Shameless Fergie eyes up work as an after dinner speaker… for £150,000

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You’d think the recent disclosures about Sarah Ferguson’s connection to Jeffrey Epstein would ruin her career, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

I’m hearing that Sarah Ferguson was getting offers for highly paid speaking events, but that may have changed after news broke on Thursday about the arrest of her former husband, Prince Andrew.

Recent conversations reveal she was aiming to earn £150,000, along with having all her travel and other costs covered – including two first-class plane tickets – for a speaking engagement planned for later this year.

It seems there isn’t a formal agreement between Ferguson and Yrds, the agency started by her friend, sports presenter Natalie Pinkham. Yrds states they haven’t worked with her since last summer. However, after first claiming they knew nothing about any deal, Yrds admitted yesterday that they had previously shared an offer with Ferguson.

Let’s talk about staying connected, even when things change! I’ve learned that even though Fergie’s ex-husband, Prince Andrew, isn’t using his royal title anymore, and she personally stopped using ‘Duchess of York’ in official settings last October, she’s still rocking her old email address. Apparently, it still includes ‘D of Y’ – a little nod to her Duchess days! It just goes to show, sometimes we hold onto little pieces of our past, and that’s perfectly okay.

A spokesman for Ferguson did not respond to a request for comment.

Two weeks ago, Prince Andrew moved to a property on the King’s Sandringham Estate after leaving his home at Windsor’s Royal Lodge, where he had lived since 2004. Yesterday, on his 66th birthday, he was arrested there by police investigating potential misconduct while he served as a UK trade envoy.

No one is sure where Ferguson currently lives. Some friends believe she’s in the UK, while others say she’s in Portugal, where her daughter Eugenie owns a house. There are also reports she’s in the UAE.

Since the latest group of documents related to Epstein became public, Ferguson has disappeared. These documents include emails between her and Epstein from after June 2008, when he was convicted of soliciting a minor for prostitution.

Following the recent disclosures, six companies associated with her are closing. Records from Companies House show that applications to dissolve each company were submitted after details of her connection with Epstein became public.

At 66 years old, Ferguson was the only director of six companies: S. Phoenix Events, Fergie’s Farm, La Luna Investments, Solamoon Ltd, Philanthrepreneur Ltd, and Planet Partners Productions Limited.

I was so saddened to hear that Sarah’s Trust, the charity she founded, is temporarily closing its doors. They announced earlier this month that they’re pausing operations ‘for the foreseeable future,’ and it’s just heartbreaking news for everyone who’s benefited from their incredible work.

 

Olivia Colman considered quitting acting after a difficult experience filming a movie prior to her latest project, Jimpa. She described making that earlier film, The Roses, as particularly challenging.

She recently told Variety that a difficult experience with a director on a previous project led her to decide she needed a break from acting. She explained that she and the director had very different visions, and it made her realize she didn’t want to continue working under those circumstances.

The previous movie seems to have been “The Roses,” directed by Jay Roach. It’s notable that Olivia Colman didn’t mention him at all during interviews for the film.

 

Making the BAFTAs bearable

Forget the popular heartthrobs – the true star of the EE BAFTA Film Awards this Sunday will be Paddington Bear!

Everyone’s favorite bear, Paddington – recently seen in three popular movies – will announce the winners in the Children’s and Family Film category at the awards. The films up for the award include Arco, Boong, Lilo & Stitch, and Zootropolis 2.

I was really hoping KPop Demon Hunters would be eligible, but it looks like it won’t be. Sadly, Netflix didn’t show it in UK cinemas before releasing it on their platform, and that means it doesn’t meet the requirements for consideration. It’s a shame, because I loved the show!

Sunday night’s awards are a major event in British entertainment, and often predict the winners at the Oscars in March. Timothée Chalamet is expected to win best actor for his performance in Marty Supreme, though Leonardo DiCaprio’s film, One Battle After Another, is a strong contender for best film and director. It will also be interesting to see how well Sinners, a film with many nominations, performs – it was much more popular in the US than in Europe.

Sandra Hüller, already known for her roles in acclaimed films like Zone of Interest and Anatomy of a Fall, is poised for a very successful 2026. Her new film, Rose, received excellent reviews at the Berlin Film Festival. She’s also starring alongside Tom Cruise in Digger, which will premiere at Cannes in May, and in Ryan Gosling’s highly anticipated summer blockbuster, Project Hail Mary.

 

Hey teacher, leave that kid alone 

Actress Marisa Abela was surprised and a little uncomfortable when a former teacher reached out to compliment her work on a steamy BBC show.

She explained that she finds it particularly strange when former teachers reach out. For example, her old history teacher messaged her on Facebook after seeing her work on ‘Industry,’ simply writing ‘Bravo!’ She thought it was a really odd thing to happen, and kept repeating how weird it was.

She expressed immense pride in the show, which began its fourth season streaming in January.

 

Just call me Priyanka (insists Mrs Jonas)

Priyanka Chopra Jonas has been married to singer Nick Jonas since 2018, and now the acclaimed Indian actress is making some fresh changes in her life.

I understand she’s now asked everyone to refer to her as just ‘Priyanka’ going forward. This request was first made on Tuesday at the Los Angeles premiere of the Amazon movie, The Bluff.

Priyanka, 43, joins other mononymous stars like Madonna and Beyonce in the one–and–done club.

Priyanka Chopra is currently enjoying success as an action star, with the second season of her big-budget Amazon series, Citadel, set to premiere this spring. She recently appeared on the cover of Variety magazine, a leading industry publication.

She’s also suggested she’d love to be involved in the next James Bond films, which are now being made by Amazon – close friends and longtime supporters of hers – after the Broccoli family’s long run with the franchise.

When asked about the possibility of a new James Bond, she told Variety that the franchise could appeal to a worldwide audience and she’s interested to see what direction the producers take with the character.

That’s as heavy a hint as you are likely to get from anyone close to the process.

Priyanka Chopra, after winning Miss World, became India’s highest-paid actress. At age 30, she moved to the United States and began a new chapter in her career.

She’s now a big success in Hollywood, most recently starring in the action movie Heads of State with John Cena and Idris Elba.

Next Wednesday, you can watch her in ‘The Bluff’ on Amazon, where she stars as a mother who bravely fights off pirates with a sword in the Caribbean.

Executives are well aware that India is currently the world’s fastest-growing market for streaming services.

Priyanka lives in New York with Jonas and their four–year–old daughter, Malti.

 

The BBC isn’t commenting, but I’m hearing from several sources that Emily Atack is being considered as a potential new presenter on Strictly Come Dancing, possibly replacing Tess Daly or Claudia Winkleman this year.

An announcement is expected fairly soon. 

 

The Phillips family is disappointed that a movie about The Mamas & The Papas is moving forward, as it’s based on a book written by the family of Mama Cass Elliot, rather than with the cooperation of singer Michelle Phillips.

The new film features Jessica Gunning, known from “Baby Reindeer,” playing Mama Cass. It’s based on Owen Elliot–Kugell’s memoir about his mother, titled “My Mama, Cass.” Michelle Phillips, the last surviving member of the band and co-writer of the famous song “California Dreamin'” (with her husband John Phillips), has been working for around four years to create a film about her own life.

The Mamas & The Papas started with John and Michelle Phillips, who married when Michelle was just 18. They joined forces with Mama Cass and Denny Doherty, but the group was plagued by complicated relationships. Cass was in love with Denny, while Denny was having an affair with Michelle. This led to John briefly firing Michelle from the band.

Michelle has discussed John’s past struggles with drug abuse and violence towards others in interviews. Following his death, his daughter Mackenzie revealed they had been involved in an incestuous relationship for ten years.

 

Train Dreams on track for an Oscar surprise

Could the quietly beautiful film Train Dreams be an Oscar contender? It recently won Best Film at the Independent Spirit Awards for a budget of only $10 million – a path that Anora followed last year before winning the Best Picture Oscar.

Although it probably won’t win Best Picture next month against films like One Battle After Another, Marty Supreme, Sinners, or Hamnet, many believe it has a good chance of winning the award for Best Cinematography, potentially beating out more prominent films.

The movie features Australian actor Joel Edgerton as Robert Grainier, a man working as both a logger and on the railroad in the forests of the Pacific Northwest. His life is shaken by a devastating family loss. The story is adapted from a short novel by Denis Johnson.

I’ve been really touched by the film, especially how it portrays grief. It’s incredibly moving. I know the director, Edgerton, lives in Hampstead with his wife and their almost five-year-old twins, and I think that personal experience really comes through in his work.

He describes the film as a quiet but powerful story. He recalls that when he first met the director, Clint Bentley, his children – who are currently playing downstairs – were just one and a half years old and still twins.

Reading the novella again, and then seeing his adaptation, hit me much harder emotionally, especially because of what my character goes through – facing the pain of loss.

My brother recently told me that while watching the film Train Dreams, he felt like he was watching me.

I responded by explaining that was exactly the intention. Now, my biggest worry centers around my children, so the difficult part of this work was getting into that emotional state. It wasn’t hard to tap into those darker thoughts, though – they’re always lurking in the back of every parent’s mind.

While Grainier is often away for months at a time cutting down trees, Edgerton prioritizes seeing his children. He makes it a rule to return home every two weeks to spend time with them and his wife, Christine Centenera, who works as a magazine journalist.

He enjoys riding across Hampstead Heath with his friends and sometimes swims in the famous bathing ponds. He admits it’s not always pleasant, but he finds it rewarding.

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2026-02-20 03:35