Since it came to light that Campbell was allegedly given a so called ‘blood diamond’ by Charles Taylor - the former Liberian dictator – she has shown a marked reluctance to volunteer any information on the topic.

Following a request in May by the United Nations war crime prosecutors in The Hague that the British supermodel be compelled to give evidence at the trial of the ex Liberian president, a subpoena for her to do so has now been granted.

One of the crimes Taylor is accused of,  is of using diamonds seized from the gem mines of Sierra Leone – the so called  ‘blood diamonds’ - to fund a war that lasted from 1991 to 2001 & was responsible for thousands of deaths & mutilations.

The actor Mia Farrow, as well as Campbell’s former agent – Carole White – were also subpoenaed. Farrow has alleged that Campbell told her she’d been given an uncut diamond by Taylor whilst they were both guests at a dinner party held by Nelson Mandela in 1997.  Campbell reportedly told her that she was disturbed in the middle of the night by men claiming to be representatives of Taylor who presented her with a ‘huge diamond’. Farrow told prosecutors that Campbell had told her that “she had been awakened in the night by knocking at her door. She opened the door to find two or three men – I do not recall how many – who presented her with a large diamond which they said was from Charles Taylor.”

White has testified that she heard Taylor say he was going to give Campbell diamonds & actually witnessed the event.

“I was there,” she said, speaking from the London headquarters of Premier Model Management, the company that she founded and that represented Campbell for 17 years. “He did give it to her. It was a small, uncut diamond. I am totally surprised that Naomi hasn’t admitted it.”

The court documents issued in May state: “Ms Campbell, as the actual recipient of the accused’s gift of diamonds, is clearly in a position to provide material evidence about this event.” The court documents also make reference to repeated attempts to interview the model having been unsuccessful and to the fact that she had publicly stated she did not want to be involved. The prosecution argued that because of this, “… judicial intervention in the form of a subpoena is necessary.”

Whilst there has been speculation among some as to why Ms Campbell refused to testify voluntarily, she herself told the US chat show host Oprah Winfrey: “I don’t want to get involved in this man’s case – he has done some terrible things. I don’t want to put my family in danger.”

Now, it seems, she will have no choice.

Mel Gibson has been grappling with anger management issues & an alcohol problem for years. Once highly acclaimed as an actor, director, producer & screenwriter, it is only relatively recently that fifty four year old Gibson made a comeback in Edge of Darkness, with his first leading role in eight years in. It was meant to revive his waning career, & when the film was released in January his performance as homicide detective Thomas Craven was highly acclaimed.

Now, following the alleged racist & sexist voicemails to his former partner - Russian pianist Oksana Grigorieva – doubts hang over the viability of that career, with outraged civil rights groups calling for a boycott of his career, & the world at large appalled by the revelations.

Gibson & Grigorieva have a daughter together – eight month old Lucia - & it is the acrimonious custody battle surrounding her that is at the centre of the recent allegations. In April it was announced that the couple had split up. Grigorieva has since claimed that Gibson had physically assaulted her & filed for a restraining order against him. Gibson responded by filing for a restraining order forbidding her to speak publicly about the case.

The recording that produced the recent revelations is believed to have been lodged with an LA court as part of the dispute. Radar online - who broke the story – claim to have heard the thirty minute tape, but no other media source has heard it or been able to confirm its authenticity.

Among the most controversial of the abusive verbal assaults reportedly hurled at his ex partner, Gibson is alleged to have said, “You look like a fucking pig in heat, and if you get raped by a pack of niggers, it will be your fault.”  The gossip site also alleges that he said, “I am going to come and burn the fucking house down… but you will blow me first.”

The vicious comments have produced revulsion among those who have read them. Making reference to these & previous anti-Semetic insults at the time of Gibson’s arrest for drunk driving, the Reverend Jesse Jackson had this to say: “Mel Gibson’s outburst demonstrates once again that we are far from a society that is ‘beyond race and racism.’ His penchants for anti-Semitic and racist diatribes reveal the actor’s fundamental character flaw. He needs help…”

Gloria Allred – the American Lawyer famous for taking on high profile cases – had this to say in an open letter to Gibson: “As an attorney who has represented many sexual assault victims and as a woman who is a survivor of rape myself, I want you to know how deeply offensive, appalling and harmful your reported statements are.”

While she was being interviewed on the show, twenty five year old pop star Katy Perry talking about Brand said, ‘Life’s never dull with him - that’s why I married him!’ The statement caused a gasp of shock from the audience & Graham Norton, while Katy quickly back tracked saying, ‘That’s why I’m marrying him!’ The couple became engaged while in India over the New Year period.

While Katy refused to be drawn into admitting any substance behind the slip, she also referred to Brand’s mother – Barbara – as her mother in law.

Brand himself has frequently - & for some time – referred to Perry as his wife.

It is thought by some that they may indeed have married in secret to avoid the media attention that the event would inevitably draw.

It’s impossible to know what the truth of the matter is. Rumours abound regarding the details of the wedding & the pair are openly discussing their plans for the forthcoming marriage. They will allegedly marry in September, exactly one year after they started dating. It is reported that they have hired Atsuko Kudo - fetish-wear specialist & costume designer to Lady Gaga – to design latex outfits for the ceremony.  Perry is known to be somewhat partial to latex, announcing at the Much Music awards recently:  The latex is probably the most comfortable thing I ever wear because it just sticks on you. You sweat a little bit, but it’s like a perfect fit! It makes you look extra skinnier than you are. It’s hard to get off because you’re like, a little sweaty. It’s like trying to take a balloon off your thighs.’

Perry has also been talking about her proposed hen party this week & has suggested that she’d like her friend Rihanna to strip at it: ‘I want her to strip at my party! She’s hot- she’s the coolest chick and we have a lot in common.’

The couple have recently had to spend some time apart while he promoted his new film ‘Get Me To The Greek’. Now that they are back together Perry is feeling somewhat miffed that Brand is spending so much time watching the World Cup. ‘Yesterday we had a day off and the game was on. Everybody in England, everywhere, was quiet, no one is on the street…’

‘Everything is about football right now. It’s like, when I was with him last night he was up late watching football. And he was online reading all about it and it’s like, “How much can you read?”‘

As if she hasn’t got enough to cope with dealing with her addiction issues & the attendant pressures that come with celebrity in general & her notoriety in particular, Donald Trump is allegedly attempting to persuade Ms Lohan to join the next series of his reality TV show – Celebrity Apprentice – as a contestant.

Ms Lohan’s mother Dina Lohan had told press, “Donald is a friend of the family, and producers of Celebrity Apprentice have approached Lindsay to appear in the next season. She’s deciding if she wants to do it or not, but she currently has three films in production, so she’s very busy.”

She said of Trump: “He’s a great dad, and he would do anything to help us.”

No doubt her high profile would render her participation in the programme good for the show’s ratings, but it almost certainly would not be in the best interests of a fragile & vulnerable young woman beleaguered by a multitude of personal difficulties!

The world of reality TV is notoriously cutthroat & can be a gruelling experience. As many previous reality TV celebrities would testify, (for example Vanessa Feltz following her appearance on Celebrity Big Brother)  being a celebrity - & to an extent familiar with being in the limelight – does not necessarily offer protection from potentially stressful experiences, & indeed  can bring its own additional pressures!

One source reported that NBC – the network responsible for producing the show – were keen to get both Ms Lohan & her mother Dina involved in the show, just as had happened previously on the show when Joan Rivers & her daughter Melissa both appeared.

I guess we’ll never know whether or not the rumours circulating this were true, but the fact is that Lilo – as Lindsay Lohan is popularly known – has herself denied that there is any truth in the rumour. It has since been reported that the rumour was started by her mother!

Recently tagged with a SCRAM (Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitor) anklet device, Ms Lohan is now on bail following an incident of the device being set off at the weekend. Lohan’s mother Dina insisted her daughter hadn’t had anything to drink & that the device went off as a result of the actions of a clumsy

“She was at the MTV Awards and somebody spilled a drink on her leg, which must have set off the SCRAM bracelet. She has done absolutely nothing wrong and shouldn’t have to wear the bracelet in the first place. She is doing absolutely fine.”

It would certainly appear that Dina Lohan might be somewhat liberal with the truth!

The renowned food critic, Egon Ronay, who had been ill for some weeks, died on Saturday at his home in Berkshire. His wife & two daughters were with him.

A man whose name was synonymous with the radical improvement in the standard of British food, Ronay was Hungarian - born in Budapest - who came to live in Britain in nineteen forty six after the second world war.

Ronay’s grandfather had inherited a restaurant & Ronay grew up living above one of a chain of five prestigious restaurants owned by his father. After studying for a law degree, he trained in the kitchens of the family business & also abroad. Following the Russian occupation towards the end of the second world war, the family estate & business were lost & Ronay found himself in London managing the restaurants of a family friend.

Living in Britain Ronay was appalled by the treatment of food, “The first thing I discovered was that public school food was abominable and its victims were taught to be uncomplaining. And the product of that system was the British customer. They had no taste for food and the restaurateur had no audience to play to. His customer was an object of contempt. And British food got the reputation it deserved.”

With the help of a loan, Ronay bought a teashop near Harrods in 1952, converting it to a thirty nine seat restaurant serving a high standard of French cuisine, which quickly came to the notice of reviewers & critics of the time, notably Fanny Cradock the very first ‘TV celebrity chef’.

Ronay was encouraged to write a food column for the Daily Telegraph & in 1957 went on to produce his own hugely popular ‘Egon Ronay Guide’. Not seen to be particularly entertaining in themselves, a mention in the guide was a mark of distinction, much desired by any discerning establishment. Entries were impartial & Ronay prided himself on his integrity. Meals were eaten anonymously - booking being made under an assumed name - & he never accepted so much as a glass of brandy without paying for it. He saw the guides as a means “of telling people that they could no longer get away with murder – because I would expose them”.

However, Ronay played down the impact of his guides, recognizing the influence of Elizabeth David on the culinary awareness of the British public, & pointing to the arrival of a new class of wealthy people in the sixties: “pop stars, advertising people, photographers and so on”,  whose

love of eating out led to food becoming a popular topic of conversation on its own merit.

Among the many who paid tribute to Ronay on news of his death, Marco Pierre White said, “It’s hard to express in words what he actually did. He, without doubt, was the most important individual in the restaurant world. He did more for gastronomy in Britain than any institution or individual. He made us all dream, he made us all want stars, he made us all work harder and created excitement – he was an extraordinary individual. Today is a very sad day for the hotel and restaurant world.”

Back in April, forty three year old Adrian Chiles left The One Show – which he co-hosted with Bleakley - for GMTV, reportedly furious because Chris Evans had been asked to replace him on Fridays. He has since made repeated attempts to get Bleakley to join him, & ITV were reported to be pursing a deal with her.

However, recently a spokesman for the BBC said: “We might not be able to match money offered elsewhere but we think we can offer Christine the most exciting line-up of shows offering real challenges.” And it seems he was right! Despite a reported offer from ITV of a lucrative £6 million four year package to join them, Bleakley – who is currently dating England football star, Frank Lampard - has opted to stay with the BBC for a new £1 million deal, which will begin in September when the current one ends.

Her new co-presenter on The One Show will be twenty nine year old comedian, Jason Manford who she seems to approve of. Speaking of her decision to stay, & her anticipated working partnership with Manford she said: “I don’t want to go anywhere.

“I love Jason. I’ve met him a few times and our rapport is getting better all the time.

“I love funny men, guys who don’t take themselves too seriously. The first time I met him, we were interviewing him on the show and he was dressed as the Tin Man – you can’t not like that, can you? He will be brilliant.

“I’m confident our chemistry will be as good as the one Adrian and I shared – we just need time.”

A source from the BBC is alleged to have said: said: “Christine did not want a megabucks, golden handcuffs deal as she did not want the pressure that comes with it. She is hugely popular within the BBC and we have absolute faith in her.”

It had been reported that prior to reaching agreement on the deal, Bleakley has been told by the BBC that they would make her the biggest female star on TV if she signed a new contract. It is thought that the new package offered to her by the BBC could include the 2012 Olympics as well as Saturday night shows.

Delayed appearances, cancelled gigs, recently reported calls to emergency services all started to make sense when twenty four year old Gaga – real name Stefani Germanotta - was asked about her health during the interview, & more specifically whether she suffered from the condition ‘lupus’. In response Gaga confirmed that she has been tested for lupus - for which she has a genetic pre-disposition - & is ‘borderline positive’. She also said that she currently displays no symptoms of lupus but has to take care of herself. Lupus is in my family and it is genetic,” Gaga said. “The truth is, I don’t show any signs, any symptoms of lupus. But I have tested borderline positive for the disease. So, as of right now, I do not have it, but I have to take good care of myself.”

Lupus -  systemic lupus erythematosus - is an auto-immune disease, where the body’s immune system malfunctions, and creates antibodies which instead of protecting the body from bacteria & viruses, attacks healthy tissues. In the case of lupus, the immune system attacks the skin, joints, kidneys, and several other organs. The most common symptoms of lupus are joint pain and arthritis, specifically in the fingers, hands, wrists, and knees. It can cause extreme fatigue, anaemia & aching muscles. It can vary widely between one sufferer & another & within the same sufferer at different times.

Gaga had previously revealed in an interview that she had been tested for lupus, also referring to recent health problems. “I have heart palpitations and… things.” She said at one point & then “…but it’s OK. It’s just from fatigue and other things,” When asked when she last called emergency services she replied “The other day. In Tokyo. I was having trouble breathing. I had a little oxygen, then I went on stage. I was OK. But like I say, I don’t want anyone to worry.”

Difficult to diagnose, & often missed, lupus – which predominantly effects females - can mimic other diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis & multiple sclerosis. To make a diagnosis there need to have been a minimum of four out of a possible eleven internationally recognized conditions, although alternative lists are also available. Presumably Gaga meets some of these criteria to make the borderline category. Pre genetic disposition is relevant, & Gaga refers to this. Her aunt is believed to have died from lupus when she was nineteen back in the seventies.

Gaga has talked at different times about her connection to her aunt – Joanne - . She has also expressed her emotions with regard to the deaths of Michael Jackson & Alexander McQueen. Death is a recurrent theme in her performances. She referred to her fascination with death in the recent interview with Larry King: “Some of my fascination with death and the demise of celebrity [comes from] watching people I have admired become destroyed, whether by themselves or by the media.”

Although there is no known cure for lupus & it can be fatal, nowadays with more medical knowledge & treatments available death from the disease is much rarer.

If she doesn’t want to be imprisoned, then the fair maid must obey the orders of the Judge & succumb to the wizardry of SCRAM

The twenty three year old actress, singer, & songwriter is on probation following two incidents of driving under the influence back in 2007.

Having failed to complete all the alcohol education classes she had previously been ordered to attend, Ms Lohan was rightfully afraid of her court appearance before Judge Marsha Revel. She knew the next step was likely to be a ban on consuming any alcohol. And so it came to pass!

In the limelight since the age of three when she began modelling & acting for advertisements, she became more widely known in 1998 when - at the age of eleven - she made her film debut starring in the Disney remake of the 1961 film The Parent Trap, in the role previously played by Hayley Mills. Like many child stars Lohan, possibly as a result of the pressures of being famous, went on to experience problems with drugs & alcohol & has been in & out of rehab.

Following her court appearance in 2007 where she pleaded guilty, Ms Lohan said in a statement released by her publicist, “It is clear to me that my life has become completely unmanageable because I am addicted to alcohol and drugs.

“I broke the law and today I took responsibility by pleading guilty to the charges in my case.”

As a result of her plea she was put on probation & ordered to spend one day in jail, do ten days community service, complete an alcohol education programme, pay a fine, & undertake a three day county coroner programme which would include visiting a morgue as well as talking to the victims of drunk drivers.

Following her recent court appearance it is now a requirement – as she had feared - that she consumes no alcohol (or drugs) for Lohan to remain free on bail. As it is obviously a difficult thing to monitor she was ordered to be fitted with the SCRAM (Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitor) & submit to random drug testing. The SCRAM device works by detecting the presence of alcohol in vapour excreted through the skin & sending the information to a remote computer to be analysed.

Sources close to Ms Lohan allegedly said that it would be impossible for her to comply with the order to stay off alcohol (& drugs). One person said, “She can’t make it through a day without it. She’s a mess.”  While another described how she woke each day with cravings & immediately satisfied them.

One friend said, “The people who hang around her are such moochers, and bad energy. She needs to cut them out and I think she’s starting to realize.”

Both her parents are reported as praising her progress in abiding by the ban.

While friends, family & fans are rooting for her, it seems not everyone can give her the time of day. In a poll on one American gossip site a staggering forty seven per cent thought she should go to jail!

The Girls aloud star has announced her support for the promotion of fashionable underwear to accommodate colostomy bags.

Ms Coyle will act as ambassador for Vanilla Blush - who design underwear with a built in pouch to conceal the bags - when she appears at a nursing conference in Arizona along with models from the firm.

The Glasgow based company that designs the sexy lingerie, was set up by thirty three year old Nicola Dames after an operation to remove her large intestine left her wearing an ileostomy bag. She describes how the idea took shape: “In 2006 I underwent major bowel surgery. My large colon was removed and as a result I had to wear a bag. Although well prepared and supported for this operation once I got home I started to realise that there was a major problem; the major problem was not my body but my underwear!

“I literally had to bin 99% of my sexy, classy and chic lingerie. Although comfortable with my ileostomy bag no woman wants to see it sticking up or popping out! And it turned out the problem was not just my lingerie but all the available High Street lingerie. Truly I was dumbfounded because, after years of working in the fashion industry, I always thought there was clothing for everyone and every time. How wrong was I?

“To put it bluntly, I was not prepared to compromise my femininity for a lifetime of ‘Bridget Jones’ fuddy-duddy knickers. I may have lost my large intestine but I have not lost my sexiness. And this is why I took the positive step of establishing ‘Vanilla Blush’.”

Ms Coyle became involved after her friend – twenty one year old hairstylist Connor Grant – had surgery which left him needing a bag for the rest of his life. She said, “I was amazed at the negative connotations that surrounds people with a stoma and also shocked at the lack of exposure in the mainstream media. This is one taboo which I am right on board in helping to smash.”

Ms Dames said she wanted nurses to appreciate the psychological impact that wearing attractive underwear can have for people who needed to have a colostomy bag. She too is determined to smash the taboo:  ”I am so excited to have Nadine on board. It’s phenomenal to have such a celebrity figure supporting Vanilla Blush and raising awareness. With Nadine on board this is a real chance to smash the last remaining taboo.”

Mr. Grant - who will also attend the conference as a hairstylist & model – said: “I just want to do something positive from a negative situation.

“I have gone from someone who didn’t want anyone to know about the colostomy bag, to someone who can now speak about it openly.

“I am nervous about the modelling, but Nadine is coaching me and helping me. She really likes the campaign and that means so much to me.”

The Girls Aloud singer will also be donating one of her tops & a personal letter to raise money to help fund the trip.

Sarah Burton has been appointed new creative director for the label.

Earlier this year following the suicide of Alexander McQueen, it seemed unthinkable that the brand could continue without its iconic designer. However, as it became clear that the label still held vast commercial potential, its parent company Gucci put an end to the idea that it could not survive without its creator.

Now McQueen’s former colleague & right hand woman, Sarah Burton, is to oversee the creative direction & development of the brand. Following McQueen’s death Burton was responsible for directing the completion of the sixteen outfits which represented his final collection. Eighty per cent finished at the time, a design team of five working under Burton’s direction completed the outfits which were presented at Paris fashion week, meeting with critical acclaim.

Burton, aged thirty five, grew up in Manchester & studied at Central St. Martin’s College of Art & Design from which McQueen himself had graduated with a master’s degree in fashion design. In her final year – 1996 – she began working with McQueen, & in 2000 was appointed head of women’s wear design.

In response to her appointment Burton announced, “The creation of modern, beautifully crafted clothes was at the heart of Lee’s vision. I intend to stay true to his legacy.”

Mr. Jonathan Akeroyd, president and Chief Executive Officer of Alexander McQueen, said of the appointment: “We are delighted that Sarah has agreed to take on the role of creative director. Having worked alongside Lee McQueen for more than 14 years, she has a deep understanding of his vision, which will allow the company to stay true to its core values. Sarah is extremely talented and under her creative leadership we are ready to enter a new phase in the brand’s history.”

Robert Polet, president and Chief Executive Officer of Gucci Group, which owns 51% of the McQueen brand, said: “As a business we remain absolutely committed to the Alexander McQueen company which has proven to have strong customer loyalty and has shown to be a resilient brand in the aftermath of the tragic loss of its founder. Sarah has real talent, a close understanding of the brand and the vision necessary to take it forward. We will be giving full support to Sarah and the team in the coming years.”

The Gucci group plans an extension of the brand, & is due to launch a collection of men’s underwear next month.

Burton will present her first full spring collection in October in Paris following a pre-collection presentation in June.