The Diary

SOAP star Gemma Atkinson has hit out at fakers on global website phenomenon myspace who are using her identity in cyberspace.
Gemma, from Bury, is the latest celebrity victim of the hugely popular website, where any internet user can set up an entry and web page.
Hollyoaks star Gemma has now rubbished the site set up in her name – and urged her fans not to be fooled by it.
She tells me: “Someone is pretending to be me on myspace and I’m pretty annoyed about it.
“I’m hoping to set up my own myspace page just to let people know that this one is a fake.
“To be honest I’d never even heard of the website until a few weeks ago, I’m not that into computers. But there are loads of people on the site who think they are talking to me, when they’re not.
“They’ve even put on there that I’m planning to have a boob job to make me an F cup, and I just want people to know that it’s not me talking, and I’ve got no plans to do any such thing.”
The fake site in Gemma’s name includes pictures of her at glitzy awards bashes, out socialising and images of her in her hugely popular role as Lisa Hunter in Hollyoaks. The main entry, pretending to be her, says: “I don’t really know why I decided to join myspace I guess it’s because I have a bit more spare time on my hands than I used to.
It adds: “If anyone fancy’s a chat or wants to ask me anything then don’t be shy, Gemma xx”
The myspace site has become a worldwide web phenomenon, allowing computer users to link up and socialise with other members, who number around 40million across the world.
But some users have been setting up sites and inventing huge web entries in the names of celebrities, fooling other users in the process.
The Diary revealed earlier this year how many of Coronation Street’s most famous stars had been set up fake myspace accounts, and most recently pop star Peter Andre has had to set up his own official account after a number of fake ones were set up in his name.
Users of the site are also aware of the fakers, and many now ask for celebrities to provide a “salute” where they post a picture of themselves holding their real myspace web address in front of them to prove it is genuine.
The people who run myspace say it would be impossible to check all sites, but that any offensive sites are dealt with accordingly, and that any complaints against particular sites are investigated.

NOT content with opening his new restaurant Earle in Hale, celebrity chef Simon Rimmer is planning to become the Earl of Hale for real.
Simon, who also runs Greens – the famous Didsbury veggie eaterie – found out he could claim the title while he was negotiating the deal to open the plush new restaurant in Cheshire’s stockbroker belt.
And he’s 100 per cent serious about becoming the real Earl of Hale.
Simon, pictured here with wife Ali, tells me: “While we were buying the building and converting it to Earle my solicitor told me there was every likelihood that we could actually buy the title Earl of Hale too. I thought it was a great idea.
“So, now, I am seriously going to go for it. Imagine how good that will be. Simon Rimmer, Earl of Hale, who owns a restaurant in Hale called Earle.”
Simon made his name on the back of his Greens vegetarian restaurant in Didsbury, which opened its doors for the first time 16 years ago. But he’s no veggie himself and so Earle reflects that fact by offering meat and fish options as well as a few veggie dishes which have been transferred from Greens’ hugely successful menu.
So why Earle? Simon says: “I love Earl jeans, the My Name is Earl TV show and Earl Grey tea. The name sounded cool too and I put on ‘e’ on the end to make it look different. So when I get the Earl of Hale title it will be just perfect.”
Old and ancient titles from the aristocracy and nobility are widely available to buy through the internet and are hugely popular, especially in America.
You can buy the title of Earl from as little as £200, but some titles, especially “seated titles” which come with land attached, to the name – can cost up to £40,000.
Simon’s solicitors are checking the costs included in the purchase of the Earl of Hale title and finding out what benefits he will be entitled to as a member of the aristocracy.
One website dedicated to selling titles boasts that “with a title to your name you are guaranteed the best seats in restaurants around the world” – can’t see that being a problem for Simon though eh?