No one in Parliament has quite matched the rich, unrepentant style of the late Alan Clark, acerbic diarist and owner of Saltwood Castle in Kent, whose passion for politics was perhaps eclipsed only by his hectic love life.
But, nearly a quarter of a century after Clark’s death aged 71, another unstoppable septuagenarian is bidding to fill his shoes. I can disclose that four-times married entrepreneur Marc Burca, 72, has been selected by Reform UK as its candidate for Clark’s former London constituency, which, following boundary changes, becomes Kensington & Bayswater at the next general election.
After a stint in the property world, Burca became a magazine publisher.
‘I interviewed Thatcher, Richard Branson, Robert Maxwell, Peter Ustinov, Charlton Heston,’ he tells me.
Burca was also a friend of Pamella Bordes, the Miss India who became a House of Commons researcher and enjoyed relationships with a string of prominent men before being exposed as a call-girl.
I can disclose that four-times married entrepreneur Marc Burca, 72, has been selected by Reform UK as its candidate for Clark’s former London constituency, which, following boundary changes, becomes Kensington & Bayswater at the next general election
Burca was also a friend of Pamella Bordes, the Miss India who became a House of Commons researcher and enjoyed relationships with a string of prominent men before being exposed as a call-girl
No one in Parliament has quite matched the rich, unrepentant style of the late Alan Clark, acerbic diarist and owner of Saltwood Castle in Kent, whose passion for politics was perhaps eclipsed only by his hectic love life
Burca was propelled out of retirement after being inspired by Nigel Farage, Reform’s founder, and Richard Tice, its leader, and by his own fears for the future.
‘It’s terrifying, what’s happening today,’ Burca says.
‘Instead of people trying to become English, it seems there are ‘pressure group communities’.’ He adds that the lack of assimilation causes him to worry for his extensive family.
‘I have six children and four grandchildren,’ he says, explaining that his eldest son — one of two children by his first wife — is 43. ‘I have a three-year-old and an eight-year-old,’ he adds, speaking of his current marriage to a Venezuelan firecracker, before telling me that two of his offspring are by a girlfriend he didn’t marry.
The girlfriend in question was not the extraordinary Cindy Jackson, an American he courted in her youth — and, again, years later, without realising she was the same woman, after she’d had thousands of pounds worth of plastic surgery. He reflects: ‘She’d changed her name and looked completely different.’
Sophie Ellis-Bextor is bemused that her 2001 hit Murder On The Dancefloor has returned to the charts, and is popular on video-sharing app TikTok, after being on the soundtrack of Emerald Fennell’s film Saltburn. ‘It’s quite bizarre for me to have a Top Ten song in the UK that was released when I was half my age,’ she says. ‘I’m 44 now. It’s insane.’
Sophie Ellis-Bextor is bemused that her 2001 hit Murder On The Dancefloor has returned to the charts, and is popular on video-sharing app TikTok, after being on the soundtrack of Emerald Fennell’s film Saltburn
Shirley Conran, who launched the Daily Mail’s Femail section in the 1960s, has written best-sellers including Superwoman. Her son Jasper Conran now looks remarkably like Superman.
The designer, 64, — who is married to Oisin Byrne, an Irish artist 24 years his junior — has shared this selfie online in which he shows off his new muscular physique.
‘In the last three and half years I have lost 22lb and gained a lot of muscle,’ he reveals.
‘This has had all sorts of beneficial effects, but the most important effect has been confidence.’
Shirley Conran, who launched the Daily Mail’s Femail section in the 1960s, has written best-sellers including Superwoman. Her son Jasper Conran now looks remarkably like Superman. The designer, 64, — who is married to Oisin Byrne, an Irish artist 24 years his junior — has shared this selfie online in which he shows off his new muscular physique
It Moss be Mustique for Kate’s 50th!
When Kate Moss turned 40, she held an epic, four-day Glastonbury-themed party at her country home in the Cotswolds. For her next milestone birthday, she’s chosen somewhere warmer.
I hear the supermodel, who’s 50 a week today, is in Mustique, the playground of the rich and famous in the West Indies. She has been joined by her daughter, Lila, who’s followed her footsteps into modelling.
Lila, 21, whose father is magazine editor Jefferson Hack, shared this selfie online of her wearing a tropical bikini and a sarong in a bathroom — but she didn’t disclose her location.
Mustique has been beloved by the jet-set since Lord Glenconner bought it in the 1960s and gave Princess Margaret a ten-acre plot as a wedding present. The tiny private island is a favourite of the Prince and Princess of Wales and home to rock stars Sir Mick Jagger and Bryan Adams, as well as U.S. fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger.
I hear the supermodel, who’s 50 a week today, is in Mustique, the playground of the rich and famous in the West Indies. She has been joined by her daughter, Lila, who’s followed her footsteps into modelling
Lila, 21, whose father is magazine editor Jefferson Hack, shared this selfie online of her wearing a tropical bikini and a sarong in a bathroom — but she didn’t disclose her location
Tom shows Wimbledon finalist he’s ace at tennis
Tall, blond and classically trained, it’s not hard to see how actor Tom Hiddleston was cast in the role of Norse god Loki in the Marvel film franchise.
But it seems the Eton-educated star, who is engaged to actress Zawe Ashton, also has the athletic credentials that make him suited to the action role.
Hiddleston, 42, took part in the Annual Parrot Cay International Tennis Tournament in the Turks and Caicos at the weekend, playing alongside a slew of famous figures including Canadian tennis ace Eugenie Bouchard, 29, and Jack Brinkley, son of American former supermodel Christie Brinkley.
Former Wimbledon finalist Bouchard ditched tennis last year to play pickleball, which is the fastest-growing sport in the United States.
Hiddleston, 42, took part in the Annual Parrot Cay International Tennis Tournament in the Turks and Caicos at the weekend, playing alongside a slew of famous figures including Canadian tennis ace Eugenie Bouchard, 29, (pictured) and Jack Brinkley, son of American former supermodel Christie Brinkley
George Clooney has had enough. ‘I’ve been on sets with miserable directors, with directors who yell and scream,’ the Hollywood star declares. ‘I’ve had directors who I like personally, but I know them reputationally. And within the last few months they’ve come to me and said, ‘When are we going to work together?’ And I go, ‘Never. I think you’re great, but I’ll never work with you because you’re mean, and I can’t be around it.’ ‘
Having ruthlessly cut her father and most of her family out of her life, as well as many old friends, has the Duchess of Sussex now ditched her fellow former cast members of the legal drama Suits?
American actress Gina Torres was so close to Meghan that she was among the guests at St George’s Chapel in Windsor for the royal wedding in 2018.
Now, however, Torres does not even have contact details for her old pal.
Speaking at the Golden Globe awards in Los Angeles, Torres said: ‘We don’t have her number — we just don’t.’
