The Standard Hotel (no relation) celebrated its fourth birthday last night. Bimini Bon Boulash, first through the gates, was keen to talk politics. When we quizzed her about Labour leader Keir Starmer’s stance on trans issues, she said: “He is on the fence about a lot of issues, and we need a strong opposition. I don’t know if [he] is the right one.” Bimini for PM? “I’ve got a song coming out soon that’s got a political angle,” she said. “I wanna make people think … and shake their arse!” Mae Muller, post-Eurovision, told us: “I felt the pressure to have bad bitch energy all the time.” What about a change of musical direction? “I’m always going to be complaining about men. Men are trash.”
Myrie’s crotchety start at the Proms
The BBC chose Mastermind host and news anchor Clive Myrie to head its Proms coverage at the Royal Albert Hall this year. But it seems he’s off to a bit of a rough start. Myrie, left, opened proceedings with a tweet in which he promised “music for everyone, not a select few who know their crotchets from their quavers!” Such music is, he said, “boring and naff”. This was news to some classical enthusiasts who lamented the dumbing down of the BBC, etc. “Crotchets and quavers without enthusiasm and joy mean zilch in the vital task of passing on wonderful music to new generations,” Myrie elaborated. He can read music but fears “elitism in music is such a dangerous self defeating thing”. Yet some Proms veterans remained truculent. “I raised questions and began a discussion. Welcome to life,” Myrie eventually snapped.
Gone in 30 seconds: Boris’s support act
It is by-election week and the Tories are rolling their big guns into Uxbridge in a bid to cling on to the seat. But where is departing MP Boris Johnson, whose resignation triggered the contest? He recently moved to the village of Brightwell-cum-Sotwell in Oxfordshire and hasn’t been seen in the north-west London seat recently. But he did communicate a message of support to prospective successor Steve Tuckwell, phoning him last week to check in on the race. According to the Telegraph, Johnson devoted about 30 seconds to the call and asked Tuckwell if he had read his latest column for the Daily Mail. Labour are odds-on to win the seat.
Game, Set and Matching
Wimbledon was heaving yesterday as the tournament wrapped in spectacular fashion. Actor Emma Watson turned up with her brother Alex in what seemed to be two halves of the same pink suit (she wore the trousers). Stormzy arrived in a green two-piece, making a change from the Wimbledon x Ralph Lauren collection worn by many. New Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa was also there, wearing a tennis skirt. “Stormzy is literally the nicest man I think I’ve ever met,” he said.
