Celebcity with Jo Brooks: Brighton indie boys The Maccabees
Bognor 007?
It’s Bognor, James Bognor. Sadly it doesn’t have quite the same ring to it, does it? But that will be the reality in the latest Sam Mendes directed Bond movie Skyfall, when it hits screens later this year. Rumour has it that, due to budget cuts, the spy will be swapping Bali for Bognor to film a few scenes of the much anticipated film.
A source told the Daily Mirror that it was due to the ‘stunning beaches’ in Bognor Regis that this location was chosen as the second choice to exotic beaches abroad. The 23rd film in the popular film franchise will see the relationship between 007and M come under scrutiny – we only hope that these aren’t the shots to be filmed beachside. I might have to book a few visits to my new favourite seaside town to catch Daniel Craig in his swimmers!
Power couple
One of my very favourite interior designers, the gorgeous Kathryn Rayward, makes a welcome return to our TV screens this month with a brand new show Get The Look on the Home channel. Kathryn will visit 15 families in the series, all desperate to transform their tired living rooms, dining rooms, kitchens or bathrooms into something new and vibrant, as well as help them realise their interior design dreams. It’s on every weekday at 8pm –so take a peek if you can! Meanwhile Kathryn’s equally talented husband, Simon Toyne, is climbing the bestseller charts with his debut novel Sanctus. His second novel, The Key, is out in early April. Simon will be a reading extracts from and signing copies of Sanctus at Hove library from 1.30 on Saturday 4 February as part of the venue’s celebrations for National Library Day.
Wild about the boys
Congratulations to Brighton indie boys The Maccabees for reaching their highest position on the UK Album chart recently. Their latest album, Given To The Wild, entered the charts in the top 5, showing that they haven’t lost their sound since forming in 2004. Going from strength to strength, where other UK indie acts have all but disappeared, the boys have just announced their biggest UK headline tour to date. Be sure to catch them at Brighton Dome on 9 March for a proper homecoming gig.
Tailor made
Last week one of Brighton’s best assets hit the big smoke in order launch a new store in Shoreditch. Gresham Blake took his bespoke tailors to London’s trendy East End to see whether he could get the hipsters suited up to our Brighton standards. We drank Courvoisier cocktails and chatted to Brighton resident Steve Coogan, the talented Mitch Winehouse and party host Ray Winstone. The shop looked fabulous, decorated with Gresham Blake designed wallpaper (I want some) and complete with see-through floors and chandeliers! Perhaps some of the most glamorous guests were the beautiful falcons Gresham invited along; I had a cocktail in one hand and a bird of prey on the other! Make sure you pop into Gresham’s store if you’re in London– the only place to get your hands on beautiful suits in the city, and rub shoulders with the likes of Krishnan Guru-Murphy and Eddie Izzard! www.greshamblake.com
