EDEN CONFIDENTIAL: James Blunt blasts Adele for cancelling concerts with less than 24 hours’ notice
James Blunt is willing to risk making enemies, as he demonstrated with his newly published memoirs in which he reveals run-ins with fellow musicians such as Sir Mick Jagger, Damon Albarn and Noel Gallagher. Now, the former Household Cavalry officer has pop superstar Adele in his crosshairs.
Blunt, 49, an alumnus of £50,500-per-year Harrow School, has blasted Adele, 35, who grew up with her single mother in a flat above a shop in South London, for cancelling concerts in the past with less than 24 hours’ notice, leaving many fans who had already paid for hotels and travel out of pocket.
‘I think she should have turned up,’ Blunt tells broadcaster Matt Everitt during a talk at the Emmanuel Centre in Westminster, where the You’re Beautiful singer was promoting his book. ‘People came across the world, paid good money, booked hotel rooms.’
James Blunt performs at BBC Radio 2 In The Park 2023 at Victoria Park on September 16, 2023
Adele performs on stage as American Express present BST Hyde Park in Hyde Park on July 1, 2022 in London
In 2017, Adele cancelled two shows she was due to perform at Wembley Stadium, having damaged her vocal cords. She posted a tearful video on social media soon after midnight on the day of the first concert, in which she declared: ‘To say I’m heartbroken would be a complete understatement.’
Everitt, a BBC Radio 6 presenter, praised Adele’s managers for not making her perform the Wembley gigs, suggesting it was a sign of progress in the music business. ‘There’s a more of a duty of care with musicians now, like when Adele cancelled two shows at Wembley stadium and, clearly they recognised she needed a break,’ he says, adding: ‘Ten years before that, they [managers] would have been, like, ‘No, go and do the show’
Blunt has previously joked about a rivalry with Adele. When she announced the release date of her album 30 in 2021, he remarked online: ‘Watch how fast that date changes the moment she realises my album is out the same day.’
James Blunt is willing to risk making enemies, as he demonstrated with his newly published memoirs in which he reveals run-ins with fellow musicians such as Sir Mick Jagger (pictured with Ronnie Wood)
Noel Gallagher performs on The Pyramid Stage during day four of Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 25, 2022
Joss weds in £70 dress
Joss Stone spent millions buying herself out of a record contract, so perhaps that explains why the pop star got married last week in a wedding dress that cost her less than £100.
‘I bought a white summer dress from ASOS ages ago,’ she tells me at the first night of The Time Traveller’s wife at the Apollo Theatre in London’s West End, for which she has written the music and lyrics with Eurythmics star Dave Stewart. ‘It literally cost me £70 and it came in the post and was tagged ‘bridal’. Luckily, I can still fit into it after having two kids.’
The Devon-born singer, 36, exchanged vows with Cody DaLuz, 32, an American musician, in Nashville, Tennessee. She decided to get married after a wedding bouquet thrown at the end of the musical’s first act recently landed near her.
‘I picked them up and the whole audience started cheering. I didn’t think about it but then when we went home, we were randomly, like, ‘Shall we get married?’.’
She adds of the ceremony: ‘We didn’t have anyone there; it was just us, as we just wanted to take away the stress off everything.’
‘It literally cost me £70 and it came in the post and was tagged ‘bridal’. Luckily, I can still fit into it after having two kids’
No 10’s Cleo Whips out 2nd racy book!
As one of five long-legged daughters growing up in a competitive family, there was never any danger Cleo Watson would rest on her laurels.
So it’s no surprise that just six months after knocking out her first book, Whips — summarised by a critic as ‘Fifty Shades of Grey meets Prime Minister’s Questions’ — the former No 10 adviser should already be giving a teasing glimpse of her second.
‘For those wondering where I could take the pun next… ‘ says Cleo, 34, who is pregnant with her first child. She was one of the rare Downing Street breed who got on well with Boris Johnson’s ex chief of staff, Dominic Cummings. The disparity in their heights inspired others to refer to them affectionately as ‘the gazelle and the pit pony’.
Six months after her first, Cleo Watson has delivered a second book: Cleavage
Cleo Watson, former Downing Street aid to Boris Johnson poses and shows off her baby bump before her talk at the Cheltenham Literature Festival
TV pioneer Dame Esther Rantzen recalls: ‘I spent some time as a reporter on Nationwide. The editor asked what stories I would like to report. I said: ‘I’d like to go to Northern Ireland and report on the Troubles.’
He said: ‘The problem is, Esther, what would you wear?’ I was speechless.’
The That’s Life! presenter adds: ‘I wonder what Kate Adie would have said?’ Unprintable, probably.
Fergie sends her love as niece gets engaged
Sarah, Duchess of York has enjoyed seeing her daughters Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie marry and have children.
Now she’s celebrating the engagement of her niece Heidi Luedecke to art consultant Ben Collinson.
‘She is my golden niece whom I love so much,’ Fergie (left, with a young Heidi) tells me. ‘I’m devoted to lovely Ben and Heidi.’ Her niece, 27, who works at the Tate gallery in London, has shared a selfie with Ben in which she shows off her impressive sparkler.
Her mother, the duchess’ sister Jane Ferguson, gushes: ‘So super-happy for them both.’ She adds, jokingly: ‘Welcome to the madhouse, Ben!’
Sarah Ferguson leaving the Chiltern Firehouse on May 18, 2023 in London, England
Heidi Luedecke gets engaged to Ben Collinson – posted by Heidi’s mother Jane Ferguson
A Halloween treat for Alan Sugar. The Apprentice star has won a year-long battle to demolish his garage after it was found NOT to be a home for bats.
Lord Sugar’s original plans were thrown out when he failed to carry out an ecological impact assessment. He resubmitted his bid after surveys revealed no roosting bats emerging from, or entering, the garage at his country mansion in Chigwell, Essex.
Officials at Epping Forest District Council gave the proposed development the go-ahead after there were no objections from neighbours.
She’s enjoyed playing amusing characters in BBC comedy Miranda and Channel Five hit All Creatures Great And Small, but Patricia Hodge says most older actresses are still typecast in negative roles.
‘I probably speak from a more comfortable position than a lot of people, but I don’t think the age thing has particularly shifted,’ Hodge, 77, says.
‘It’s not often that the old person is not a monster or has dementia or something. We’re still pretty stereotyped.’
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