ES 7 March 2013

ES

7 March 2013 / Thursday

Deluded apprentice desperate for cash, says Sugar

Lord Sugar today launched a blistering attack on a winner of The Apprentice who is suing him for constructive dismissal, calling her “deluded” and “desperate for money”. The peer insisted: “I have no intention of paying her any money. I have principles... I trust in the law.” Stella English, 34, beat 15 other contestants to win series six of the popular BBC1 show in 2010.

The mother-of-two, who gave up a career in the City, claimed that Lord Sugar told her that he did not “give a sh**” when she eventually resigned.

She is claiming constructive dismissal after insisting the show’s job offer was “a sham”.

Bolshoi star paid ÂŁ1,000 for attack on director

‘It is unlikely that it is all because of one ballerina. Sergei thinks this girl is surely not the main cause’ Maria Prorvich, Sergei Filin’s wife A leading soloist with the Bolshoi Ballet appeared in a cage in a Moscow court today as he admitted paying £1,000 for an attack on the company’s artistic director.

Behind bars: ballet star Pavel Dmitrichenko in a Moscow court today.

He said he paid for attack on Sergei Filin, above, after his girlfriend Anzelina Vorontsova, far left, missed out on top roles Pavel Dmitrichenko, 29, said he asked for Sergei Filin to be beaten up in revenge for snubbing his dancer girlfriend but denied ordering the use of acid in the attack and accused his victim of corruption.

Filin, 42, permanently disfigured and partially blind after sulphuric acid was thrown in his face outside his home in Moscow in January. In a case which has rocked the Bolshoi to its foundations, Russian police claim Dmitrichenko ordered the attack because he was furious that his partner Anzelina Vorontsova, 21, was being overlooked for top roles.

But the scandal has deepened after a former top dancer accused the company of a cover-up in the case and Filin’s wife said a “much wider circle of people” were involved.

CYCLISTS’ £1 BILLION LONDON HIGHWAY SEGREGATED LANES TO IMPROVE SAFETY TWO MILES OF A40 WESTWAY FOR RIDERS

Boris Johnson is to create a cycle lane along a two-mile stretch of the A40 Westway as part of a 15-mile segregated “Crossrail for cyclists” linking west and east London.

The Mayor will make the westbound “slow lane” between Paddington and Shepherd’s Bush a two-way protected bike route by 2016, forcing motorists to use the remaining two lanes.

His dramatic move is just part of a near-£1 billion bid to double the number of Londoners on bikes in the next decade, at the same time as tackling the “No 1 reason” many avoid cycling — fear of injury.

Met in talks to bring back Yemen playboy wanted over student’s murder MET detectives investigating the rape and murder of a Norwegian student have met the prime suspect’s lawyers for talks about bringing him back to Britain, the Standard can reveal. Suspect and victim: Farouk Abdulhak, left, and Martine Vik Magnussen Police have for the first time met legal representatives of Farouk Abdulhak, the playboy son of one of Yemen’s most powerful billionaires. He fled to his homeland hours after the battered, semi-naked body of Martine Vik Magnussen, 23, was found in the basement of a central London flat in 2008.

There is no extradition treaty between Britain and Yemen, and he has failed to return to the UK to answer questions.

But ahead of the fifth anniversary of Ms Magnussen’s death , Detective Superintendent Jessica Wadsworth, leading the inquiry, has met Abdulhak’s lawyers.

Sources close to the case say there are hopes of a change of attitude by Abdulhak and his father Shaher, as the negative publicity continues. A source said: “This meeting may lead to something. We are hopeful, as absolutely it is progress. This development is being treated in good faith.

We are confident there is now a direct link back to him [the suspect]. They [lawyers] are taking instruction. They are going to go back to their client to discuss.

London charity helping to save African girls from mutilation A London charity is working to help Senegal put an end to female genital mutilation — making it the first country where the practice was once widespread to stamp it out.

“Invest now”: Julia Lalla-Maharajh, founder of Orchid Project, in Ethiopia Orchid Project, set up by businesswoman, Julia Lalla-Maharajh, believes “cutting” will be eradicated entirely from the West African country within the next two years.

The charit y could benefit f ro m £35 million government funding allocated yesterday to ending the practice through education, after a European Commission report showed more girls in Britain are at risk of it than anywhere else in Europe.

Ms Lalla-Maharajh said that if migrants living in London see their mother communities abandoning the practice, they will also be inspired to stop. She said of the funding announcement: “People have been working on this for 40 years but there seems to be a perfect storm at the moment. The time to invest is now.”

RENEE AND JANUARY IN THE FRONT ROW FOR MIU MIU’S BRIGHT, FRESH COLLECTION!

Miuccia Prada drew a bevy of stars on the final day of Paris Fashion Week. Actresses Renée Zellweger, Rebecca Hall, Zoe Saldana and January Jones were in the front row to see the autumn/winter collection for Miu Miu — Prada’s cooler, younger sibling. Dotty about Miu Miu: a polka dot coat on the catwalk; Renée Zellweger, Rebecca Hall and Zoe Saldana in the front row and posing for cameras with January Jones, far right

The trend-setting designer cast aside next season’s infatuation with soft, sensual elegance, offering instead clothes for a woman who means business. Her heroine was an urbanite with a busy life. Polka dot belted coats in sugar pink, lemon yellow and powder blue were the high point. But they weren’t supposed to be pretty — at least not in a twee way. Striped tights in clashing shades ensured Prada’s affection for fashion undercut with an awkward edge shone through in a collection that was a breath of fresh air.

Drag queens and powerlords unite

Actor Adrian Lester and his playwright wife Lolita Chakrabarti, pictured left, were among the guests at Kilburn’s Tricycle Theatre last night for the premiere of Paper Dolls, Philip Himberg’s play about the Filipino care workers in Tel Aviv who became a popular drag act. Also showing their support were actors Charles Dance and Jemma Redgrave, pictured below, and Imelda Staunton. Dance — who plays the villain Tywin Lannister in Game of Thrones — let slip this week that there will definitely be a fourth series of the TV show. Dance revealed that he would have loved to don a tailcoat for Downton Abbey but, despite working with Julian Fellowes in the past, he was never asked to join the show.

Kate Nash: death of my friend at 24 gave me the courage to go it alone

She's taking the biggest risk of her career after parting ways with her record company and reinventing herself as a punk chick.She said: “Music is about rebellion. When did things get so boring? All the acts when I was growing up were saying ‘f*** you’ to something.

Two hours late and unapologetic, Bieber treated his Beliebers with contempt at the first concert of his O2 run

It could have been glorious. Arguably Earth's most popular pop star, last night Justin Bieber, the Canadian who was 19 on Saturday, who has 35 million Twitter followers and who earned more than $1 million a week in 2012, swept into town for the first of four O2 nights. If giddy, heady, good-natured anticipation was palpable, you could have touched it.

Lion kills woman worker at big cat sanctuary in US

An intern who was killed by a lion at a private animal park in California was today named as Dianna Hanson, 24.

The graduate was mauled to death by a four-year-old male, Cous Cous, after she entered a lion enclosure at the Cat Haven sanctuary in Dunlap, Sierra Nevada. Sheriff ’s deputies shot the lion dead as they tried to save Ms Hanson. Cat Haven founder and executive director Dale Anderson broke down as he read a statement announcing her death.

Please don’t let me die, gasped Chavez to aide

President Hugo Chavez died of a heart attack after great suffering and inaudibly mouthed his desire to live, said the head of Venezuela’s presidential guard.

“He couldn’t speak, but he said it with his lips... ‘I don’t want to die. Please don’t let me die,’ because he loved his country, he sacrificed himself for his country,” General Jose Ornella said.

The general said he spent the past two years with Mr Chavez, including his final moments, as Venezuela’s president of 14 years fought cancer.

Mr Ornella spoke outside the military academy where Mr Chavez’s body lay in state before tomorrow’s funeral.

He said his cancer was very advanced when death came but gave no details.

When Russell Brand is hosting, the rulebook is ripped up. Last night's fundraiser for those fighting drug and alcohol addiction was utterly dominated by the exheroin addict.

Hoult: I fear I’ll end up sad and lonely

The star of X-Men told ES Magazine he struggles with the pressures of fame and film-making despite having being a professional actor since the age of seven. He spoke of his break-up with Jennifer Lawrence, who won the best actress Oscar last month, and his friendship with Colin Firth since they starred in A Single Man. Berkshire-born Hoult, 23, will hit cinemas next month in the lead role of fairytale update Jack The Giant Slayer. Asked what scares him, he said: “Becoming a sad, old lonely actor. It’s weird not being able to do anything for yourself. During a film you have every moment of your life planned. You come out the other end and you’re like, ‘Now what do I do?’ It takes a few days to adjust.” He credits Firth with giving him career advice: “I had dinner with him the other night; he’s the best person to go to. Colin’s had the ups and downs, been through the actor breakdowns, he’s very intelligent.”

Who’s hat at the door of Wiltons restaurant

One of London’s oldest restaurants is to employ a doorman for the first time in its 271-year history.

Wiltons in St James’s — a favourite of Margaret Thatcher and patronised by royals and politicians since 1742 — has appointed David Arcusi to welcome diners and help customers find a taxi.

Wiltons general manager Jason Phillips said: “It probably should have happened some time ago.”

Now AK47S are used to save lives... by becoming items of jewellery A DESIGNER has transformed deadly assault rifles into diamond encrusted jewellery in a bid to stop violence in Africa.

Sight for sore eyes: ring made from assault rifle The 10-piece coll ec t i on, which includes an egg, ring, bracelet and necklace, by designer James de Givenchy, is made from the steel of AK47s removed from war zones.

Fonderie 47’s Phoneix Collection is to go on public display for the first time today at Halcyon Gallery in Mayfair for just one day.

As well as steel, the pieces, which range from £8,000 for a ring and pendant up to £155,000 for a necklace, also f e a t u re sust ainably s o u rc e d 18-carat rose gold, platinum and conflict-free diamonds.

Proceeds from the sale of the collect i on wil l go towards Assault Rif l e Destruction in Africa. So far Fonderie 47 has destroyed more than 25,000 rifles. Givenchy, who has previously worked with steel from First World War guns and bayonets and whose uncle Hubert founded fashion brand

Meet the desto-rateurs Dance, dine and drink — all under one roof. Make a reservation at one of London’s new destination restaurants

IT’S after midnight and you’re between venues. You began the evening drinking cocktails with colleagues, followed by food next door and now you’re on the hunt for some music.

The Beagle has landed: Dan and Kieran Clancy are opening their new venue this month Going out in London is typically a three-destination event. But now, if you know where to go, a night out has become a night in one place. Welcome to the age of the desto-rant: the new destination restaurant.

Like members’ clubs where you can drink, eat, watch a live act and, in some cases, dance, there are now similar venues in Notting Hill, Earl’s Court, Islington and Dalston — but where you don’t have to pay a fee.

“The question we get asked more than any other is where to go for a party,” says the anonymous founder of BarChick.com. “Keeping customers under one roof is incredibly lucrative — members’ clubs have been doing it for decades — and now it’s happening everywhere. When you’re out with a big group it’s a hassle to get in to three different venues, making these new establishments the best prescription for a guaranteed good night out.” Just opened near Old Street is the Rotar y Bar a nd Diner, started by Jonathan Downey, the man behind Soho members’ bar Milk & Honey.

A new Swedish shopping sensation: & Other Stories lands on Regent Street For champagne tastes on a beer budget... the brains behind H&M and Cos

The latest offering from Hennes & Mauritz — & Other Stories — opens its very first UK store tomorrow on Regent Street. Its mission? To help those with champagne tastes on a beer budget. With more quality than H&M and more variety than Cos – but at a similar price point to the latter – the focus is on personal style rather than trends or fast fashion fixes.

With an approach much like that of a magazine, they choose to decipher and interpret different style tribes in four seasonal collections, rather than spoonfeeding looks straight from the catwalk. It’s an interesting move for the high street. Following several high-profile industry names making the move from editorial to retail — including Lucy Yeomans leaving Harper’s Bazaar to head Net-a-Porter.

BESTSELLERS FICTION 1 Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel 2 Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O’Farrell 3 Wool by Hugh Howey 4 Tenth of December by George Saunders 5 Harvest by Jim Crace

NON-FICTION 1 The Hummingbird Bakery: Home Sweet Home by Tarek Malouf 2 Bedsit Disco Queen — Tracey Thorn 3 The Examined Life by Stephen Grosz 4 The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perelman 5 The Return of a King by William Dalrymple

SPY THE LIE

BY PHILIP HOUSTON,MICHAEL FLOYD AND SUSAN CARNICERO WITH DON TENNANT (Icon Books, £8.99)

Let's say someone might have commutes a crime. You're asking him questions. Let's say he's OJ Simpson. How do you spot the signs that he might not be telling the truth?

A DEATH IN THE FAMILY

BY KARL OVE KNAUSGAARD (Vintage, £8.99)

In this superb Proustian - and also Nick Hornby-esque - novel, a Norwegian guy recounts his life in great detail. He menages to tell us about himself in several timescales.

THE HEART BROKE IN

BY JAMES MEEK (Cinongate, £8.99)

Richie is a sleazy former pop star. He runs a reality TV show that's like a teenage version of The X Factor. He's having an affair with a 15-year-old girl.

SERVANTS: A DOWNSTAIRS VIEW OF TWENTIETHCENTURY BRITAIN FOR most of us who shop, cook, clean, open our own front door and work full - time, yet can scarcely afford a home, the idea of a servant is catnip. But by the end of Lucy Lethbridge’s account of what amounts to a century of indentured slavery, we are more likely to consider our busy lives the badge of a free society.

A hundred years ago, the cost of things was geared differently. At the top end of the middle class, an income of £10,000 afforded two houses, each with a staff of eight; horses; charitable donations, and sporting gear. The man of the house spent £2,000 on sporting activities, £600 on horses, and just £400 a year on those 16 staff whose lives were often hard, boring and unfulfilled. This drudgery applied par ticularly to women, a t hi rd of whom, if they worked, were in service; the majorit y of those in single-servant households with no electricity or gas, and paid less than men for equal work. People judged their own social success in terms of their servants. Paraded as status symbols, footmen taller than six foot earned much higher wages than shorter men.

Lethbridge’s statistic-backed, wellre searched and frequently funny book makes plain that the relationships between servants and employers were often so complex that it was not until the Second World War that the “great cobweb of social dependency … disappeared for ever”. Before that, maids washed their mistresses’ loose change to clean off proletarian filth before returning it to the superior purse. In old age, Lady Diana Cooper remembered, from her youth, a decrepit “gong man” whose only job was to totter the halls banging in meals.

Women such as Nancy Astor put the linings of their chiffon knickers (stitched by cripples) into organza pouches — in her case decorated with her husband’s racing colours — to be hand-washed at night by her maids. At mealtimes, Consuela Vanderbilt and the Duke of Marlborough s at down to a solitary meal where each course had 17 different dishes. Let us not forget Kenneth Clark’s account of Bacon the butler, so overcome by the allure of a dish of larks’ tongues he was holding that he scoffed the lot in front of an astonished Clark, gravy dribbling down his chin.

Here are the quiddities of English servitude, and attitudes to it, at their most peculiar, loathsome or extreme. As Lethbridge drily explains, desires are easily elevated to necessity once there is a staff to accomplish them. In grand houses the payroll was so long that one stumbled across servants at every turn, from pig boys to spider brushers.

But in the majority of single-servant ( “dogsbody”) house holds, reality wasn’t fun. Those women did heavy manual labour from dawn to dusk while their ostensible owners complained about how much they ate and the cost of their clothing. Lethbridge treads a measured course between informed nostalgia and plain contempt for our idle forbears whose only saving grace must be that they had no idea how gilded their lives were.

There is so much of interest here, particularly to do with the halting escape of women from servitude, both helped and hampered by the First World War and the partial vote in 1919; and furthered by the intrepidity of organisations such as Universal Aunts that offered women more intelligent work (and also invented the prototype of meals on wheels). This provocative book serves as testament to the tweeny maid, exhausted and mocked, whose eventual extinction led to our own egalitarian, if less luxurious, lives.