Helen Mirren's stinging swipe at 'grumpy' older actors - 'what the f***'

Though keen to praise the generosity of Pierce Brosnan and Harrison Ford, having recently appeared on-screen with both, Dame Helen Mirren proves less flattering about other leading men in her career. Taking aim at veteran male colleagues in the business, the Oscar-winner, pictured, complains: "I've noticed in my profession a lot of older actors get grumpy - actresses don't. I think, 'What the f*** do you have to be grumpy about? You're working, you're being paid a lot of money. Everyone's looking after you.'" A glance through Helen's extensive resumé identifies high-profile suspects...

Dame Helen may count among his admirers, but Pierce Brosnan's attempt at an Irish accent in the pair's series MobLand has met with widespread ridicule of late. The former 007, whose real Emerald Isle accent faded long-ago, having been moved from Ireland to England aged 11, appears a glutton for punishment: Brosnan will be back on screens this July playing Dublin civil servant-turned-painter William Coughlan in the movie Four Letters Of Love. Take cover, Pierce!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Joining criticism of Donald Trump after he accepted a $400 million plane from Qatar, former Foreign Secretary William Hague recalls the UK and US governments abiding by decidedly stricter spending limits when it came to gifts.

"If I was going to give something to [then Secretary of State] Hillary Clinton, I tried to make sure it didn't cost very much so that she was allowed to keep it," Hague explains, chuckling. "I once got her a folder to put her papers in...with her name on the front."

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Admitting he could prove challenging during his TV portrayal of Agatha Christie's character Hercule Poirot, Sir David Suchet announces: "I apologise now to all the people who found me difficult because I dug my heels in and only did what Agatha wanted him to do."

I'm reminded he once put noses out of joint when refusing to appear in a photoshoot with actress Julia McKenzie - also appearing on ITV as fellow Christie creation, Miss Marple. Suchet grandly declared he couldn't possibly oblige, seeing as "Marple and Poirot never met in the novels".

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Dreading thoughts of an afterlife, Hugh Grant, pictured, now huffs: "I really don't want to be up there on a cloud playing a harp, meeting some of the people I've hated in my life. I can't imagine a greater nightmare. That would be hell, in fact." And who would want to be stuck with grouchy Mr Grant?

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Whike Sir Tim Rice bangs on about his devotion to Sunderland football club, the famous celebrity fan can't confirm whether he'll be at Wembley for their big Premier League play-off against Sheffield United on Saturday, May 24. "Tim has no idea whether he can go or not, he's got a concert that night," a spokeswoman rather frostily tells me. With the kick off at 3pm, surely there's a chance? Rice's 7.30 evening show is in High Wycombe - 24 miles from Wembley.