Tony Blair

Radiohead singer Thom Yorke has claimed that advisers for former British prime minister Tony Blair tried to force him to have his photograph taken with the politician, but that he had refused on the grounds that it was “morally unacceptable” because of Blair’s role in the Iraq war.

Yorke, 47, said that advisers to Blair “tried to blackmail” him into a photo shoot with the PM in 2003, shortly after the second war in Iraq had started and when the singer was the spokesperson for environmental campaign The Big Ask, run by Friends of the Earth.

He was presented with an “ultimatum” that unless he participated, lobbyists for Friends of the Earth would be denied access to Blair.

Continue reading: Thom Yorke Claims That Tony Blair's Advisers Tried To "Blackmail" Him Into Photo Op

Jerry Hall and Rupert Murdoch are reportedly dating. Rumours about their alleged involvement have been circulating for a number of weeks but now a source close to the Murdoch family has confirmed they are dating.

Rupert Murdoch at the celebration of the 200th episode of Bones in November 2014.

Read More: The Sun Restores Page 3 Girls.

Continue reading: Rupert Murdoch And Jerry Hall Are Reportedly Dating

GQ magazine has defended its much criticised decision to award former Prime Minister Tony Blair the award for "philanthropist of the year." Awards producer Richard Dodson told BBC Radio 5 said Blair deserved the award for his work with the Faith Foundation, though conceded that the magazine liked celebrities who "cause a bit of a stir". 

Tony Blair - the philanthropist of the year [Getty/Peter Macdiarmid]

The decision was criticised by some MP's including Labour's John Mann who said "it sends out the wrong message" adding, "This sort of award should go to an unsung hero who has given up their time for charity."

Continue reading: GQ Defends Decision To Award Tony Blair "Philanthropist Of The Year"

Wendi Deng Murdoch, the former wife of media mogul Rupert Murdoch, was seemingly infatuated with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. In a love letter obtained by a magazine, Deng Murdoch lusts over Blair's "good body and legs."

Rupert Murdoch and Wendi Deng Murdoch divorced last year. Pictured here in February 2013.

The letter was obtained by Vanity Fair and was written by Deng Murdoch to herself, evidently never intended for public circulation. Nevertheless an extract from the letter has been published online and the rest will appear in the upcoming edition of the magazine. The extract reads: "Whatever why I'm so, so missing Tony. Because he is so, so charming and his clothes are so good. He has such good body and he has really, really good legs Butt. And he is slim tall and good skin. Pierce blue eyes which I love. Love his eyes. Also I love his power on the stage. And what else and what else and what else."

Continue reading: Wendi Deng Murdoch Besotted With Tony Blair?

Six of Manchester United's most famous player of the modern era - David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Phil and Gary Neville - star in their very own biopic, detailing the rise of one of the finest batch of homegrown players to emerge in Europe in recent years. Class of 92 chronicles the rise and rise of the six players, who guided Manchester United to glory in the 1990's and went on to influence a generation of would-be footballers.

Giggs, Butt, Becks, Phil Neville, Scholesy and Gary Neville star in the biopic

"There will be a few tears in there from my mum I'm sure," Beckham said on the red carpet for the film's premiere over the weekend (via Sky News). He continued, referring to the wider aspects covered in the documentary, "There was so much going on; there was Oasis, The Stone Roses, the Hacienda; all these great things that were going on in Manchester."

Continue reading: What Can We Find Out About Fergie's Fledglings In 'Class Of '92?'

Tony Blair's daughter, Kathryn Blair, was held at gunpoint whilst walking on a London street, in what was an attempted robbery. The incident involved two male suspects who came upon Kathryn and her boyfriend in Ivor Place, Marylebone on Monday, 16 September. According to the Daily Mail, the couple were walking their dog less than a mile from their home when the attempted robbery occurred.

Kathryn's father, Tony Blair, photoraphed in Toronto in 2010.

The two suspects held the couple at gunpoint, threatening them with the gun but not using it. They were dressed in dark clothing and had hidden their faces: one with a scarf and the other with a balaclava. According to some reports, the robbers asked for jewellery and cash. The suspects have been linked to another burglary which took place half an hour earlier. The police are in the process of tracking the suspects' movements via CCTV.

Continue reading: Tony Blair's Daughter Held At Gunpoint In An Attempted Robbery

Former-Prime Minister Tony Blair's daughter was stopped at gunpoint as she was walking her dog with a group of friends and her boyfriend when two men appeared - one armed - and demanded jewellery and money. After ordering valuable goods and receiving none, the men scarpered empty-handed.

Kathryn Blair [Centre] Was Held At Gunpoint & Told To Hand Over Her Valuables.

The 25 year-old barrister and her friends were said to be shocked but unharmed in the incident that could have ended much more gravely. Kathryn was threatened near her townhouse home in London's Marylebone on Monday (16 September) evening when the frightening near-attack occurred. She and her boyfriend had just returned from a weekend in Buckinghamshire attending the wedding of her 29 year-old brother Euan to Suzanne Ashman.

Continue reading: Gun Pulled On Tony Blair's Daughter By Attempted Thieves

Author Iain Banks, who has penned numerous award-winning novels, has been given less than a year to live by doctors after being diagnosed with late stage cancer. The Scottish novelist posted a message on his official website, saying he was cancelling all future public engagements and that his next novel The Quarry - due out next year - would be his last.

The statement said his cancer was diagnosed after he saw his doctor about a sore back. He was initially told he had jaundice, the further tests revealed the full extent of his illness. In a post titled "I am officially very poorly," the acclaimed writer also revealed he had married his partner. Banks said the disease had spread from his gall bladder to both lobes of his liver, possibly the pancreas and some lymph nodes. He ruled out, "any chance of surgery to remove the tumours either in the short or long term". Banks noted that the bottom line was that "I'm expected to live for 'several months' and it's extremely unlikely I'll live beyond a year".

Continue reading: Cancer Stricken Author Iain Banks Given Just Months To Live

Nicole Scherzinger, a judge on the UK's X Factor, who's currently dating British Formula 1 star Lewis Hamilton, has admitted she had no idea who David Cameron was. The former Pussycat Dolls star actually met the Prime Minister at the Pride of Britain Awards earlier this week, though had to be told who he was.

In fact, Scherzinger has revealed to The Mirror that she asked one of Cameron's aides where 'Prime Minister' Blair was. "I didn't know who he was," she said, adding, "They said they were introducing me to the Prime Minister and he came over, and I was like, 'Where's Tony Blair?' I thought it was still him. Someone had to tell me. I was a real ass." Earlier this week at the Cosmopolitan Ultimate Women of the Year Awards, Scherzinger said she absolutely loved Prince Charles' Pride of Britain speech. "He is gangsta!" she said, "He's a prince! He basically got up on stage and said: 'The UK's the s***.' I was like: Yeah!"

The X Factor star created waves at the event after chugging down on a pint of beer while her showbiz pals sipped wine. Thumbs up from us!

Continue reading: Calling Tony Blair: Nicole Scherzinger Thinks You're Still Prime Minister

Helen Mirren is set to reprise her career-defining role as ‘The Queen’ for a new stage-play directed by Stephen Daldry. The British star – who scooped an Oscar for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in Stephen Frear’s 2006 movie – will team up with Peter Morgan for ‘The Audience’, a production exploring six decades of the monarch’s weekly meetings with British prime ministers.

Her portrayal of The Queen in a meeting with Tony Blair – played by Martin Sheen – was considered one of the more memorable scenes of the award-winning movie and Daldry is set to build on that in the stage-play. Playing the monarch from her twenties to her eighties will be no mean feat, though Mirren holds the necessary credentials to take on such a role. According to the Guardian, she said, “Her voice has changed, and I can use that –she had a terribly posh voice when she was young…But now even the Queen, while she isn't quite dropping the ends of her lines –though her grandsons do! – there's a tiny bit of estuary creeping in there. I can use all that to signify the age range, and we'll come up with other things.” The drama will be staged at the Gielgud Theatre in London from March 2013.

‘The Audience’ is certainly in good hands; playwright Peter Morgan’s last play ‘Frost/Nixon’ gained universal critical acclaim and featured a standout performance from Michael Sheen.