As cinemagoers queue to watch Wonka, Roald Dahl’s granddaughter Chloe is convinced that she’s won the golden ticket when it comes to love.
Chloe — whose mother, Lucy, a screenwriter, is a daughter of the children’s author — is enjoying a passionate romance with a Dutch lawyer, Linda Couvreur, 30, ‘She’s got that wild combination of sparkly eyes and a down-to-earth mind,’ Chloe, 33, tells me.
Chloe was previously engaged to a Hawaiian restaurateur, Nikki Booth, and says she won’t be hurrying into marriage: ‘I’ve learned there’s no need to rush when the love is real.’
Granddaughter of Roald Dahl, Chloe Dahl poses for a photograph with her personalised copy of The Golden Ticket interactive book in London
Chloe — whose mother, Lucy, a screenwriter, is a daughter of the children’s author — is enjoying a passionate romance with a Dutch lawyer, Linda Couvreur, 30
Has animal lover David gone too fur?
When David Tennant once again reprises his role as Doctor Who in tonight’s 60th anniversary special, he will be wearing his distinctive long, wool overcoat.
In real life, the 52-year-old Scot prefers a parka, with a hood apparently lined with real fur.
Stepping out on a lunch break from rehearsals for Macbeth, at the Donmar Warehouse in London, Tennant seemed to be wearing a Woolrich £935 arctic parka, which has a trim made of coyote fur.
This choice of coat would be surprising, as he’s a devoted animal lover who has appeared in animal charity adverts.
A spokesman for the actor declines to comment.
Jagger’s mini-me is all smiles on his seventh birthday
With his big grin, tousled hair and trademark lips, Deveraux Jagger is looking more like his father than ever in this snap, posted in celebration of his seventh birthday yesterday by his mother, Melanie Hamrick.
‘Sweet, energetic, silly, smart, wild and beautiful Devi,’ wrote the American ballerina, 36, who has been with Rolling Stones singer Sir Mick Jagger, 80, since 2014. ‘We love you more than anything.’
It’s possible that Deveraux is more worldly than other lads his age. He was a great-uncle at birth — courtesy of his sister Jade and her elder daughter, Assisi. The latter had her first child, a daughter named Ezra, two years before Deveraux was born.
Of course, Jade, 52, isn’t his eldest sibling — that honour goes to Karis Jagger, born to Sir Mick’s one-time lover, American singer Marsha Hunt, in 1970.
Deveraux Jagger is looking more like his father than ever in this snap, posted for his birthday
Jack wants in on Garrick Club – despite ‘no women’ rule
It spurned Dame Joanna Lumley 12 years ago when she fell foul of its rule requiring all members to be men. But never let it be said that the Garrick Club is dismissive of popular entertainers — even Jack Whitehall.
The 35-year-old, who found fame in Channel 4 comedy Fresh Meat, may be sporting the club’s tie, with its distinctive salmon-and-cucumber stripe, before long. ‘Jack is now attempting to get in,’ says the comedian’s father, Michael, 83, a retired theatrical agent.
Roxy Horner and Jack Whitehall attend Joshua Kane’s ‘The Shipwrecked Tailors’ fashion show
What’s the betting that Jack — whose girlfriend, model Roxy Horner, 32, gave birth to their first child, Elsie, in September — will make it before Dame Joanna does?
As I disclosed a fortnight ago, a survey of members found just over half are in favour of admitting women — still shy of the two-thirds required. I wonder how Jack’s father, brother and godfather — Nigel Havers — voted. They’re all members…
Dame Judi Dench is a national treasure, but she swears like a sailor, according to actor and director Brendan O’Hea, who has spent the past four years chatting to the Oscar-winning actress for their new book, Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays The Rent.
He says the idea was to hand the recording of Dame Judi talking about her stage roles to Shakespeare’s Globe theatre in London. ‘The problem was,’ he explains, ‘there were so many swear words in the full 100 hours that I couldn’t hand it over.’
James Bond director Sir Sam Mendes has been handed a licence to dig a swimming pool at his £6 million country home — but must make way for hedgehogs.
The Skyfall and Spectre filmmaker, 58, wants to demolish his old crumbling pool and splash out on a bigger natural one with a deck terrace, as well as a new kitchen garden.
But an ecological impact assessment carried out ahead of the proposed development revealed potential habitats for nesting birds, badgers, reptiles and hedgehogs.
Fences and gates around the site will need special ‘hedgehog holes’ to allow the spiny mammals to get in and out. Signs saying ‘hedgehog highways’ will also have to be put up to ensure the 13x13cm holes are kept clear.
Mendes will also have to put up at least one bat box and three bird boxes at his 17th-century home, a Grade II listed former vicarage in Buckinghamshire.
James Bond director Sir Sam Mendes has been handed a licence to dig a swimming pool
(Very) modern manners
Known for its historic gentlemen’s clubs, shirt makers and vintners, the London district of St James’s appears to be turning into red-light Soho. This week, a new club opened its doors in Jermyn Street, where King Charles buys his clothes, which would leave gentlemen aghast.
Called Dear Darling, it boasts an ‘immersive and eccentric world dedicated to the curious and hedonistic’.
At the launch party, waitresses wearing only bondage gear and chains served bottles of Bollinger while carrying sparklers between their teeth. Leather paddles were placed on the tables. In the corners were red beds enclosed in cages.
The Earl of Wemyss’s daughter, Lady Mary Charteris, was the DJ, while Fran Cutler, once the ‘party Rottweiler’ for Kate Moss’s hedonistic Primrose Hill set, held court from a chaise longue.
Jermyn Street is known for its monogrammed shirts, but here guests were given lace thongs embroidered with their initials. Isn’t life grand!
She hardly resembles Geoff Capes, but beauty entrepreneur Trinny Woodall has thrown herself into weightlifting to gain strength after splitting from art mogul Charles Saatchi earlier this year.
‘My goal is to be able to comfortably lift 12kg [nearly 2st],’ says the former co-host of makeover show What Not To Wear, 59. ‘When you’re over 50, maintaining muscle strength is important.
I started with 2kg [4.4lb] and I’ve been building up. Physical strength gives mental strength, too.’