RED TOP REVIEWPensioner dies after garden row The
Daily Record leads with the tragic story of how a row over grass cuttings between two septuagenarians ended in death. Andrew McKnight, 78, collapsed and died after allegedly hitting 70-year-old neighbour Willie Donnelly with a broom handle. The story claims McKnight was furious at his former friend for allowing his grass cuttings to land in his garden. McKnight, of Alloa, Clackmannanshire, then collapsed and died. "They were carrying on like Jack and Victor from Still Game. It's absolutely unreal that a man has died over some grass clippings," the paper quotes a neighbour as saying.
Could McGregor really play Richey? "Ew are having a laugh," says
The Sun headline on page three. Death row Scot Kenny Richey, claims the story, is putting it about that superstar Ewan McGregor is being lined up to play him on the big screen. Richey, who was released from death row in Ohio earlier this year and now lives in his home city of Edinburgh, says he met film bosses in London last week to discuss the project. He says of McGregor: "I think he really would be ideal because he is Scottish, he is a brilliant actor and he is really charismatic."
Madeley about the girl "It's the kind of image that would have Richard and Judy's viewers ringing in with righteous indignation," says the Daily Mail, opposite an image of a
young woman in stockings and a provocatively hitched-up satin dress. Indeed it would. But who is the girl in question? Well, it's 20-year-old Chloe Madeley, daughter of Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan. The paper points out that her mother appeared in public in a similar state of undress when she suffered a "wardrobe malfunction" at the National TV Awards in 2000. But Ms Madeley's pictures are intentional; part of a photo shoot for FHM magazine. Chloe has already had a taste of TV presenting and wants to become a big star in her own right. She tells the magazine: "I have to work twice as hard to prove I'm able to do the job for a reason beyond my family name."
BUSINESSBy Nathalie ThomasBradford & Bingley deal falls apartShares in Bradford & Bingley fell 9% in early trading after it emerged that the American private equity firm Texas Pacific Group had withdrawn its offer to buy 23% of the mortgage lender. TPG walked away from the £179m deal last night after Moody's, the rating service, downgraded B&B's long-term debt rating. The mortgage lender was this morning forced to revise its plans to raise fresh funds, and now hopes to raise the entire £400m it needs to see it through the liquidity crisis through a cash call to shareholders.
The TPG deal had been opposed by several of B&B's major shareholders. Standard Life Investments and Legal & General had backed an alternative approach by Clive Cowdery's Resolution, which fell apart last week after B&B refused to opens its books.
SPORTZimbabwe withdraws from Twenty20Cricket, once a synonym for all that is right and proper, doesn't look good this morning. The international governing body has managed to avoid a schism thanks to Zimbabwe agreeing to withdraw from the World Twenty20 tournament in England next summer.
In protest at Robert Mugabe's regime, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) refused to host Zimbabwe, but the ICC was loath to suspend the African nation from international cricket as it was supported by the cricketing superpowers of the subcontinent - India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Zimbabwe's voluntary withdrawal has headed off the possibility of the ICC having to look for an alternative venue, an outcome which would have cost the ECB millions of pounds. The ICC, meeting in Dubai, had been due to vote on suspending Zimbabwe on Wednesday but managed to delay a decision until the compromise was reached.
"We voluntarily agreed to back out of the Twenty20 Worlds because we were told we won't get visas to England. We don't want to gate crash where we are not welcome," said Zimbabwe Cricket Union president Peter Chingoka.
The decision was effectively the second victory for the subcontinent in as many days, coming a day after the ICC meeting agreed to overturn the result of a controversial Test match between England and Pakistan in 2006, which was awarded to England when Pakistan refused to return to the field of play amid allegations, from umpire Darrell Hair, of ball tampering.
TELEVISIONBy Chitra RamaswamyFyne dining Nell Nelson begins her gourmet cycling tour near Loch Lomond and naturally heads for one of the most famous local culinary landmarks: the world famous oyster bar at Loch Fyne.
The Woman Who Ate Scotland, STV, 8pm Buddhism up close A stunning, moving film from Werner Herzog exploring the Buddhist Kalachakra initiation, perfectly capturing the atmosphere of a pilgrimage to the holy mount Kailash in Tibet. A fascinating chance to see the Dalai Lama doing what he does, not just speaking about it.
Storyville: Wheel of Time, BBC4, 8.10pmThe chat of the land A top-notch line-up on the sofa this week, with Meryl Streep, comedian and star of The Thick Of It Chris Addison, and Hustle star Adrian Lester. The music is quality, too, with a live performance from The Last Shadow Puppets.
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, BBC1, 10.35pmFASHIONBy Kayt Turner
Sophie's choiceIt's good to see that after all her recent tabloid troubles, Sophie Anderton is making a subtle, low-key return to society.
Benefit of the poutIt may well be the High Court of Justice, but Katie Price still can't resist pouting for the cameras. I suppose we should be grateful that she has clothes on at all.
A though for your PennyIs Rod Stewart trying to cover up his wife's generous embonpoint? If he's going to do that on a regular basis, he'll need to carry around a stepladder - or invest in personality lifts.
INTERNETWebsite of the dayFrom the BBC, this is
Tardis Tennis. If you're fed up over the lack of a British winner at Wimbledon, this allows you to pit characters from UK history and culture in a computer tennis game. Queen Victoria versus John Lennon is quite entertaining.
