She is, surely, the most celebrated divorce lawyer in the land, ennobled as Baroness Shackleton of Belgravia nearly two decades after she represented King Charles as he and Princess Diana parted.
But is Fiona Shackleton – the so-called ‘Steel Magnolia’ – now in danger of being overshadowed by younger divorce court talent?
The question would have been unthinkable when Shackleton acted for Sir Paul McCartney as his marriage to his second wife, Heather Mills, came to a rancorous end.
So infuriated was Mills by the settlement that she drenched Shackleton with a jug of water.
But the impending courtroom battle between Eamonn Holmes and his estranged wife, Ruth Langsford, suggests that those days may be behind her, with Langsford choosing to be represented by Catherine Costley, who, until last year, was junior to Shackleton at eminent solicitors Payne Hicks Beach.
Fiona Shackleton leaves the memorial service of Betty Boothroyd in early 2024
Baroness Shackleton of Belgravia represented King Charles as he and Princess Diana parted
Shackleton (left) has worked with other famous faces such as Paul McCartney (right)
Georgina cannot fault latest Manuel
Andrew Sach’s granddaughter, Georgina Baillie, is impressed by John Cleese’s West End stage show Fawlty Towers – The Play.
After watching it at the Apollo Theatre in the West End, the artist met Hemi Yeroham, who plays Spanish waiter Manuel, the role memorably performed by her late grandfather in the classic BBC sitcom.
‘It was flawless,’ she tells me of Yeroham’s performance. ‘My mother [Sachs’s daughter Kate] sat next to me, and I saw she was visibly moved by his performance. She had tears in her eyes.’
Georgina posed with Turkish-born Yeroham. Between them is one of her portraits from her Manuel collection.
‘I feel a bit guilty saying this, but his Spanish accent is probably a bit more accurate than my grandfather’s.’
Andrew Sach’s granddaughter Georgina Baillie (right) meets Hemi Yeroham (left) who plays Manuel in Fawlty Towers on the West End
The West End cast of Fawlty Towers – The Play. Hemi Yeroham (left) was gifted a portrait of his character Manuel by the original actor’s granddaughter
Grayson Perry ‘treated differently’ now he is as a Sir
Cross-dressing ceramicist Grayson Perry is enjoying the knighthood he was awarded in King Charles’s New Year Honours last year a little too much.
‘You do get treated differently on airlines,’ he tells me at the Sky Arts Awards at Camden Roundhouse in north London.
‘When a stewardess found out, she Googled me mid-Atlantic. You are treated like royalty. I am definitely going to bring out my wellness brand now.’
The artist’s wife Philippa, a psychotherapist, is revelling in her new title, too.
‘She definitely wants to be known as Lady Perry,’ he says.
‘She likes it. She wanted to change her bank card straight away.’
Phillipa (left) and Grayson Perry (right) are enjoying their new titles as a result of the ceramicist’s knighthood
Thandiwe’s girl new face of global beauty giant
Clearly anything Thandiwe Newton can do, her daughter Nico Parker can do better…
Mission Impossible II star Thandiwe, 51, used to be the face of skincare brand Olay.
Now, Nico has been announced as the youngest global brand ambassador for French cosmetics house Lancome.
The 19-year-old, who starred in Disney’s 2019 film Dumbo and appears in the new Bridget Jones sequel, celebrated her lucrative new beauty deal at a London dinner this week.
Wearing a strapless mini dress, she was joined by mum and dad, Thandiwe’s estranged husband Ol Parker, writer and director of Abba film Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.
Lancome’s youngest global brand ambassador Nico Parker wears a strapless mini dress on September 17
Thandiwe Newton attends Variety’s Power of Young Hollywood. Newton used to be the face of skincare brand Olay
Late Goodman’s final gift to his wife
Strictly Come Dancing’s late judge Len Goodman’s widow, Susan, and their only child, James, are due to pocket £4.6million after putting his long-standing private company into voluntary liquidation.
Pleasurable Pastimes, set up in 2009, reports the expected payout in a declaration of solvency filed at Companies House.
Goodman’s company is liquidating £2million in freehold property and £2.6million in cash.
Goodman died last year at the age of 78.
Len Goodman’s company Pleasurable Pastimes is liquidating £2.6million in cash. The Strictly judge died in 2023 at the age of 78
Lord Brougham leaves £3.9million estate to children
With two divorces behind him, the 5th Lord Brougham and Vaux was understandably wary of roaring off on a third marital adventure, preferring instead to remain happily unmarried to Sezgin Patterson for 16 years after they first touched bumpers.
But having finally motored to the altar in September 2022 aged 84, Lord B changed gear, drawing up a will nine months later – just weeks before he died.
According to newly published probate documents, most of his £3.9 million estate was bequeathed to his children, but he stipulated that Sezgin was to have a property to live in – and was also to inherit his Land Rover Discovery, and enjoy the income from a £400,000 fund. Certainly enough for the petrol.
Dame Sheila: ‘Tax me more!’
Dame Sheila Hancock does not mind that Sir Keir Starmer has stripped millions of pensioners of their winter fuel payments.
‘I could not care less that they have cut my winter fuel allowance,’ declares the actress, 91.
‘I don’t need it. As long as the people who have not got it are going to be looked after by their councils, I absolutely think it should not be a top priority.’
Sheila Hancock receiving Damehood for services to drama and to charity in November 2021
Dame Hancock (left), who is the widow of John Thaw (right), said she ‘could not care less’ that Labour have stripped her of a winter fuel payment
The widow of Inspector Morse star John Thaw adds: ‘We should be concentrating on education and health.
‘Old people have had a very good innings. Give the youngsters a chance. It is ludicrous that I am given money. There are a few people who cannot afford to give it up and they need it. Take care of those.
‘People like me, [should] give it up. And we should pay more taxes. We have got to get the country on its feet.’
