Star gets in a lather over a soap

To most, Hollyoaks is an anodyne soap peopled by interchangeable blonde actresses. But, unlike James Corden, star and co-writer of Gavin & Stacey, we did not have a small role in the Channel 4 teen series eight years ago. “I’d actually rather die than go back,” Corden reminisces. “It’s f****** awful.” After bagging a couple of Baftas, Corden can finally speak freely. “I can’t tell you the sheer disdain I have for the place and the people,” he tells Esquire. “I met a couple of really good friends there, but it’s [only] 20 per cent nice people. It just breeds p****s - all these people walking around with this chicken-in-a-basket fame, talking about going to LA, you know?” Corden is definitely going to LA after selling the Gavin & Stacey format to NBC.

But surely he has overlooked Hollyoaks alumni such as the lingerie model Gemma Atkinson and Sarah Jayne Dunn, who has a speaking role in The Dark Knight. Corden says his motto is: “Be nice to people and don’t do to others what they wouldn’t do to you.” We’re sure his Hollyoaks cohorts wish him well.

Kate Moss is “just a girl from Croydon” in a pose captured by Sir Paul McCartney’s photographer daughter Mary for a Best of British feature in the September issue of Harper’s Bazaar. “I love the truly British cheese, pickle and cracker snack moment she is enjoying,” says Mary.

This isn’t how it’s supposed to end. The dastardly Sheriff of Nottingham finally sees off the do-gooding Robin Hood. Jonas Armstrong will be written out of the BBC One Saturday evening drama at the climax of the next series, to be shown next year. Robin Hood has been bumped from this autumn’s schedule by a big-budget retelling of the Merlin legend, starring John Hurt. “Robin’s exit will be unmissable,” promises the BBC. Perhaps viewers will vote to choose a new Prince of Thieves?

How much does it cost to change five lightbulbs at Boris Johnson’s mayoral campaign headquarters? A not very thrifty £88.81, according to an invoice obtained by libdemvoice. The sparks were paid £28.98 per hour (24 minutes per lamp) before admin and VAT. Not a great start to Bojo’s efficiency drive.

Gordon Farquhar, BBC 5 Live’s Olympics reporter, was asked why the Chinese authorities were so upset when four US cyclists marched through Beijing airport wearing face masks. After due consideration he told listeners: “It’s a loss-of-face thing.” Well, it certainly makes it harder to see them.

Talk about dream job

The Face: Mitch Winehouse

It’s the dream of all black cab drivers to host their own radio talk show, but Mitch Winehouse, who takes the mic on BBC London next month, already knows what the first topic of conversation will be.

Amy’s long-suffering dad has used every available medium to send a message to his daughter that continued hard drug use will kill her.

In the process, the silver-haired cabbie from North London has become a celebrity in his own right, collecting an Ivor Novello award on her behalf with a wry speech and chatting on the GMTV sofa. It was Mitch’s mother, Cynthia, an East End Jewish matriarch, who introduced Amy to the jazz records that inspired her to sing.

Mitch’s split from his wife Janis, shortly after Amy’s birth, was referred to in one of her early songs. Mitch, who often calls in to radio shows to defend Amy, is now very much for hire.

Postscript

Will Oasis be following Radiohead’s lead in giving music away free? Erm, no. “I didn’t spend a year in a recording studio to go, ‘Yeah, you can f***ing have it.’ F*** that. No chance. In any case, it comes in a nice cover,” said Noel Gallagher to NME. He has, though, been toying with the idea of free gigs. “Yeah, they’re free to get in but you gotta pay 75 quid to get out.”

Little ray of sunshine. Jo Whiley, of Radio 1, tells Q magazine of her nerves when interviewing film stars. “ Russell Crowe had just had a baby, so I gave him this cool baby T-shirt. He threw it on the floor and scowled at me. The interview went downhill from there.”

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