Tag Archives: claudia winkleman

Guardian News & Media launches the Guardian Film Awards

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guardianfilmawardsExciting news for film fans. Guardian News and Media (GNM) today launches the inaugural Guardian Film Awards, a brand new celebration of contemporary cinema which rethinks the categories from the ground up and puts the movie-goer at the heart of the experience.

 

In a fresh twist, alongside the traditional big hitter categories like best film and best director, readers can vote for their favourite marketing campaign, film festival and movie scene. And instead of the usual gender divisions of best actor and best actress, in the Guardian Film Awards, both sexes battle it out in the same categories.

 

Unlike traditional awards like the Oscars or Golden Globes, the Guardian Film Awards give readers the chance to have their say in the matter every step of the way – from shaping the shortlists to having a vote at the final judging stage.

 

The way it works is simple. Readers vote for their favourites in the main nine categories from the longlists chosen by Guardian film editors and writers. The votes cast will decide the shortlist, which will then be considered by a panel of six expert judges – including Guardian and Observer critics Peter Bradshaw and Xan Brooks, editor-in-chief Alan Rusbridger, film editor Catherine Shoard, award-winning film-maker Adam Curtis, and critic and presenter Claudia Winkleman. The invisible seventh judge at the table will be the reader, whose vote will help shape and guide the panel’s final decision.

 

The shortlists will be announced on 19 February. The winners will collect their awards at a ceremony on 6 March.

 

The full category list includes:

Best film (this can be in any genre and includes documentaries and foreign-language films)

Best actor (male or female)

Best supporting actor (male or female)

Best director

Best scene

Best line of dialogue

Best film festival

Best marketing campaign

Biggest game-changer

Best cinema (wholly voted by readers)

So-bad-it’s-good film (wholly voted by readers)

Lifetime achievement (special judges’ award wholly nominated and voted by the panel)

Guardian & Observer film critic and judge Peter Bradshaw said: “The Guardian Film Awards will offer a new slant on the awards season; they will be enjoyable, unpretentious, and user-friendly and let the reader and moviegoer connect more directly with the glittering prizes themselves.”

 

Judge Claudia Winkleman said: “I’m thrilled to be one of the judges for the Guardian Film Awards. I’m particularly excited as the readers are voting too. Also, I think it’s common knowledge that I’d follow Peter Bradshaw anywhere.”

 

Readers can vote and participate on the Guardian Film Awards 2014 website: theguardian.com/guardian-film-awards. Voting closes midday February 16 2014.

 

Read more on the longlists here.

Britain’s Wittiest Celebrity Is….

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“We’re just going to draw the raffle numbers now…”

 

WIGGO CROWNED BRITAIN’S WITTIEST CELEBRITY

 

Bradley Wiggins, Boris Johnson and Ian Holloway named as Britain’s greatest living wits

·         Bradley Wiggins takes gold as ‘king of the quips’

·         Stars from sports, politics, television, film and music make top ten

·         Top three wits invited to perform at Dave’s Leicester Comedy Festival

Olympic and Tour De France cycling champ Bradley Wiggins has been named as Britain’s greatest living wit.  The 2012 Sports Personality of the Year triumphed over a host of witty celebrities from the diverse fields of sport, politics, music and film in a nationwide poll to be named king of the quips.

Over 2,000 British adults took part in the survey, which was specially commissioned to mark the start of Dave’s Leicester Comedy Festival, 8th – 24th February 2013.  A panel from the comedy channel compiled a shortlist of the 25 wittiest British celebrities of recent years, taking care to exclude professional comedians and those working directly in the field of comedy.  The shortlist was then put to the public vote to find Britain’s greatest wits.

Cycling hero Bradley Wiggins emerged triumphant with over a fifth of the public vote (20.75%) with comedy lines such as “we’re just going to draw the raffle numbers now,” as he started his speech to the crowds on the Champs Elysees who had come to witness his Tour de France victory.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson came in at second place with 17.65% of the vote.  The London leader’s knack for a witty quip was summed up in his observation of extra-curricular activities in the Olympic Village during the 2012 Games in London; “Inspire a generation’ is our motto. Not necessarily ‘Create a generation’ … which is what they sometimes get up to in the Olympic village.”

Third place went to the much loved Ian Holloway (14.30%), manager of football club Crystal Palace, with witticisms such as; “Right now, everything is going wrong for me – if I fell in a barrel of boobs, I’d come out sucking my thumb!”

 

Completing the top ten are Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson, musicians Robbie Williams, Noel Gallagher and Rod Stewart, The Apprentice’s Lord Sugar, actor Colin Firth and TV presenter Ant McPartlin (full results listed below).

 

Overall Top 10 Wittiest British Celebrities
1 20.75% Bradley Wiggins – When making a speech to the Champs Elysées crowds who had come to see his Tour de France victory: “We’re just going to draw the raffle numbers now.” On winning Sports Personality of the Year: “Nan, the cheques in the post, because you hit redial god knows how many times.”

 

After someone threw tacks on the road, causing punctures for a number of riders: “There are hopefully enough police on this race to find the people and… send them to a football match or something.”
2 17.65% Boris Johnson – On extra-curricular activities in the Olympic village: “Inspire a generation’ is our motto. Not necessarily ‘Create a generation’ … which is what they sometimes get up to in the Olympic village.”On becoming Prime Minister: “My chances of being PM are about as good as the chances of finding Elvis on Mars, or my being reincarnated as an olive.”Talking about if Ken Livingstone did a good job as a major “Nothing immediately springs to mind. I think losing the election last time was one of his most magnificent acts.”
3 14.30% Ian Holloway – “Right now, everything is going wrong for me – if I fell in a barrel of boobs, I’d come out sucking my thumb!” “I love Blackpool. We’re very similar. We both look better in the dark.”

 

After QPR beat Cardiff: “I couldn’t be more chuffed if I were a badger at the start of the mating season.”
4 13.90% Lord Sugar – To Apprentice candidates: “I’ve read all your CVs and on paper you all look good, but so does fish and chips.” To an Apprentice candidate: “You remind me of one of those knock-off DVDs. At first glance quite convincing, but afterwards you’re just impossible to follow.”

 

On how to dress for an interview “Turning up looking scruffy is not good. Then again, if you’re going for an interview with Richard Branson, and you’re in a T-shirt with half your breakfast down the front of it, he might think that was cool.”
5 12.75% Jeremy Clarkson – “I don’t understand bus lanes. Why do poor people have to get to places quicker than I do?” “If all the creatures on earth were the same size, it’s said a lobster would have the smallest brain. But then someone invented Wayne Rooney.”

 

“This is a Renault Espace, probably the best of the people carriers. Not that that’s much to shout about. That’s like saying ‘Oh good, I’ve got syphilis, the best of the sexually transmitted diseases!”
6 11.05% Robbie Williams – “I am the only man who can say he’s been in Take That and at least two members of the Spice Girls.” “Madonna looked amazing. I can’t believe she’s 89 and looks like that.”

 

“I met Courtney Love and she said she’d like to sleep with me, but she couldn’t cos of my “pop-star thing”… so I said to her I couldn’t sleep with her either – cos of her ‘ugly thing’…”
7 10.85% Noel Gallagher – On his brother Liam: “He’s the angriest man you’ll ever meet, a man with a fork in a world of soup.” On Wayne Rooney’s hair transplant: “I’m not having it, He looks like a f**king balloon with a f**king Weetabix crushed on to it.”

 

“Liam only has two problems – everything he f**king says and everything he f**king does.”
8 8.65% Rod Stewart – “Instead of getting married again, I’m going to find a woman I don’t like and just give her a house.” “I’ve been lucky with my hair.  I couldn’t deal with it if I’d run out of barnet.  Imagine me with a Bobby Charlton comb over.”

 

“It’s often said that a band is like a family, and that may well be true, depending on how often your family is tired and drunk.”
9 8.15% Ant McPartlin – “Our first flat, in South-West London, was a pig-sty. Peter Andre lived in the flat above us and in the evenings he’d go to the gym while we’d be working on our own six packs – of beer.” “Sony Records approached us to make the official England World Cup single. Our first reaction was: ‘Didn’t you ever hear any of our music?’”

 

“We were pensioned off at 18. Even though Byker Grove was a success the BBC wanted to appeal to younger viewers. To be fair, real-life 18-year-olds don’t hang around youth clubs.”
10 7.25% Colin Firth – “Colin is the sort of name you give your goldfish for a joke.” “My singing voice is somewhere between a drunken apology and a plumbing problem.”

 

On Hugh Grant potentially retiring from acting: “All we can do is hope and pray.”

 

Female celebrities failed to make their mark in the overall top ten line-up.  From those that comprised the shortlist, Strictly Come Dancing’s Claudia Winkleman and pop star Lily Allen led the way for the girls, with controversial reality TV favourite, Sharon Osbourne following closely behind.

 

Steve North, General Manager of Dave, comments, “Britain is a hotbed of comedy talent and it’s clear you don’t have to be on the comedy payroll to get the nation laughing, as our top ten of Britain’s greatest living wits encompasses celebrities from diverse fields including the worlds of sport, music, film and politics. Our winner, Bradley Wiggins has a special place in the nation’s heart which seems to be on account of his red hot wit as well as his incredible sporting abilities. We have extended invitations to all those in the top three to appear at this year’s Dave’s Leicester Comedy Festival and hope they will agree to appear.

 

 

 

Top 3 Wittiest Female British Celebrities all placed outside of overall Top 10
= 1 3.85% Claudia Winkleman – “To be a TV presenter all you have to do is dye your skin a walnut colour, use an entire eyeliner stick on each eye and try not to fall over while you’re reading from an autocue.” On her job: “I just flounce in and ask people some stupid questions and then come home again. And it won’t last long because I’m 94 so it’ll end any minute and I’ll have to find something else to do.”

 

“I don’t work very hard, I dye myself orange and I read out loud in the months from September to December when Strictly is on.”
= 1 3.85% Lily Allen – “I was a drug dealer in Ibiza at 15. I did not excel in drug dealing – I was terrible at it. Golden rule with drug dealing – don’t get too enthusiastic with your own merchandise.” “I’d like to say work and sex have replaced drugs but there’s not been enough time off work for sex. This must change.”

 

Of her song ‘F**k You’: “I’d like to dedicate this next song to someone. David Cameron.”
3 2.65% Sharon Osbourne – “If anybody says their facelift doesn’t hurt, they’re lying. It was like I’d spent the night with an axe murderer.” On Prince Harry’s naked escapades: “Fabulous. I was really upset I wasn’t there because I could have had a good look and a grab.”

 

“Have you seen U2’s live show? It’s boring as hell. It’s like watching CNN.”

 

Jessica Ennis, Andy Murray Make Who’s Who

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Who’s Who in 2013?

The new edition of Who’s Who is out with some exciting new entries. Including some of Britain’s brightest athletes.

The 165th edition of Who’s Who brings together over 33,000 autobiographical entries from people of, influence and interest in every area of public life. Featuring just over 1,000 entries new for this edition, Who’s Who 2013, published on 3rd December 2012, celebrates the achievements of British Society. An invaluable research tool and a unique way of measuring social change, it is the longest established and most comprehensive general biographical reference book. An invitation to appear in Who’s Who recognises lasting distinction and influence. An entry in Who’s Who is for life.

Preface by Arianna Huffington

Arianna Huffington, President and Editor-in-Chief at the Huffington Post Media Group, is a new biographee for the 2013 edition. She has written this year’s foreword, in which she considers the ways in which technology is rapidly transforming the media.

Olympic Idols

Included for the first time in the 2013 edition is Heptathlon darling, Jessica Ennis, who won gold at the 2012 Olympic Games. At just 26 years old, her impressive resume includes an Olympic gold, two World Championship medals, two World Indoor Championship medals, a European Championship medal and a Commonwealth Games medal.

Double Olympic gold medallist, Mo Farah makes a welcome entry this year, as does professional tennis player and Olympic gold medallist Andy Murray. Born in 1987, Murray is the youngest non-hereditary new entrant.

Entertainment

Presenter and journalist, Gabby Logan is a new addition to Who’s Who 2013. She represented Wales in rhythmic gymnastics at the 1990 Commonwealth Games, before carving out a career in broadcast where she recently presented at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Included in the 2013 edition is author and Times columnist Caitlin Moran, who was named Critic of the Year and Interviewer of the Year at the 2011 British Press Awards. She lists her recreations as ‘hair biggening, cava, eyeliner, The Struggle’.

Comedian and songwriter Tim Minchin, who composed the music for Matilda the Musical is included in Who’s Who for the first time, as is fellow comedian Richard Ayoade. Richard starred in The IT Crowd and has directed music videos for the Arctic Monkeys and Super Furry Animals, amongst others.

Cooking Sensations

Two star Michelin chef, Michael Caines is a new biographee for the 2013 edition. Head Chef at Gidleigh Park in Devon and Bath Priory, Michael appeared in Celebrity Masterchef 2011 and is one of Britain’s most acclaimed chefs. He is joined by Nathan Outlaw, another South West based chef, who enjoys ‘collecting cookery books’. Star Wars fan Nathan is a two star Michelin chef who has two restaurants at the St Enodoc Hotel, in Cornwall.

Family Connections

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson’s brother Leo, Partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers Sustainability and Climate Change and sister Rachel, Editor-in-Chief of The Lady, are new names for 2013. Boris, another brother Joseph and father Stanley are already in Who’s Who making them one of the most successful families in the yearbook.

Another well-connected new entrant is Rachel Wolf, Director of the New Schools Network, who began her career as a researcher for Boris Johnson and whose mother and father are both already in Who’s Who.

Trivial Pursuits?

Lord Haskins, former Chairman of Northern Foods and Express Dairies plc, has updated his recreations to include ‘only-in-emergency harvest tractor-driver’, while Zai Bennett, Controller of BBC 3, and a new entrant for the 2013 edition, reveals his pastimes to include ‘impersonating primates for baby daughter’.

Writer and broadcaster on architecture and design, Thomas Dyckhoff’s recreations include ‘gluttony, staring out of the window, butchery and pie-making’ and Antonia Romeo, Director General of Transforming Justice at the Ministry of Justice, enjoys ‘Star Wars, Lego’. Host of Radio 2’s The Art Show, Claudia Winkleman, is another welcome addition to the 2013 edition. She lists her recreations as ‘sleeping, cuddling and bothering the children’.

Who’s Who in Numbers

4.5 tonnes – the weight of Who’s Who if all the UK’s inhabitants were in it (the weight of an Asian elephant!). It would be 94 metres thick, which is the height of the O2.

6th – where Who’s Who would have come in the medal table if it had been a team at the London Olympics (12 golds, 4 silvers)

80 – the number of jumbo jets it would take to transport everyone in Who’s Who

91 – the age of the oldest new entrant in Who’s Who 2013, Professor Yoichiro Nambu, Emeritus Professor at the University of Chicago

Who’s Who 2013

Published by A&C Black, 3rd December 2012

Hardback £235.00

Print-and-online edition £325.00 (available from Oxford University Press, visit www.ukwhoswho.com

Lauren Laverne, Jo Whiley, Claudia Winkleman, at Lauren's Oxfam Get Together

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Lauren Laverne, Jo Whiley, Claudia Winkleman, Dee Koppang at Lauren’s Oxfam Get Together event for International Women’s Day,

Lauren Laverne gathered together a host of celebrity friends to support Oxfam’s Get Together campaign for International Women’s Day this week, raising funds for women around the world.

Guests at the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party included Jo Whiley, Claudia Winkleman, India Knight, Sali Hughes, Grace Dent, Gizzi Erskine, Mary-Kate Trevaskis, Dee Koppang, Hemmo, Polly Samson, Sophie Heawood, and Donna Grant.

Lauren who is an ambassador for Oxfam’s Get Together Campaign, joins over 3,000 women around the UK who have registered to hold their own events to mark International Women’s Day. At her tea party, she served guests multi coloured sandwiches, and praline ice cream lollipops which exploded with a single bite.

 

Lauren said: ‘Such a pleasure and a privilege to host a Get Together for IWD today. My friends are all busy mums and/or working women, but they were all so keen to make a donation and to take the time to come together on behalf of the campaign. It was inspiring and surprising and a lot of fun. We’re already making plans for something even bigger and better next year!’

Claudia Winkleman tweeted: tea with amazing women for #oxfamIWD Have a look at http://www.oxfam.org.uk/women’sday.

Zoe Ball will be celebrating International Women’s Day for Oxfam this evening with a Get Together frock swap with her friends – last year she hosted a tea party for International Women’s Day. Zoe tweeted: Shout for all dames hosting a #gettogether with girls for International Women’s Day

Other celebrity ladies holding Get Together events for Oxfam include Miquita Oliver, who held a women-themed quiz night. And a dazzling array of celebrities put on a glamorous Get Together jumble sale, with stalls organised by Dawn Porter, Gemma Cairney, Caroline Flack, Chris O’Dowd, Kate Nash, Sara Cox, Cherry Healey, Gizzi Erskine, Grace Woodward, Harry Potter actress Jessie Cave, singer Brigitte Aphrodite and TV presenter and stand-up comic Jeffrey Leach. The ‘Rumble in the Jumble’ raised £7,000 for Oxfam.

Oxfam’s Chief Executive Barbara Stocking said: ‘We are so grateful for the support of everyone who is holding an Oxfam Get Together event for International Women’s Day. There are 1.3 billion people living in poverty worldwide – and the great majority are women and girls. Oxfam is working hard to change this through all of our programme work.’

 

 

This Month's Magazines: Pippa Middleton and Gwyneth Paltrow Cover Girls/ Updated

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Here is the second in my monthly round-up, for July 2011.

Tatler has joined Pippa Middleton’s fan club and put her on the cover, the article on her inside weighs up her possible future husbands, and has a very good article on her and lots of pictures. It also let’s you know that Pippa does pilates at Pilates on the Go in Parson’s Green, and has a testimonial on their website.

Tatler also give the low-down on the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s inner circle, who’s in and who’s out. Athina Onassis also has an article on her and multibillion-pound colossus Glencore has a four page article on them. Nathaniel Rothschild is one of their investors.

Tory Burch talks about what inspires her, Claudia Winklemann writes about her hatred of summer, Orlando had advice for your gap yah, Annabel Rivkin slams Made In Chelsea for making posh people look bad, and for not being posh at all.

One of the best article is their annual 100 most invited; The Middleton’s top the list, Natalie Massenet, Colin Firth, Nat Rothschild, Michael McIntyre, Dasha Zhukova and Liz Murdoch all make the list.

Tatler also has their first ever Hunting, Shooting & Fishing guide. Here at Frost we don’t hunt, but we love clay pigeon shooting.

Vanity Fair: Emma Stone is on the cover and talks about wanting to be a ‘covered up’ actress, but is on the cover in a bikini. Stone comes across well in the interview and states that she doesn’t want to make a career out of mere sex appeal. Ted Danson goes out to lunch, James Wolcott on Dominique Strauss-Kahn, There is a long form article on Groupon, one of the biggest growing business in history which will soon be worth $20 Billion.

There is an article to mark the 10th anniversary of 9/11, there is also a very good article on Prince Andrew and his many troubles, but does let you know that he is The Queen’s favorite child, Elephants – which are sadly being hunted in their tens of thousands per year, and Catch 22 writer Joseph Heller. Jerry Lewis does the Proust Questionnaire.

Vanity Fair Jewellery has a supplement with a naked Gwyneth Paltrow on the cover. It has lots of good articles on the history of Gold, The Windsor’s crown jewels, Daphne Guinness and a calender with Paltrow, Thandie Newton, Natalia Vodianova, Olivia Inge, Olivia Palermo, Uma Thurman and Poppy Delevigne.

Marie Claire has Audrey Tautou on the cover, the shy actress manages to give nothing away in the subsequent interview. George Clooney talks about his activism in South Sudan, there are wedding night confessions, a good article on women who earn money from blogging, a piece on the rise of Posh as Toff mania grips Britain.

There are QR codes abound in Marie Claire, exciting if you have a smart phone,

There is lots of fashion of course, it lets you nail your festival look, there is an article on couples who fight over wardrobe space, an article on love addiction and JK Rowling’s life story. Harry Potter star Bonnie Wright also gives an insight into her world and Megan Fox gives her beauty secrets.

There is a free gift of lip gloss, but not if you are a subscriber. Bad form.

Vogue has Kate Moss AKA Mrs Jamie Hince on the cover and in a forties fashion spread inside, though nothing on her wedding (American Vogue have been given the rights) Emma Stone, Jessica Chastain and Lily Collins.

Jemima Khan writes about conquering her fear of flying to save a long distance relationship. Jemima is a very good writer. Miss V is as brilliant as ever, with lots of parties and pictures,

Of course there is lots of fashion and the forties look is in. Christopher Bailey talks about 10 years at Burberry and Mustique is the holiday destination of the year.

The girls of Downtown Abbey are in vogue and in couture, complete with interviews. There is also a tan special and Christa D’Souza on the quest of a perfect ponytail. Gemma Atterton gives her Style File and talks about how hard it is to find cloths to fit her curvy frame.

There is also a free supplement of the Runaway round-up for Autumn/Winter 2011.

Glamour has Jessie J is on the cover and there is a free Personal Horoscope book.

There is a very good article inside where Jessie talks about her sexuality, her stroke and drugs and alcohol which you can read more about on Frost.

There is articles on cutting calories, getting in shape and being body confident, lessons from online dating, Karl Lagerfield on Lily Allen’s wedding dress, article on sex dreams, how to nail a wedding gift, Katy Perry’s body secrets.

This issue also had Glamour’s Women Of the Year Awards, their prestigious annual event, with news and gossip from the night. A running gag about sleeping with Davina McCall’s husband is funnier than it sounds. There is also 30,000 sex secrets and how to become red carpet glamorous, as well as an interview with the Inbetweener’s boys. Celia Walden interviews Rupert Grint and the stars spill their festival secrets.

A very good, fun edition with lots of fashion, stories, advice and fun.

 

 

 

King Of….. Coming To C4 in Summer 2011

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Head of Entertainment, Justin Gorman confirmed today that Claudia Winkleman’s King Of…. will be on Channel 4 this summer. The new 6x30minute series is commissioned by C4’s Commissioning Editor for Entertainment, Darren Smith and produced by Big Talk/Salt Beef Productions.

King of… is a fresh and feisty Channel 4 comedy talk show hosted by Claudia Winkleman.

From musicals to newsreaders, from supermodels to household pets, from artists to takeaways, King of… will take a witty, informative and passionate look at our favourite things, and Claudia will be shining a unique light on the passions and peculiarities of her celebrity guests.

The aim is that each week, Claudia, her celebrity guests and a studio audience will deliberate and debate to find the definitive, the top, the crème de la crème – in short, the king of just about everything.

Claudia Winkleman said: “I have been playing King Of with friends and family forever. I am completely over the moon I’m now being allowed to do it on the telly. What’s the king of condiments? No. It’s not ketchup”

C4’s Commissioning Editor for Entertainment, Darren Smith said: “Seeing Claudia in a comedy entertainment context is a real treat. Everyone knows how charming and brainy she is, and now you can see how incredibly funny she can be. We’re hugely excited.”

King Of…is executive produced by Kenton Allen for Big Talk and Jeremy Salsby for Salt Beef. The series producer is Ruth Wallace (Mock The Week) and the Producers are Chris Little (League of Their Own) and Kate Staples (Would I Lie To You.)