Amy Winehouse
(Picture: AFP via Getty Images)A BIOPIC about Amy Winehouse directed by her friend Sam Taylor-Johnson has already found its likely star, The Londoner hears.
Producer Alison Owen told us this morning that auditions for the project, to be called Back to Black, are well under way but that the lead is close to settled. “We have our eyes on someone but are just waiting to get it over the line,” Owen said. The actor is expected to sing in their own voice. Owen hopes filming will start this year.
The film will cover Winehouse, left, between the ages of 18 and her tragic death at 27, and has the blessing of her family. Some previous works have shown Winehouse’s father Mitch in a bad light. Owen said her popstar daughter Lily Allen wouldn’t be playing the part. “Absolutely not,” she laughed.
Rishi more on the ball than Penny... while others are in hiding from the leadership wannabes
IT SEEMS some Tory leadership hopefuls are more organised than others in the race to get the endorsement of fellow MPs. We hear a few who have been trying to contact the highly tipped Penny Mordaunt have been frustrated not to get a quick response. Meanwhile, frontrunner Rishi Sunak is far more responsive, calling twice in one day. Neighbours tell us Sunak could be seen hitting the phones all weekend from his Westminster office.
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While many Tory MPs are keen to be chatted up by the would-be Prime Ministers, others are cowering from a lovebombing onslaught. Labour’s Tulip Siddiq was surprised to walk into a room in Parliament yesterday to find a Tory veteran “hiding behind a chair”. Admitting he was avoiding the campaigners, the MP said: “I’ve had 11 phone calls! 11! And I’m not endorsing any of that lot!”
Speaker Lindsay on lying in the Commons
DESPITE recent controversy, Speaker Lindsay Hoyle says its good that MPs can’t accuse each other of lying in the Commons chamber. If they could, “we wouldn’t get beyond the first question”, he told a Political Party podcast audience last night. Hmm.
Foxy Kate Beckinsale, singers compete, and T.J. Jackson on British fans
ACTOR Kate Beckinsale has made friends with an intrepid London fox in the garden, posing with it twice this week.
Meanwhile, in Brussels, Mick Jagger duetted with a statue of Belgian singer Jacques Brel...
...while in London Carly Rae Jepsen performed at Somerset House last night.
Elsewhere, Jackson Five scion T.J. Jackson posed with Miss England Rehema Muthamia at a party in his honour in Jermyn Street, telling us Brits throw their underwear at him: “You might call it filthy, I call it passionate”.
