TALK OF THE TOWN: A sight for sore eyes... Sharon Stone loses her shiner
Sharon Stone must be made of tough stuff – the shiner she was sporting last week has vanished.
The Basic Instinct star worried fans when was seen sporting a nasty black eye during her trip to Europe, in which she visited Cannes, Rome and Turkey.
Sharon, 66, shared a photo of the bruising, on July 31. She said she fell and knocked her face on a marble floor while trying to find a lavatory in the night.
But on Friday she was awarded the International Icon Award in Bodrum, Turkey, and not even a hint of the bruising was visible – perhaps partly down to clever use of make-up.
Sharon, 66, shared a photo of the bruising, on July 31. She said she fell and knocked her face on a marble floor while trying to find a lavatory in the night
But on Friday she was awarded the International Icon Award in Bodrum, Turkey, and not even a hint of the bruising was visible – perhaps partly down to clever use of make-up
She said of her injury: 'I've been in so many hotels and so many countries, I got up in the middle of the night to pee and didn't know where I was and smacked my face on the marble.
'It's getting better but it really is a good-looking shiner. You should see what I did to that marble floor.'
Blue-bloods see red! Why it's not a perk to be a Lord in the skies
One might presume being part of the nobility comes with a plethora of perks – but not when it comes to bagging a budget holiday flight.
In what some might deem a first-world problem, those with a title such as Lord, Lady or Viscount on their passport cannot take advantage of online check-ins with Ryanair and easyJet.
In contrast to national flag-carrier British Airways, the no-frills airlines list only Mr, Mrs, Ms and Miss on their drop-down menus.
It means that those fortunate enough to have a title which appears on their official travel document have to get to the airport far earlier than we mere mortals, as they are only able to check in for their flight in person.
Those with a title such as Lord, Lady or Viscount cannot take advantage of online check in on budget airlines such as Ryanair (file photo)
Once at the check-in desk, ground staff have to manually input their title on to the boarding card, to ensure it matches the name in the passport.
One female aristo, who wishes to remain anonymous, tells me: 'If we travel with an airline such as British Airways, even if we're not travelling first or business class, it's not a problem – we can check in online with ease. But with Ryanair and easyJet, it's a different story.
'It says Lord and Lady on our passports but there is no option for that on their drop-down menu.
'I once spent almost an hour in front of the computer getting increasingly irate that there seemed to be nothing I could do to remedy the problem.
'We ended up having to go to the airport to check in, where we were informed there was no other option than to keep doing it that way.
'I was told if I'd put our names in as Mr and Mrs, it wouldn't correlate with our passports, so we would have been unable to fly.'
She adds: 'I appreciate they don't have Lords and Ladies flying with them daily but one would assume amending the options on the drop-down menu to include nobility titles wouldn't be too arduous a task.
Full service carriers like British Airways allow aristos to include their titles in their online check-in facility, so their names match their passport (file photo)
'And it would at least mean we wouldn't have to get to the airport hours before everyone else does.
'It must be the only time when I've thought having a title to be a hindrance of sorts.
'If the likes of British Airways can include titles in their online check-in facility, then I'm not sure why Ryanair and easyJet are seemingly unable to follow suit.
'It also feels particularly painful when we're coming back from holiday because again we have to get to the airport ridiculously early, so we always have to spend the last few hours of our trip inside – it makes no sense at all.
'Sometimes we all have to take a budget flight because that's often the only way of reaching our desired destination but the whole process is unnecessarily arduous as far as I'm concerned.'
Jack's killer new role
There's nothing funny about Jack Whitehall's latest role – the comedian has been cast as a psychopath.
Marlborough-educated Jack, 36, is to star with X Files actor David Duchovny in an Amazon Prime thriller called Malice, which is described as a modern-day version of the classic Alfred Hitchcock horror movie Psycho.
A source tells me: 'Jack plays a character exactly like motel owner Norman Bates – he's nice and charming at the start, but soon worms his way into the lives of others before a killing spree starts.
'This is the character Jack has been desperate to play for years. He wants to do more dark parts.'
Comedian Jack Whitehall has been cast as a psychopath in an Amazon Prime thriller called Malice
Tennis ace Emma is keeping it real
She's won a US Open and last month reached the final 16 at Wimbledon, but now Emma Raducanu wants to ace real tennis.
Emma, 21, is getting to grips with it at West London's Queen's Club. Fans of the medieval indoor game, played with lopsided wooden rackets, include Prince Edward, 60, who is passionate about his 'late-night Realers' at Hampton Court Palace.
Professionals include Ben Ronaldson, son of former world champion Chris Ronaldson, who teaches members of the Royal Family.
The one thing that drives Zendaya mad
Zendaya found fame in a Disney film called Zapped – which is exactly what the US star could face in real life when she contemplates coping with British roads.
She struggles to get behind the wheel here after growing up in California, where of course they drive on the right.
When Zendaya, 27, stays with Spider-Man star boyfriend Tom Holland, 28, in London, she admits she often attempts to get in on the wrong side of the car – and she despairs at the capital's 'narrow' streets.
Zendaya, whose latest film is called Challengers, reveals: 'It's very confusing. I have been able to drive, but on the other side of the road. I am working on it, though.
'The first step is getting in on the right side of the car – and then also being on the proper side of the road. Streets are also a worry. I'm so used to being able to have these massive streets and highways.'
Actress Zendaya (pictured) is really driven mad by Britain's narrow roads when she stays with her boyfriend Tom Holland in London
Big David - and the wee donkey
When you're 6ft 2ins and weigh 15st, the best way to lose fans among animal lovers may be to be seen astride a little donkey.
But that's what comic David Walliams did while filming in Malta, incurring the wrath of fans and animal rights charities.
He told Abbey Clancy and Peter Crouch's podcast: 'I felt very sorry for the donkey. My feet were just about touching the ground.' Elisa Allen, of animal charity PETA, said: 'At tourist sites in Malta, donkeys are worked to death. We'll be writing to David.'
Liz loves it in London
Famously close Liz Hurley and son Damian do keep some secrets from each other – only their London flat can be used for romantic liaisons because they don't want to bump into each other's lovers.
Liz, 59, says she and Damian, 22, keep their Cotswolds mansion for close friends and family.
She reveals: 'We go to London for our social lives – not together, separately. I don't bring people to the country. The country is sacrosanct. No strangers allowed.'
Liz Hurley and her son Damian (pictured together) only use their London flat for romantic liaisons because they don't want to bump into each other's lovers
Is Victoria Beckham about to become the UK's answer to Martha Stewart? The fashion designer, right, has applied to register her 'B Frame' logo with intellectual property authorities in Britain.
As well as being used on her clothing, jewellery and accessories, she could bring out branded products including household items such as tablecloths, towels and bed linen.
Jennifer Saunders' new Absolutely Fabulous scripts are being delayed – by her lazy alter ego.
A life coach has told her this other side of her personality – who she calls 'Susan' – prevents her keeping a vow to write more of the BBC comedy.
'I just can't get down to writing,' says Jennifer, 66. 'The coach says one side of me is going, 'That sounds like a lot of hard work and failure'.
'He says give that other side of you a name. So I said as a joke, 'I'll call her Susan'.
'It's amazing how much in your life you realise Susan is operating, saying, 'Wouldn't you rather just sit here and have a cake?'
Birds Of A Feather star Linda Robson says Queen Camilla is a fan and wants the sitcom to return.
'When she came to ITV, she said the people she most wanted to meet were the Birds Of A Feather cast – so she did,' says Linda, 66.
Asked if Camilla most loved man-eating Dorien, played by Lesley Joseph, Linda told me at the National Reality Awards: 'She did, yeah. She's naughty.'
The series ended in 2020 but Linda says Camilla 'wants it back'. She and Lesley would return. But Linda says she won't do it without best friend Pauline Quirke. 'I don't think Pauline will agree,' she adds.
