Iris director reveals his own wife has Alzheimer’s

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In the 2001 Oscar-winning film Iris, Judi Dench gave a powerful performance as novelist Iris Murdoch during her struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. Kate Winslet portrayed Murdoch as a young, energetic woman.

Now, Sir Richard has been forced to witness the same agonising descent in real life.

The well-known director has shared that his wife, Sue Birtwistle, is battling Alzheimer’s disease.

Sue, age 80, is a well-respected television producer famous for creating period dramas. She’s particularly known for the beloved 1995 BBC version of Pride and Prejudice, which starred Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy.

Sir Richard, age 82 and former artistic director of the National Theatre, shares that his wife received an Alzheimer’s diagnosis at the beginning of the lockdown period.

‘Now, five years later, the decline is very conspicuous.’

He’s been taking care of his wife, Sue, whom he married in 1973, all while directing and adapting the play Dance of Death, which premieres in London this weekend.

Sir Richard will direct his first play, a production of The Tempest featuring Sir Kenneth Branagh, at the Royal Shakespeare Company in May. He shares that he relies on carers while working, and has a daughter, Lucy Eyre, who is a novelist, with his wife, Sue.

‘I’m about to open the play, so it means the carers are going to be pretty well 24 hours.

‘Then I’m shooting a film, so they’ll continue while I’m shooting the film.

Dealing with Alzheimer’s and dementia is incredibly challenging, both emotionally and financially. While cancer receives a lot of focus, I believe Alzheimer’s disease doesn’t get the same level of attention it deserves.

He adds: ‘There’s never a landmark moment at which you can say goodbye to them.

‘Just little by little, you’re losing them.’

Sir Richard’s mother, Minna, had Alzheimer’s disease, and her experience motivated him to create the film Iris.

 

Meghann shares Leo love secrets from White Lotus set

Leo Woodall, the popular actor, and his “White Lotus” co-star, Meghann Fahy, didn’t immediately hit it off romantically.

The 35-year-old actress says her now-boyfriend, 29-year-old Woodall, initially wasn’t interested when they first met on the set of the popular TV show in 2022.

Meghann remembers that Leo’s character wasn’t introduced until the third episode. When he arrived on set, she offered him her phone number, sympathizing with the awkwardness of being a new addition to a project. However, he never contacted her.

She recalls him telling her months later that he hadn’t realized she was interested, to which she responded that she’d given him her number! They quickly became close friends after that, and that’s how their relationship began.

 

If Nigel Farage becomes Prime Minister, he’ll have to give up his other sources of income. He’s so eager to supplement his £94,000 MP salary that he’s been making money through the Cameo app, even recording personalized video messages late at night. This week, he sent one to a fan who paid £76 for it at 1:58 AM.

He sent one message at 4 a.m. the night before, based on public data. Nigel Farage, 61, has nearly 2,000 reviews on the platform, indicating he’s likely earned hundreds of thousands of pounds from creating these personalized videos.

 

Beckhams ‘a royal tribute act’ says Dee

Jack Dee notices the surprising parallels between the lives of two well-known families.

The comedian joked that the Beckhams seem to be imitating the Royal Family these days. They’re following a similar path, but without quite the same level of success.

Imagine Prince Harry saying, ‘I’m giving up my royal title and moving to America.’ Then picture Brooklyn responding with something like, ‘Look, I’m out of here for a while. Don’t try to contact me. I’m heading to the tattoo shop – I’ve just had enough!’

 

Mustique moves like Jagger

Oh my gosh, you will NOT believe this! I was practically glued to social media, and I saw pictures of Nigel Havers – the Nigel Havers! – having a night out with his daughter, Kate, at Basil’s Bar. Apparently, it’s on this incredible, exclusive island called Mustique, and they spotted someone they knew. I’m dying to know who it was! I’ve been a fan forever, and just imagining them there is amazing!

The 74-year-old actor remembers his daughter asking, “Who is that strange man dancing? He’s terrible!” He replied, “That’s Mick Jagger.”

The Rolling Stones singer, 82, owns a villa on Mustique.

 

Money is the icing on Lisa’s cake

Lisa Tchenguiz, a well-known socialite, previously stated she wouldn’t marry again after a difficult four-year divorce from businessman Vivian Imerman. The divorce resulted in a £15 million settlement for Tchenguiz.

However, Steve Varsano, the film producer’s boyfriend, age 69, seems willing to back up his words with financial support.

He surprised her with a unique cake at her 61st birthday party at Bacchanalia in Mayfair. It was decorated with edible money and topped with a picture of her.

 

Lord Zetland, who recently passed away at the age of 88, seemed to have lived a remarkably fortunate life. As the 4th Marquess, he inherited Aske Hall, a beautiful estate in North Yorkshire covering 12,000 acres, complete with elegant lawns and a lake. For years, the family owned a small statue—just four feet and five inches tall—that had been acquired in the late 1700s. They didn’t realize its value until an expert identified it as dating back to the 2nd century. When the statue was auctioned by Christie’s in 2011, it was expected to sell for between £1.2 and £1.9 million, but ultimately fetched an astonishing £12.2 million.

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2026-01-30 03:47