Slur on Kate’s family friend as name is cut from school

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Throughout a successful career and dedicated charitable work, he’s received honors like an OBE and a knighthood, and was even invited to Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding.

Sir John Madejski, 84, is a beloved figure in Reading, often called ‘Mr Reading’ because he led the town’s football club from a lower level to the top-tier Premier League. He might be surprised to hear that his name is now associated with potential damage to someone’s reputation.

A damaging and unfair comment was included in a report from the Greenshaw Learning Trust, the organization that recently took over Reading’s John Madejski Academy – a school Sir John Madejski funded with £3 million. Sir John, who also served as Chancellor of Reading University and amassed a £400 million fortune, considered the school, opened by Tony Blair in 2007, to be his proudest achievement.

However, the Greenshaw Learning Trust dismissed this, removing his name from the school last month after a review process that is now being heavily questioned.

Before starting the process, the school board received a report – I also received a copy. The report explained that choosing a name representing the community, instead of a person, would help avoid potential damage to the school’s reputation.

The school announced that parents and students will be able to choose from three potential new names. After the name is finalized, they are planning a big opening ceremony to celebrate.

Sir John, who recently visited the academy as a guest of the trust, received a different account of the process. He wasn’t told about the trust’s plans for a potential name change. In a letter, the trust’s chief executive, Will Smith, wrote that he hoped Sir John would support the new name after the consultation. When asked for a breakdown of votes for each name option, the trust responded by saying that 41% of students wanted to keep the name ‘John Madejski Academy’, while 39% preferred ‘Hartland High School’.

Forty percent of parents and community members preferred the name Hartland High, while about 33% favored keeping the current name.

The school had 396 students, and received 90 responses from parents and local residents. In the vote, John Madejski Academy received 192 votes compared to 190 for Hartland High. However, despite this close result and a petition signed by 1,400 people who wanted to keep the original name, Hartland High was ultimately chosen.

The estimated cost of the name change is £11,000, but critics argue this is a significant underestimate of the total expense.

Sir John declines to comment, other than to reflect ruefully: ‘No good turn goes unpunished.’

 
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How BBC snub ‘broke’ Rik Mayall

Shortly before Rik Mayall’s death, the comedian was snubbed by the BBC.

In his memoir, ‘What Have I Done?’, Ben Elton shares that Rik Mayall wasn’t able to appear in the sitcom Elton had written specifically for him, called ‘The Wright Way’.

‘Rik was so excited,’ Elton says. ‘He loved the character and the script.’

Rik Mayall, a popular actor from 1980s television, tried out for a part in 2012. However, the BBC decided against casting him, telling Elton they liked the show’s concept but felt Mayall’s energetic style wasn’t suitable for the family-friendly program on BBC1. This came as a great surprise, and sadly, Mayall passed away just 18 months later at the age of 56.

 

Jeremy Hunt, currently the Foreign Secretary, once mistakenly referred to Slovenia as a former Soviet state. He admits he had little knowledge of foreign policy when he first took the role, and even less about health when he was made Health Secretary – a common occurrence in politics. His new book, ‘Can We Be Great Again? Why A Dangerous World Needs Britain,’ is what he says he wished he’d had as a briefing when he became Foreign Secretary.

 

 Serene send-off by Wills’ pal

A fierce legal fight is underway over the fortune of Indian billionaire Sunjay Kapur, who passed away while playing polo in June. The dispute centers around claims that his will was falsified, and involves a staggering £1 billion.

Rose Farquhar, a former girlfriend of Prince William, offered a peaceful moment at a memorial service for Kapur. She sang John Lennon’s song “Imagine” at the service, which was held at St Andrew’s church in Leighterton, Gloucestershire.

The wedding reception took place at Beaufort Polo Club. Sadly, Sona Comstar chairman Kapur, age 53, passed away after suffering a severe allergic reaction – reportedly from a bee sting – which triggered a heart attack.

 

Jodie’s baby talk is turning heads

Jodie Turner-Smith, known for her role as Anne Boleyn in a provocative series about Henry VIII’s wife, turned heads at the premiere of her new movie.

Oh my gosh, you guys, did you SEE Emilia Clarke at the Tron: Ares premiere?! She’s just… breathtaking! The 39-year-old looked absolutely incredible in this super-fitted leather outfit. Seriously, she’s from Peterborough, you know, and she just completely owned the red carpet in LA. I can’t stop thinking about it!

This follows reports that Graham Norton intervened to halt a potentially uncomfortable series of questions she asked Taylor Swift on his BBC show last Friday.

Taylor, 35, and her fiancé, Travis Kelce, were recently seen together on a red sofa, where she discussed their engagement.

Someone watching the show said a clip was removed where Jodie asked the singer about when she planned to have a baby, and they described the moment as awkward.

 

 Food is never on my mind, says Priscilla

As someone who’s always been interested in feeling great at any age, I found Priscilla Presley’s recent comments so relatable! She jokes that her secret to staying slim at 80 is simply not having a big appetite, and honestly, it’s something I understand – sometimes, it really is about listening to your body. She’s managed to stay the same weight for years, which is amazing! But it’s not just about wellness for her; she’s also eager to get back on stage! She loved doing pantomime in London previously and is actively looking for another opportunity, so she’s putting the word out there – and I, for one, hope she gets it!

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2025-10-08 03:04