It's been more than 50 years since he first dazzled British film audiences, but this week a new set of camera flashes saw The Day of the Jackal Eddie Redmayne and his co-stars Charles Dance and Lashana Lynch attend the London premiere of the ten-episode television series. Adaptation next month.
But there was one man whose visit was particularly notable: Jackal author Frederick Forsyth, author of what novelist Lee Child called “The Book That Breaks the Mold.”
It's notable because Forsyth was mourning the loss of his wife of 30 years, Sandy, who died Saturday, more than four years after his brilliant decline.
From his home in Buckinghamshire, Forsyth tells me: 'The first year and a half I was here. Later, when his condition worsened, he was taken on a stretcher to the first of a chain of hospitals and nursing homes.
It's notable because Forsyth was mourning his wife of 30 years, Sandy, who died Saturday, after more than four years of remorseless depression that left him senseless.
Frederick Forsyth attends the UK premiere of 'The Day of the Jackal' at Queen Elizabeth Hall on October 22, 2024
None of this was unimaginable in 2018, when Forsyth wrote his latest thriller, The Fox.
Sandy, a former screenwriter, was fiercely protective of her 80-year-old husband, who followed his editor's strict schedule.
But after that, he tells me, 'the roles were reversed little by little. Generally, the younger wife takes care of the older boy. In our case, it was the other way around: Sandy was 76' compared to my 86'.
As Sandy went from hospital to hospital looking for a place to relieve her pain, Forsyth realized a terrible truth: she had succumbed to a form of hypochondria, convinced she could only cope by taking endless opioid painkillers.
'She pushed them down. But they contained morphine. Instead of curing her, they made her sick. In the end his health completely deteriorated.'
It was a crushing end to a romance that began after her first marriage ended in 1989. “She was bright and attractive, beautiful and full of life,” Forsyth recalled.
It was a crushing end to a romance that began after her first marriage ended in 1989. “She was bright and attractive, beautiful and full of life,” Forsyth recalled.
Well in a crisis, are we Gina?
Gina Coladangelo, whose affair with Matt Hancock sparked a crisis in Boris Johnson's government, has a new job in crisis management.
Hancock, 46, resigned as health secretary in 2021 after CCTV showed him kissing and hugging his assistant Gina in Whitehall, defying Covid distancing restrictions. They both married other people.
Gina, 47, is a partner at Coulson Partners, the public relations firm founded by former News of the World editor Andy Coulson, where she “…supports clients in reputation management.”
Gina Coladangelo, whose affair with Matt Hancock sparked a crisis in Boris Johnson's government, has a new job in crisis management.
I definitely decide that Shirley Ballas is still on the money.
Come Dancing may have lost some shine, but head judge Shirley Pallas is still on the money.
She has earned more than £1 million from her company Dance with Passion, where she pays her bills.
The latest accounts reveal £900,000 in retained profits (after deducting invoices of £124,000) and an accumulated profit of £200,000 for the year to March.
Shirley Ballas has earned more than £1 million from her Dance with Passion company, where she pays her bills.
My mother! Lily cries sadness
Lily James is determined to follow the example of fellow British actress Suki Waterhouse and become a pop star.
Surrey-born Lily, 35, made her debut in the music video for Australian singer Ben Abraham's Never Been Better earlier this year.
Now, my mom! The Here We Go Again star has recorded another duet, this time with legendary blues singer Eric Pipp on his latest song Victory Voices.
Pip, 73, describes their collaboration as “a gift to my soul.”
Former model Suki, 32, who starred alongside Lily in the 2016 film Pride And Prejudice And Zombies, will release her debut studio album I Can't Let Go in 2022. August.
Surrey-born Lily, 35, made her debut in the music video for Australian singer Ben Abraham's Never Been Better earlier this year.
Poirot stars as Agatha Christie reinvents travel
Poirot star Sir David Suchet is traveling to Hawaii, New Zealand and South Africa for a new TV series chronicling Agatha Christie's 1922 journey.
'I learned about the character of a young woman who loves to surf and socialize.
She was active,” enthuses Suseth. 'On board, she openly writes in her diary that she kept tabs on one of the ship's officers until the wee hours of the morning. She was a bit active. I wish I had met her.'
Sir David Suchet and Sheila Ferris on day ten of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London
Is Country Life editor Mark Hedges barking his head off?
He put a photo of the cartoon character Snoopy on the cover of the hunting, shooting and fishing Chet House Journal.
Its latest edition chronicles the palatial lives of country dogs, including the kennels of Goodwood, where pampered dogs had central heating a century before their owners.
“Snoopy was my hero when I was a teenager,” Hedges says. He sat in his kennel with his friend Woodstock and felt the world. So even after 40 years, I'm happy that my hero is on the cover.
Editor Mark Hedges Country Life puts a photo of the cartoon character Snoopy on the cover of the local hunting, shooting and fishing set magazine.
Don't get scared too soon!
Like Christmas, Halloween comes early every year.
Sky Sports presenter Natalie Pinkham, 47, was rightly celebrated by her family this week before heading to Mexico for the F1 Grand Prix.
Sky Sports presenter Natalie Pinkham, 47, rightly says her family celebrated this week before heading to Mexico so they could cover the F1 Grand Prix.
The neighbors may have been horrified by her scary wig, black lip and fake blood coming out of her eye, but she adds: “Everyone is very nice about it.”
