Twinkle-toed newsreader Dan Walker is known as ‘The Bishop’ in newsroom circles at the Beeb because of his strong faith — he won’t work on the Sabbath.
And as he leaves the Corporation for pastures new at Channel 5, it can be revealed that the other remarkable feature about him is his interest in ‘moonlighting’ — adding to his BBC riches with lucrative corporate gigs.
My mole tells me: “Everyone noticed how enthusiastic Dan Walker was about undertaking these engagements. For a while, it’s been the talk of town.
Dan Walker’s profile has been raised tremendously after he took part in Strictly Come Dancing last season, with Nadiya Bychkova (Ukraine-Slovenian Bombshell).
Walker, according to my sources, has signed up to dance his way to a lucrative Birmingham shindig in October. By then his BBC days will be over.
The Beeb has made it mandatory that he have all his exterior appearances approved by his bosses, as per new rules.
Extra-curricular activities must be listed in the BBC’s “register of external interest” every six months.
That shows that since records started in 2020, Walker has undertaken six ‘corporates’ — each worth more than £5,000.
The register has proved deeply unpopular with the Corporation’s news-reading stars — one of whom described it privately to me as a ‘gross invasion of privacy’ and a ‘total farce’.
The focus seems to have led to a ‘brain drain’ of news presenters, with stars defecting from the BBC to the commercial sector including Jon Sopel, Andrew Marr and Emily Maitlis — and now Walker.
They will all feel relieved to no longer need to disclose how much and who they earned.
Presenter, pictured (pictured), called the romantic rumours about Bychkova’s marriage ‘disapointing’
Walker is thought to be adding at least £50,000 to his £295,000 salary as a result of going to Channel 5; and he can look forward to filling his pockets on the rubber chicken circuit without anybody poking their nose in.
What is his annual salary? I’m told a figure of a further £100,000 a year is reasonable.
In October, he’ll be presenting the National Energy Efficiency Awards (Birmingham); and last month, he donned a tux for 59 Club Service Excellence Awards at Belfry. His presence at events is a huge hit.
Walker’s participation in Strictly Come Dancing this year has helped to raise his profile.
He was placed with Nadiya Bychkova (a Ukrainian-Slovenian bombshell), and reached the quarterfinals.
Backstage, Bychkova consoled Gary Speed as he cried on the 10th anniversary of Gary Speed’s death.
Walker stated, “I needed to hug somebody.” It was necessary to get out of the emotional turmoil that I have been accumulating over the past week.
Covid was a reason why Strictly celebs and their partners had to limit their mixing and only allow them to have close contact with each other on the show.
Married presenter, the married one, called the romantic rumours with Bychkova “disapointing”. He added: “I know that these things happen every year on Strictly, and there have been cases in the past where it was just telly. But it isn’t nice.”
It is coined by Depp after a fight in court
Next week’s courtroom battle in Virginia, where Johnny Depp will sue Amber Heard for defamation of his ex-wife, is sure to be sensational.
It comes in the wake of Depp’s disaster at the High Court in London in 2020, when a judge found that he probably did assault Heard multiple times — and that he had not been libelled by a newspaper which dubbed him a ‘wife-beater’.
Surprisingly, however, his public scandal has not had any effect on the star’s commercial success.
It will be sensational to witness Johnny Depp’s defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard in Virginia.
Dior, the fashion house that created Sauvage was not interested in dropping him. It is now clear that the fragrance was the most-sold fragrance globally.
Warner Brothers may not have needed to take Depp out of Fantastic Beasts The Secrets Of Dumbledore. Mads Mikkelsen is playing Depp’s villainous Gellert Grindelwald.
Rumours circulate about frisky behaviour on Celebrity Bake Off sets.
Two supposedly-attached celebrities were seen disappearing into one bedroom at Down Hall Hotel, Hertfordshire after having spent the night boozing in the bar.
There is an atmosphere of family when the regular series airs. Judges, presenters, and bakers can spend weeks “bubbling” together. However it is different on the charity edition.
Ana’s Marilyn film can Cannes
Everyone’s talking about the sensational Netflix film Blonde — but I can reveal that, despite negotiations, it won’t be coming to the Cannes Film Festival next month.
The picture is based on Joyce Carol Oates’s fictionalized biography Marilyn Monroe. It stars Ana de Armas, a former Bond girl and Ben Affleck’s ex-girlfriend.
Marilyn had Marilyn’s unique, deep voice for months. De Armas also needed to do significant re-dubs in the aftermath of filming.
Ana De Armas spent many months perfecting Marilyn’s unique, deep voice. There were also significant re-dubs that had to be done after the filming.
A horrifying scene of rape is shown involving Darryl F. Zanuck’s fictional head. Reports also suggest there may be ruffling feathers depicting menstrual blood.
Jamie Lee Curtis is the daughter of Tony Curtis’ Marilyn Monroe co-star and actress Jamie Lee Curtis. She has seen an earlier cut of Marilyn and declares it to be a feminist masterwork.
Film festival chiefs insist on long-form cinema releases for all the competing titles. Netflix has not yet agreed.
Joyce Carol Oates fictionalized Marilyn Monroe’s biography. The picture features Ana de Armas, a Bond girl and Ben Affleck ex-girlfriend.
Every good thing has an end. I will miss Baz Bamigboye who wrote these pages for so many years so beautifully.
He was a generous colleague and a fantastic friend to me for 25 years — always there for wicked gossip and a proper laugh.
Our mutual love for Frank Sinatra led us to form a bond over dinner in Los Angeles. We may have sung together so loud and heartily and consumed so many wines that our host asked us to leave.
Frank says that I’ll be “My Way” in these pages starting now, but Baz is an original, an icon and the rarest beast of beasts, a widely loved journalist. Although I cannot hope to fulfill his shoes, I hope some of you will join me on my journey.
Prince Harry and Meghan have been settled in Santa Barbara since July 2020 but local gossip suggests they are considering renting a second home — an apartment in New York, near the United Nations headquarters.
In September 2013, the couple made a rare public visit to UN Headquarters and met Amina J. Mohamed, Deputy Secretary General.
The two discussed topics such as vaccine equity and climate action, mental health, and well-being. Meghan is reported to dream of playing a UN role, similar to Amal Clooney’s friend and former Secretary-General Kofi Annen’s.
Is this the next destination, following satisfying current contracts with Spotify and Netflix to make documentaries and podcasts.
Has Adele dumped Vegas?
Is Adele going to Vegas again? The shop at Caesars Palace is still selling oh-so-expensive merchandise from the ‘postponed’ Weekends With Adele residency, but it’s nearly three months since the singer, pictured, quit — and there is no sign of dates being rescheduled.
Scott Roeben from Casino.org, Las Vegas journalist tells me that she can verify the silence over this time. Other than growing concerns about Las Vegas being off her radar, Roeben says it has not been. No further speculations have been made about her plans to move to another resort.
“The Caesars Palace signage remains up, the merchandise shop is open. But, the consensus is that she is going about her business, with little regard for the PR and financial hit Caesars Entertainment has taken, as well as the disappointment of fans.
Caesars Palace still sells the expensive merchandise of Weekends With Adele, despite it being postponed.
Sienna is not the only one who wronged her MP husband.
Sienna Miller delivers a compelling performance as the mistreated wife of a fictional Westminster politician in Netflix’s new drama series Anatomy Of A Scandal. It airs starting next Friday.
Sophie Whitehouse’s character supports James Whitehouse when he is charged with rape.
It was said that Miller, age 40, calmly picked up her knitting needles. She then purlled away the time.
Sophie Miller, the character of Sienna Miller, supports James Whitehouse (pictured), in court. James Whitehouse is being accused of rape
Julia Roberts is a good companion. She loves knitting, and she taught Tom Hanks how he handled a ball. George Lucas, Star Wars’ creator is also an avid knitter.
Miller is currently dating Burberry model Oli green. She told me that she loves working with Rupert Friend who plays her husband on screen.
Rupert is brilliant. It’s easy to see that he is so effortless. We had really good conversations and shared our thoughts about everything.
Morse will be back in the final series
According to some reports, Endeavour’s prequel Inspector Morse had ran out of puff just eight series ago.
According to sources, there may be another run of ITV’s popular ITV program. The show stars Shaun Evans in the role of Morse while Roger Allam plays Fred Thursday. Filming will begin next month in Buckinghamshire.
Inspector Morse, which starred John Thaw and ran from 1987 through 2000, was named by Radio Times readers the greatest British drama of all time.
In 2012, ITV aired a two-hour special prequel, Endeavour, with Evans playing a young Morse — and it was such a hit that it has continued ever since.
Sources suggest that there will at least one run of the ITV-produced show. It stars Shaun Evans playing Morse, and Roger Allam being his boss Fred Thursday. (both images)
Morse was trapped at an abandoned farmhouse by a blizzard after terminatus.
The final scene shows Fred accepting his boss’s offer of help to him with his drinking problems. This marks a new chapter for their friendship and raises the possibility that Fred might be able to help him get past his grief over Violetta’s death.
Morse looked out over the fields of snow and said, ‘Beginning thaw. Thursday replied: ‘Sun always comes up. It’s okay to just hold onto it for a while, sometimes.
Thaw’s youngest daughter Abigail was aboard as Dorothea Frazil journalist on the first Endeavour. Now, she is a pivotal character and enjoys friendship with troubled Morse.
Evans stated last year that Endeavour would have to end before the original series.
He admitted that it was difficult because it is like planning your funeral.
“Why would I want to earn this amount of money?” What makes me want to spend my time with people I love and who are also making a living? You have to be firm because it’s not something we should be milking.