Tom Jones's devastating six-word verdict as Engelbert Humperdinck seeks truce

Days after old crooner Engelbert Humperdinck's public offer of a truce with Sir Tom Jones, there's sadly little sign of peace on the horizon. While Engelbert announced to this newspaper last weekend he was ready to shake hands with the Welshman after decades of bad blood - they once shared manager Gordon Mills - I'm told Sir Tom is ruling out any reconciliation. He's even been heard to bluntly say of Humperdinck: "Once a c***, always a c***."

Though The Hump maintains he's no idea why they originally fell out, it's been suggested it dates back to him dropping his trousers in the presence of Jones's then American girlfriend, Charlotte Laws.

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ConfirmationSir Stephen Fry will return to the London stage as Lady Bracknell in the The Importance of Being Earnest, comes 30 years after he dramatically fled from West End production Cell Mates.

While Fry's walkout was blamed on a negative newspaper review at the time, he's since stated it was down to his bipolar condition. Left in the lurch by Stephen - who quit the play after three days and was eventually located in Belgium - co-star Rik Mayall bitterly reflected. "You don't leave the trenches, especially if the other actors become unemployed."

The show closed after a month - it's said Rik, who died in 2014, never forgave him.

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Having made headlines wailing he'd been "fired" from Netflix drama Emily In Paris, Rupert Everett now backtracks.

The film star, who played Italian fashion designer Giorgio Barbieri, awkwardly clarifies: "I'd like to confirm that I was never fired from the show. I was talking to a group of acting students - in my shaky Italian - at a festival in the south of Italy. It all got a little lost in translation." Upsetting Mr Netflix isn't a wise career move in 2025...

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Now accused of "character assassination" by The Who's Sir Roger Daltrey, Sir Ringo's Starr's drummer son Zak Starkey - recently sacked from the band - pleads innocence. "I didn't make any nasty comments about Roger when I got fired," he protests. "I love Roger...we go back too long for grudges."

Don't think Roger sees it that way!

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Legendary actor Sir Alec Guinness, who died 25 years ago this week, was unenthusiastic about Star Wars alter ego Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Bristolian co-star David Prowse, who wore Darth Vader's outfit (but didn't voice the villain), once managed to persuade the reluctant thespian to sign photographs for fans. He however recalled: "Under the ones where I'd signed 'David Prowse is Darth Vader', he'd written 'Alec Guinness is Alec Guinness.'"

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Recalling the exhausting task of keeping groupies away from Rolling Stone ex-hubby Ronnie Wood, rock chick Jo Wood explains she made a rule of accompanying him on tour.

"You'd see the girls down in the front row, you'd think, 'She's going to try and get to the room later,'" Wood remembers. Claiming she'd divert women towards the band's libidinous frontman, Jo cheekily adds: "I'd say to them, 'Nothing's happening here! Go to Mick's room!'"