The Diary

The festive Ice rink is back in Manchester city centre – and among the first to test it out were the young stars of hit BBC school drama Waterloo Road.
They trooped down to the rink and North Pole ice bar over at Spinningfields.

The usually clumsy Ayesha Gwilt amazed her fellow Waterloo Road stars with her skating skills at the sparkling Spinningfields ice rink on Tuesday.
The diminutive actress, who plays troublesome Amy Porter in the soap, took to the ice like a duck to water, gliding past her fellow celebrities with ease.
Meanwhile Will Rush, who plays schoolboy Josh Stevenson, said that he couldn’t believe how good Ayesha was at skating – because she is notorious for tripping over on set.
“The other day we were filming a scene where I was playing football outside and she was walking past,” he said.
“Her heels weren’t even that high, and she still fell flat on her face!”
But while wobbly Will struggled to get his balance on the ice rink, giggling Ayesha overtook him several times.
Will called after her: “Why is it that you have no problem balancing when you’re wearing ice skates but every time you need to walk in heels you fall over?”
Actress Lucy Dixon, who plays Danielle Harker, took only a few tentative steps on the ice before crying, “I can’t do it!” and heading for the sides.

Meanwhile Philip Martin Brown, who plays grumpy English teacher Grantly Budgen, steered clear of the rink altogether, opting to keep warm in the new North Pole bar instead (pictured below right).
He said: “I just don’t see the point in ice skating. You just go round and round, clinging to the edge for dear life.
“I don’t want to go like that – I want to die peacefully in my sleep!”
But the star said he was looking forward to the city’s other seasonal attractions, including the Christmas markets.
“The markets are great for presents,” he said. “The only thing I wouldn’t recommend is buying a badger-hair shaving brush.
“I brought one of those last year and most of the hair ended up on my face!” Good advice if ever I heard it!

SO, Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand missed out on attending his own film premiere last night. But I’m sure he was pleased that there was still plenty of talent upfront on that red carpet.
With none of the expected football stars of United at the Manchester premiere of Dead Man Running, autograph hunters and the paparazzi were instead dazzled by a succession of rather pneumatic beauties treading the red carpet.
Unfortunately, none of us knew who most of them were, but they still caused quite a stir – particularly this buxom lady, who ended up posing for more photos than the ubiquitious Hollyoaks babes who were also at the bash.

Also getting the crowds going were glamour models Lauren Pope and Louise Glover.

The build up to this premiere had been quite bizarre. We’d been promised for weeks that Rio Ferdinand, as co-producer of the movie, would be the star guest at the bash, and that he would be bringing “most, if not all of his Manchester United team-mates”.
But with just hours to go before the event yesterday, we were informed Rio would no longer be coming, as “his football comes first”, and that as the premiere was 48 hours before his next match (on Saturday against Blackburn) he would no longer be coming.
So, no Reds stars on the Red carpet. Although footy fans did get to see Manchester City stars Joleon Lescott and MIcah Richards at the do – as they don’t play until Sunday.
Film fans were also a little disappointed that only some of the cast of the movie were at the northern premiere. Many had hoped that US rap star 50 Cent, and Brit actor Danny Dyer would be there wowing the crowds.
Instead it was left to the movie’s leading man Tamer Hassan, and the eye-popping musclemna Tiny Iron.
Tiny was a big hit with the crowds – and he did rather steal the show with this outfit, and his smile of gold and diamond-encrusted teeth. He plays the character Brick Wall in the movie.

WE had two popstar Kimberleys hitting town at the weekend – and both chose flattering all-black ensembles for their nights on Manchester’s tiles.
Girls Aloud star Kimberley Walsh chose a black dress, black tights and black leather jacket as she headed over to the city’s Contact Theatre to watch her sister Sally in play Expectations.

Kimberley has been quite the cheerleader this weekend, having then headed back down to London to support her Girls Aloud bandmate Cheryl Cole as she made her first live solo performance on Sunday night’s X Factor programme.
Meanwhile across town Pussycat Dolls star Kimberley Wyatt was vamping it up in these on-trend over-the-knee boots, leggings and sheer top completed by her super-quiff. She headed to party at Bouji nightclub on the outskirts of the city centre after a hectic couple of days filming on new Sky One dance show Just Dance alongside Davina McCall.

Davina had told The Diary last week that she would be celebrating her birthday with a bash in Manchester over the weekend, but alas, we did not spot her at any of the usual celebhaunts in town over the weekend.

HIS evil Coronation Street character Richard “Killer” Hillman may not be missed in Weatherfield, but clearly actor Brian Capron made many a friend in his soap days.
For a raft of his former soap star pals headed out to support his opening night of stage show “Stepping Out” at Manchester Opera House last night (Monday, October 5). Brian is pictured above in the show, as character Geoffrey.
Among those heading to the first night included Brian’s former soap step-children, Jack P. Shepherd (who plays David Platt) and Tina O’Brien (who played Sarah-Louise Platt).
Jack headed to the play with his girlfriend Lauren, who is looking fab after the birth of their first baby together, daughter Nyla Rae, was born in February.

Brian stars in the comedy play about a group of women learning to tap dance alongside former Eastenders star Jessie Wallace.
Here’s Jessie complete with blonde wig in the play.

SPOOKY goings on for a host of celebrities packing into Manchester’s Living Room restaurant last week.
And I hear it was not just the usual type of spirits in the Deansgate bar being shaken and stirred.
For Destiny Rising – a new troupe of psychic readers and mediums – gave an exclusive series of one-on-one readings to star faces.
Ex-Atomic Kitten Natasha Hamilton was first up, and left rather gobsmacked after the eerily accurate psychic reading with celebrity medium Ronnie Buckingham.
She tells me: “The reading I had from Ronnie and the other Destiny Rising readers totally blew me away. Me and my mum had a joint reading and everything they said had relevance, they gave accurate names, situations and spoke lovely about past loved ones – it did freak us out a little!
“Ronnie could even tell us about the conversation me and my mum had in the car on the way to Manchester.”
Blimey! Expect to hear much more from the psychic team in coming weeks, as they are launching themselves with a new website from mid-October, called destinyrising.co.uk.

Coronation Street star Michelle Keegan has been crowned Sexiest Female again – this time at the Inside Soap Awards.
It was not hard to see why she won the gong as she stepped out at the red carpet awards in London, in typical glamorous fashion.
And with this bouffant do Michelle proved that big hair really is big news this autumn.
Her curly tresses followed on from her pal Emma Rigby who stepped out in Manchester at the weekend with a Barbarella-style big do (see previous blog entry).
Michelle chose a stunning black, one shoulder minidress for the soap bash – and a pair of sky-high heels to match showing off her shapely pins.
Female soap stars really turned on the style for the bash – including the glamourpuss Hollyoaks McQueen family – pictured here are Jennifer Metcalfe, Nicole Barber-Lane, Gemma Merna and Claire Cooper.

But Coronation Street favourites Katherine Kelly and Antony Cotton decided to go for smart casual, rather than the usual high glam, on the night instead dressing up some trusty denims for the occasion.

Eastenders was the big winner on the night with a raft of awards – including that eagerly-fought Best Soap title.
Corrie did win a clutch of gongs though, including Best Newcomer for Craig Gazey, who plays Graeme Proctor, and Gray O’Brien winning Best Actor for his portrayal of evil Tony Gordon.

SOAP babe Emma Rigby is already way ahead in the style stakes – but her hair-raising barnet just pushed her to the very height of fashion.
The Hollyoaks beauty went seriously bouffant with this Barbarella style look as she celebrated her birthday bash with a host of star pals at the weekend.
And ladies had better get used to the plug-in-socket look, which was also sported by Emma’s Corrie pal Helen Flanagan on Saturday night.

It’s a key trend this season – so get the tail combs and hairspray ready for some serious back-combing.
Emma and pals hit the well-strutted celeb party circuit of Living Room on Deansgate, Panacea on John Dalton Street before a late night dance at The Circle Club on Saturday.
And who else should we spy in among the mix of Corrie and Hollyoaks stars? None other than Ex-Manchester United footballer Dwight Yorke beaming from ear to ear. Seems he’s rather pleased with the results of his new autobiography, which includes a series of revelations printed in Sunday’s newspapers about his tumultuous relationship with glamour model Jordan.

THERE’S something about those furry Ugg boots that get us girlies very excited.
So when Ugg bosses decided to launch their first flagship store outside London here in Manchester, it was no surprise that the launch bash was one of the best attended dos I’ve been to in ages.
The city’s glam crowd were out in force, and there was more than the usual celeb quota.
But while us ladies all love our Uggs, for the evening launch do at least, star females just couldn’t leave their stilettos behind.
Coronation Street babes Helen Flanagan and Brooke Vincent, pictured below, both headed to the do in their kinky boots – although they both left with some comfy-looking Uggs in tow.

Their soap star colleague Michelle Keegan will have impressed Ugg bosses though – as she did strut down the red carpet to the bash in her own tan ankle pair.

Star fellas were also at the bash, although they reckoned they weren’t there for their own Ugg boots.
Britannia High and now Corrie star Marcquelle Ward wins a gold star for admitting that the pair he selected on the night were to give to his mum. Bless him! Marcqulle is pictured here with his Britannia High pal Mitch Hewer.

The new store, on New Cathedral Street, has got a seriously vast range of the celeb-fave boots for men and women.
The Diary is now seriously in need a pair of these gorgeous cream knit Uggs, after enviously eyeing them on guest at the bash Helen Lebedeva, pictured here looking suitably fabulous.

SHE may prefer sky-high designer stilettos for a night on the tiles, but super-WAG Coleen Rooney, like the rest of us mere mortals, can’t resist the lure of a comfy pair of Ugg boots by day.
Our snapper spied style queen Coleen in a brand new pair of black Uggs (yep, she left the stickers on the sole) on Monday afternoon in Wilmslow.
But later that night she’d done a quick change into her trusty Christian Louboutin heels for a night out with her gal pals at celebhaunt Italian restaurant San Carlo on King Street West.
And seeing as she’s now eight months pregnant with her and Manchester United footballer hubby Wayne’s first baby, tottering on those skyscrapers must have taken some doing.
Still, we all have to suffer for our art. But I bet she’s straight back in those trusty Uggs today though…

KEIRA Knightley signed up to Chanel, Victoria Beckham hooked up with Armani – but former Emmerdale sexpot Roxanne Pallett likes to keep it a bit more real when it comes to celeb endorsement deals.
The Manchester-based glamourpuss tells The Diary she’s shunned the racy lingerie ads and designer deals, in favour of a much tastier offer. Signing up to become the new “face” of Pringles Extreme crisps.
“It’s amazing for me, I couldn’t do any endorsements while I was on Emmerdale,” she says. “I’m a down to earth northern girl, I really wanted to do something different to the usual lingerie deals that other girls get.
“They chose me because they thought I was feisty.
“I’m going on a UK tour for them in the next few weeks with our own Pringles Extreme team of girls – kind of like a gang of really tough Pussycat Dolls.
“There’s a world champion arm wrestler and a girl with the ‘keepy uppy’ record.”
Of course, Roxanne can be a bit of a daredevil herself, after taking part in some rather breath-taking stunts on the last series of Dancing On Ice.
Although she reckons there’s no danger of her turning into a super sporty waif type.
“Are you kidding me? When we were on the Dancing on Ice tour I cleaned every hotel mini bar out of crisps. I have Red Bull and chocolate for my breakfast – I am just such a snacker.
“I was the biggest girl on Emmerdale, I’ve got big hips and a jiggly bum. But I think I’m just normal size, I don’t do the gym.”
Instead, she tells me, she’s found a much more rewarding way to build up her stamina – turning builder’s apprentice to make over her new Manchester pad.
“I am Mrs DIY since I left the soap,” she says.
“My family and friends think I’ve lost the plot. But I’ve just bought my very first property, here in Manchester, and I just love doing it up. I’ve been pitching in with all the joiners and electricians.”
After all that hard labour, however, it’s time for a bit of glitz and glamour to round off the year when she heads up to Newcastle for her panto premiere, as the lead in Cinderella.
“I chose that show because I wanted to be back up north for Christmas, so I could pop home to Carlisle,” she says. “I’ve just got the script – but we’re still casting for a prince charming.” Form an orderly queue guys…