Orange Celebrity Blog

The best party clothes in the world?

2009-07-10T10:33:21+01:00

Posted by Jane Murphy

Tess Daly ensured her place in the tabloids by showing up to last night’s Serpentine Gallery summer party in a cute gold minidress - just six weeks after giving birth to baby Amber. Very nice.

Still, I’ve no idea what the dress code was for the event - but there were some pretty impressive outfits on show.

Here’s never-knowingly-understated fashion designer Zandra Rhodes and her old mate, all-round arty type Andrew Logan…

And here’s everyone’s favourite cross-dressing artist Grayson Perry, doing his acclaimed Su Pollard impersonation…

Readers, I must have that dress. I will not rest until it is mine.

Ahem! Sorry - where was I? US hip-hop mogul and king of N.E.R.D. Pharrell Williams came dressed as a country squire…

Maybe he thinks that’s how everyone dresses for parties in England.

And T4 presenter Miquita Oliver broke with long-held tradition by leaving her jeans at home and going all sexy on us…

I wonder what brought that on.

So are you impressed with the outfits? Tell us here.

Pictures: Wenn

New Wag on the block!

2009-07-10T10:23:32+01:00

Posted by Jane Murphy

Look! Big Brother 7’s Imogen Thomas is going out with Spurs and England footballer Jermain Defoe. I never even knew they were friends - did you?

The pair were snapped leaving London’s Nobu Berkeley last night - both looking the picture of health, despite recent reports that Imogen’s been suffering from swine flu. Marvellous!

Note how the couple initially employ a pose known as the “reverse Posh and Becks” (above), in which she leads him along by the hand - but then revert to the more common-or-garden “man in charge” pose, with Jermain striding out in front…

Now, according to my lovingly kept records, this is the first time Jermain has dated an ordinary Big Brother star - although he has, of course, previously been out with Celebrity Big Brother favourite Chantelle Houghton and not-so-favourite Danielle Lloyd.

Ah well, here’s to a long and happy relationship between the couple. I wonder if Imogen’s already planning her wardrobe for next year’s World Cup…

Pictures: Wenn

Pottermania hits New York

2009-07-10T10:16:58+01:00

Posted by Jane Murphy

Blimey! Just 48 hours after Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince had its London premiere, everyone involved had to hotfoot it across the Atlantic for the film’s first screening in the US.

So here’s Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint looking suitably glammed-up outside the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York - although I’m pleased to note that Rupert did at least have the decency to look a tiny bit tired. Keep smiling, Rupe - only another 10 premieres to go…

The star-studded event was also attended by half the cast of Ugly Betty and several once-high-profile US stars, who’ve been a tad off-radar recently. An example? Here’s Chevy Chase…

…who appears to have morphed into Jack Nicholson. Ah well, it happens to us all eventually.

And here’s Frasier star Kelsey Grammer with his daughter Mason…

In other news, the film’s stars have been doing the rounds of TV shows and interviews in the Big Apple. On Wednesday night, Emma appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman, and was asked about that accidental knicker-flashing incident at the London premiere.

Her reply? “This was a small wardrobe malfunction - it happens. At least, I was wearing underwear! I’m still learning, I’m still learning!”

She’s right, you know. It takes some stars much longer to master the art of not flashing your bits in public places. Sharon Stone still has problems - and she’s 106 years old!

Anyway, you can watch the whole of Emma’s interview here…

Pictures: PA, Wenn

Has the Cheryl backlash begun?

2009-07-09T10:23:19+01:00

Posted by Jane Murphy

Hmmm… can anyone else smell the whiff of a Cheryl Cole backlash in the air? For the past 18 months or so, she could do no wrong - but I’ve noticed a few sniffy comments about her in the press over recent weeks.

An example? Well, our old mates at the Daily Mail have just published a 10,000-word (or thereabouts) “think-piece” on how Chezza has turned herself into a “human Barbie”.

How so? Well, apparently, she’s “spent £4,000 a year on hair extensions, £9,500 on her smile - and £36,000 on an exercise bike“. (Except - as the newspaper points out much further down the copy - she didn’t actually buy the bike. It was a gift from Harrods three years ago. And she doesn’t use it any more.)

Still, even the celebrity weeklies seem to have been laying into Cheryl for her recent fashion choices.

Heat’s comment on the £4,000 Alexander McQueen frock she wore to her birthday party last week? “Dancing on Ice called - they want their dress back!”

Meanwhile, the Daily Telegraph’s fashion director Hilary Alexander sniffs: “Isn’t a girl constantly showing so much flesh just starting to look the teensiest bit desperate? She should save it for the bedroom.” Me-ow!

So is all this cattiness just something to fill column inches while we wait for the next series of The X Factor to begin? Or have people genuinely started to tire of Cheryl? Tell us what you think.

Pictures: Rex Features

SEE ALSO:
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Hugh does his bit for cancer charity

2009-07-09T10:16:14+01:00

Posted by Jane Murphy

Now, we don’t see many new pictures of Hugh Grant nowadays - partly because of his chuckle-inducing penchant for throwing Tupperware boxes full of cold baked beans over the paparazzi.

But - credit where credit’s due - the floppy-haired actor was more than happy to step into the spotlight yesterday afternoon, when he helped launch a new awareness campaign for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

It turns out that Hugh won the right to commission a YouGov survey in a charity auction - which he then used to find out whether people were aware of the organisation’s work.

Sadly, nearly four out of five people didn’t know that a Marie Curie nurse would be available to them if they needed one - and half didn’t know how to get one.

Hugh was inspired to do his bit for the charity after Marie Curie nurses helped his own family. “They were so fantastic to my mum who, eight years ago almost to the day, was in her last 24 hours,” he explained. “And if you can ever have a happy last 24 hours, she pretty much had one, and entirely thanks to Marie Curie.”

Find out more about the charity’s work here.

Picture: PA

SEE ALSO:
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Wednesday night is party night (apparently)!

2009-07-09T10:12:26+01:00

Posted by Jane Murphy

Guess who was out partying at London’s Movida nightclub last night. Go on - guess!

Was it Newsnight presenter Jeremy Paxman? Nope. Human rights activist Shami Chakrabarti? No - try again! Reality TV stars and tabloid regulars Bianca Gascoigne, Michelle Heaton and Jack Tweed? You bet!

Now, as you can see from our picture above, Bianca had the sad misfortune to be pictured leaving the club with a noticeable damp patch on the front of her pink playsuit. (It’s the splash-back from those nightclub sinks, you know - it’s very unforgiving.)

Still, on the plus side, her eye make-up did look very impressive - and she managed to jump straight into a cab with a bunch of mates, including Mr Tweed and the ghost of a paparazzo in a bright yellow hoodie…

Meanwhile, Celebrity Big Brother star Michelle indulged in some light-to-midweight petting with her boyfriend Hugh Hanley, whose body language probably needs a bit of work…

And look who else bowled up. Yep, it’s David Hasselhoff - himself no stranger to embarrassing wet-patch-related paparazzi moments, although he scrubbed up rather nicely last night…

You’re just missing a medallion there, Dave.

Wish you’d been there, too, instead of sat at home watching Paxo on Newsnight? (Nope, me neither!)

Pictures: Big Pictures

SEE ALSO:
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Katie speaks out about Chantelle

2009-07-08T10:42:31+01:00

Posted by Jane Murphy

Look! Katie Price has been out on the town again. Her partner in crime? That nice chap from the Big Pictures paparazzi agency, Darryn Lyons.

Funnily enough, various snaps of their big night out have appeared on the agency’s website - so piecing the story together, it seems they went to a friend’s wedding reception at Annabel’s nightclub and the Connaught Hotel in London’s Mayfair.

Meanwhile, Katie has spoken out about the rumours surrounding her estranged husband Peter Andre and his apparent new best friend (ahem!) Chantelle Houghton.

“It seems like her and Peter could be in a relationship - and if they are, I’m really pleased for them,” she tells OK! magazine (who else?). “I think she’s a good-looking girl, she seems nice and I hope they’re happy, just as long as he’s with someone who is nice to our kids.”

Hmmm… why do I get the feeling she said all that through gritted teeth?

Pictures: Big Pictures

SEE ALSO:
Pete vows to stay celibate >>
Jordan v Chantelle: it’s war! >>
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Harry Potter and the half-drenched stars

2009-07-08T10:37:30+01:00

Posted by Jane Murphy

Damn this British weather! Poor Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe got absolutely soaked in a sudden downpour before last night’s Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince premiere in London’s Leicester Square.

But would this country’s finest young stars be put off by a bit of rain? Would they hell! Together with Harry Potter creator and all-round genius JK Rowling, they spent ages signing autographs, posing for pics and chatting to the crowd - some of whom looked like this…

Now, this being a blog devoted to celebrity tittle-tattle, duty requires me to inform you that Ms Watson did experience a brief wardrobe malfunction, when her drenched dress flew open to reveal her knickers.

Still, she recovered like a trooper and nothing else was said about it - until The Sun got hold of a telltale picture this morning, that is.

Anyway, despite the inclement weather, there was a huge turnout of stars at yesterday’s screening. Among them? Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver showed up in his sensible wet-weather gear…

…which, in my opinion, made him look a little like one of those “living statues” that hang around tourist hotspots.

Unfortunately, the rain played havoc with Helena Bonham-Carter’s hair…

At least, I think the rain was to blame. It’s hard to tell with Helena, isn’t it?

Other high-profile film-goers included crisp-botherer Gary Lineker, sweary chef Gordon Ramsay, GMTV’s Lorraine Kelly, actress Maggie Smith, red carpet regular Pixie Geldof and reality stars/models Danielles Bux and Lloyd. Marvellous.

But at least one person managed to escape the bad weather…

Yep, Myleene Klass looked as immaculate and fragrant as ever. How annoying!

Pictures: PA

SEE ALSO:
Daniel: ‘Dating Emma would be like incest!’ >>
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Jackson family under fire for Paris speech

2009-07-08T10:25:19+01:00

Posted by Jane Murphy

Child psychologists have reportedly “blasted” Michael Jackson’s family for allowing the star’s 11-year-old daughter Paris to speak at yesterday’s memorial service.

As you’ve no doubt already seen if you’ve switched on the TV or picked up a newspaper in the past 12 hours or so, Paris broke down in tears on stage while paying tribute to her dad.

Child psychologist Linda Blair (no, not the Exorcist one) told the press: “To be thrust into the limelight as Paris was is potentially very traumatic. This is a girl who has been shielded from the media her whole life.

“When a child is in shock, as Paris still will be from her father’s death, the most important thing is to keep everything as normal as possible. But the opposite has happened here.

“The world has rarely seen Paris’s face and has never heard her talk. But here she was making a speech to billions of people across the world. She is completely unused to speaking on stage. But here she was speaking on the biggest stage possible.

“In times like this, logic goes out the window - so you can’t blame the family for letting her do it. But they certainly made a bad judgement.”

Hmmm… I’m not sure how I feel about this. The whole experience was obviously very traumatic for Paris - but maybe her moment in the spotlight will eventually help her come to terms with her dad’s death and the surrounding media circus.

What do you think?

Picture: PA

SEE ALSO:
In pics: Michael Jackson memorial service >>
News report: Jacko’s daughter in emotional tribute >>
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Becks and Angelina - together at last?

2009-07-07T10:18:09+01:00

Posted by Jane Murphy

Heavens to Betsy! We may be in the midst of a worldwide recession at the moment - but Emporio Armani certainly has some cash to throw around.

The latest? Apparently, the hoity-toity Italian fashion house has approached Angelina Jolie to appear in an ad with current poster-boy David Beckham.

“The pair appeal to a diverse audience and a collaboration would create so much publicity, it would push Armani head and shoulders above their rivals,” insists an insider. “There are a few contract issues to be addressed, but marketing experts are being tasked with coming up with clever ideas for a print campaign.”

But what about David’s current poster partner Victoria Beckham? Does she get to star in a sister campaign with Brad Pitt? Or is she expected to watch from the sidelines while her husband strips down to his scanties with Ange?

Anyway, it’s all wrong! Ange and Becks? Beckselina? It just doesn’t sound right, does it?

Pictures: PA

SEE ALSO:
See Posh and Becks’ latest eye-popping ad >>
David unveils his new pants at Selfridges >>
Ange or Jen: who earns the most? >>
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