going to be linked virtually to the rest of the team. ‘It’s a challenge, but we’re very committed to keeping arts discussion on TV — and we think people will understand if there are a few flaws.’
Edward Fox has worked with such legends as Dickie Attenborough, John Gielgud and Laurence Olivier. But today he’s saluting two men whom he considers the greatest talents he has ever seen in action — Fred and Bill Hannington. The brothers — owners of Tyre & Wheel garage in London — are laying down their grease-guns in favour of retirement.
‘They sold me a Skoda, second-hand, for £2,000 when it had done about 30,000 miles,’ Fox tells me. ‘And they’ve kept it going for £2,000 and it’s now done about 120,000.’ Awesome!
Prince Charles’s former flame, actress Susan George, 69, says she is finally ready to enjoy male companionship, ten years after losing her beloved husband, actor Simon MacCorkindale to cancer.
‘The other day, I listened to a new recording of the Whitney Houston song, I Wanna Dance With Somebody,’ she says. ‘It made me think ‘yes, I want to dance with somebody, I want that feeling of dancing with someone again’. ‘I’m not saying I’m ready for a relationship — |\I just wanna dance . . .’
Jenny Boyd, the original Sixties rock chick, who was married (twice) to Mick Fleetwood, has forgiven the errant drummer for his philandering. ‘I remember calling him and a woman answered the phone. We laugh about it now,’ she says. Former model Boyd even grants Fleetwood absolution for his affair with band member Stevie Nicks. ‘He was married to Fleetwood Mac and I was the mistress.’
Comic turn with ukulele Neill
Just because actors can’t appear on stage or at film shoots doesn’t mean they can’t continue performing.
Jurassic Park star Sam Neill has been treating his fans to online videos of him singing and playing the ukulele as well as reciting poetry.
‘I just pluck things out of the air,’ he says. ‘[I’m] finding things that I’ve put aside for a rainy day. Well, this is a rainy day.’ Neill, 72, adds: ‘There’s so much doom and misery around that someone being a little cheerful comes as a comic relief. I’ve been terribly touched, and also heartbroken by so many of the responses I’ve had.’
Fake news? Helen knows the real story
Peaky Blinders star Helen McCrory, who has a daughter Manon, 13, and a 12-year-old son, Gulliver, with Homeland actor Damian Lewis, is teaching her children to distinguish between real and fake news.
‘We all know now that anything we say and hear, once it goes online it can go anywhere. Everyone knows that now, but if you don’t, it can be quite dangerous,’ says McCrory, who is appearing in the ITV drama, Quiz.
‘My children are being taught to look at news, about what is real and what you go to — and what you don’t go to. We realise this is becoming a real problem.’
Perhaps she should read the Daily Mail.
Peaky Blinders star Helen McCrory, who has a daughter Manon, 13, and a 12-year-old son, Gulliver, with Homeland actor Damian Lewis, is teaching her children to distinguish between real and fake news
When Tilda plants an idea
Oscar-winning actress Tilda Swinton tells locals in the Highlands village where she lives that her work is just like farming.
‘There aren’t that many filmmakers who live there,’ she says. ‘If I’m talking to somebody who doesn’t know what I do, I say my work is like being a farmer.
‘You’re planting all these things: some of them come up really fast, some of them take a long time — and some of them don’t come up at all.’
Oscar-winning actress Tilda Swinton tells locals in the Highlands village where she lives that her work is just like farming
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