RA How the papers filled their pages this fortnight
THE BOY DONE GOOD Celebrating the highs and lows of Scottish tennis
I Oh, the British public can be so fickle when it comes to their sporting heroes. and no one knows this better than Tim Henman. dumped after his loss at Wimbledon to make way for Andrew Murray. As ‘Tiger Tim' left ‘snarling' (Guardian), the young Scot stepped fonivard to take the weight of the nation‘s hopes on his shoulders. ‘Believe the hype. Believe every last word of it because in Andy Murray Scotland has a genuine world-class superstar.‘ trumpeted The Daily Record after his second round victory.
Inevitably, triumph turned to tragedy as Murray fought bravely against David Nalbandian. but eventually walked off defeated ‘under darkening skies‘ (The Sunday Herald). ‘Beaten but unbowed,’ announced Scotland on Sunday as it applauded the youngsters ‘fist- pumping style' and proclaimed his performance ‘a declaration of the great things to come'. However, Sir Sean Connery could not resist sticking his ex—pat oar in once again. ‘The Bond legend seemed both shaken and stirred as he demanded better funding for Andy.’ reported the Sunday Mail. Or as the man himself put it: ‘the way they help people. certainly from Scotland, is zilch'. Er, right on, Sean.
CULTURE SHOCKS Backbiting at the Commission
I The long-awaited unleashing of the Cultural Commission’s £437,000 investigation received a mixed reception. While few could argue with the headline recommendation of a £100 million investment in Scotland’s cultural sector, the Sundays were more interested in behind the scenes sniping. The Sunday Herald reported on commission chairman James Boyle’s ire at culture minister Patricia Ferguson’s apparent pilfering of one of the committee’s ideas. As the article revealed: ‘Commission members were furious because they believed the Executive had cherry- picked their idea of a “national council” for creative individuals
10 THE LIST .' i..’ ,Jir',
GARDENING' MAGAZIN
TV gardeners sell us their secrets
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I The gods of British gardening are so great that we’re on first name terms with them. So the gardening magazines would have us believe. Garden Answers, the closest thing to Heat for the green fingered, proclaims its ‘exclusive’ interview with ‘Alan - “Why I needed to change’". What? Has Mr Titchmarsh been cheating on his wife? Nope. it’s the story of why ‘our best-loved gardener’ decided to give up his TV programmes Gardeners' World and Ground Force, and launch a new animated series in which he is the voice of, er, Gordon the Garden Gnome. ‘lt’s my aim to get children to know as many flowers as they know Pokemon cards,’ he says. Good luck, mate . . . And well done for selling another story to Garden Life. So much for exclusives.
I Over at Gardeners’ World, the magazine inspired by Titchmarsh’s former flagship show, they’ve moved on to a new generation of groovy gardeners. ‘Monty picks the flowers of the summer’ and ‘Diarmuid on design’, it cries on its cover, echoing Garden Answers’ trick of publishing head shots of the woolly-jumpered gents, just in case you weren’t sure which Monty or Diarmuid they meant.
I There’s an altogether more reverent tone in Gardens Illustrated, the title recently acquired by the BBC as a sister to Gardeners’ World. Its coverlines include names like Piet Oudolf (‘master of perennials’) and its cover story features a display of colourful planting in a French garden. The headline? Just like the magazine itself: ‘Highly refined’.
ahead of publication.’ Meanwhile, Scotland on Sunday revelled in the sour grapes from
the Confederation of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla) whose chief executive attacked the report as ‘dull and unimaginative’. ‘From the response it received from local authorities, some might have been forgiven for thinking it was advocating anarchy,’ sneered the Sunday broadsheet, suggesting that local authorities’ high-heidyins had their noses put out of joint because the Commission didn’t recommend their integral involvement.
Sound rte S
‘l’m the biggest softie you’ll ever meet.’
Try telling that to the guy you threw a phone at, Russell Crowe.
‘I’ve been dieting and exercising non-stop so I can get into the outfit I want to wear.’
In the days leading up to her Live 8 performance. Mariah Carey revealed how she was attempting to get wafer thin. Which Is kind of Sick. if you think about it.
‘Time has taken its toll in some departments. Dozens of girls were interviewed as doubles for the sex scenes and she decided which ones she wanted to use.’
A studio inSider reveals why crusty old Sharon Stone won 't be all that she seems in Basic Instinct //.
‘There’s no way I can stand next to that glamorous bunch. I look much too much like a frump.’
The Countess of Wessex comes over all bashful while attending a Charity event with some tel/y personalities.
‘I think I have lost a lot of my gay fans to Gavin Henson)
David Beckham gets all moody over rugby becoming the new football.
‘There were 13 women in
my house and me. I didn’t win one argument.’
Life in the Bruce Willis homestead can get a little hectic.
‘l’m a very practical person. Unless I meet aliens one day.’
Tom Cruise isn 't domg himself any fav0urs at the moment, is he?