Oppenheimer “If the radiance of a thousand suns were to burst at once into the sky, that would be like the splendour of the mighty one”. ~ Bhagavad Gita (XI,12), quoted by Robert Oppenheimer The film “Oppenheimer” premiered on Friday (21st July), is being bizarrely pitted against the film “Barbie”, reflective of the aspect which […]

Categories: Celebrities · Film · Historical

Glenda Jackson (1936 – 2023) “Any prize was a benign irrelevance for her.  People often say they don’t care about awards: Jackson really did not.  Neither gushing nor contemptuous…” ~ Susannah Clapp, Theatre critic for the Observer Actor and Politician in equally effective measure, Glenda Jackson died this week, after a short illness, at the […]

Categories: Celebrities · News · Obituary

Jeremy Paxman “I’ve been lucky enough to work with an amazing team and to meet some of the swottier brains in the country. It gives me hope for the future.” ~ Jeremy Paxman Last Monday night, with very little fanfare, Jeremy Paxman let go of his tenure of the role of chief inquisitor on University […]

Categories: Celebrities

Tina Turner (1939 – 2023) “There’s always been an emotion in my voice because it reached back to the life I was living. Where there were tears in stage, it wasn’t Hollywood, it was real” ~ Tina Turner No prizes for guessing the subject of today’s blog (nor to guessing which stories I swerved this […]

Categories: Celebrities · Obituary

Ben Whishaw “As an actor you have total rights to privacy and mystery, whatever your sexuality, whatever you do. I don’t see why that has to be something you discuss openly because you do something in the public eye. I have no understanding of why we turn actors into celebrities.” ~ Ben Whishaw One of […]

Categories: Celebrities

Eurovision 2023 It was a dream come true for British Eurovision fans to host, on behalf of Ukraine, the 67th Eurovision Song Contest, in Liverpool.  For many youngsters, it was the first time in their generation, the last time the U.K. hosted being 1998.  It was not, however, a dream come true, for the U.K. […]

Categories: Book Review · Celebrities

Len Goodman (1944 – 2023) “Seven!” ~ Len Goodman The top judge on the top show – it doesn’t get much better than that…the much loved Len Goodman passed away last week, at the age of 78.  His life seems to have been mapped out for a trajectory of dancing success in the ballroom. Birth […]

Categories: Celebrities · Obituary

Barry Humphries (1934 – 2023) “Both Gifted and a Gift” ~ Anthony Albanese, Australian prime minister Barry Humphries, otherwise known as his alter ego Dame Edna Everage, died yesterday at the age of 89, peacefully after complications from hip surgery. Adopted in the U.K. from his native Australia, he became a national treasure here.  We […]

Categories: Celebrities · Obituary

Mary Quant (1934 – 2023) “A leader of fashion but also in female entrepreneurship – a visionary who was much more than a great haircut” ~ Alexandra Shulman The swinging sixties fashion icon, Mary Quant, died this week aged 93.  She was responsible for the slick haircut, the mini-skirt (you had to have the legs), […]

Categories: Celebrities · Obituary

Paul O’Grady (1955 – 2023) “…funny, fearless, brave, kind and wise” ~ Lorraine Kelly The nation had many reasons to love Paul O’Grady: from those who loved to be entertained, to dog lovers, to the LGBTQI community.  He died at the age of 67 this week, unexpectedly, but peacefully. Birth Chart Paul O’Grady had the […]

Categories: Celebrities · Obituary