Gooseberry Crumble

Oh decisions decisions!!

On this day 36 years ago in 1986, american actor Ted Knight died aged 62 from colon cancer. He excelled in and is best known for playing comedic roles including Ted Baxter in The Mary Tyler Moore show, Henry Rush in Too close for comfort and Judge Elihu Smails in movie Caddyshack .

Professional French diver Gwendal Bisch celebrates his 24th birthday today.

Prince Richard , The Duke of Gloucester , Royal cousin to Queen Elizabeth ll and working member of the British Royal family for nearly 50 years celebrates his 78th birthday today. Like his wife, a very uncontroversial hard working member of the British monarchy . Patron of dozens of charities and has carried out many of the less publicised under the radar , unglamorous Royal engagements over the decades .

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/19620632/queen-appoint-new-pm-balmoral/ Media reports that when the Queen appoints the next Prime Minister Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak next month, there are plans for them to travel to meet her in Balmoral in Scotland rather than Buckingham Palace because of her mobility issues. Doesn't really move the dial at all but is worth mentioning all the same.

Coventry born British songwriter Matt Aitken, the Aitken in the hugely successful Stock Aitken and Waterman songwriting creative team of the 1980s and 1990s successful with the likes of Kylie Minogue, Rick Astley, Bananarama, celebrates his 66th birthday today.

https://www.007.com/pinewood-studios-honours-sir-sean-connery/ A new sound stage at Pinewood Studios to be named after Sean Connery.

On this day in 2001 american singer, actress and dancer Aaliyah died aged just 22 in a plane crash in the Bahamas. Despite having died at such a young age, within such a short career she won praise for helping to redefine contemporary rhythm and blues, pop and hip hop music. This earned her nicknames such as the Queen of Urban pop and the Princess of R+B. Spookily to me her last film ,released posthumously , was a vampire film titled Queen of the Damned. In recent years there has been strong evidence revealed in court that she was sexually abused by singer and now convicted sex offended R Kelly.

On this day 80 years ago in 1942, Prince George, Duke of Kent died in a military air crash aged 39 in the Scottish Highlands during World War two. Uncle to the current Queen and father of the current Duke of Kent, Princess Alexandra and Prince Michael of Kent (who was not even a few months old at the time of his fathers death). His wife and widow was Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark, who died herself in the late 1960s. He and his wife were regarded as very stylish, modern , beautiful and charming back in the day. A bit of a playboy widely rumoured to be bisexual , partial to many sexual adventure and a lover of drink, drugs and partying hard. During the abdication crisis of 1936 it is thought by many historians that some in government ideally thought George as King stood the best chance of preserving the monarchy , in part because of his popularity. He was the preferred candidate of a great many in the upper echelons of society with doubts about Berties capacity to fulfill the role and Henry Duke of Gloucester regarded as a bit too simple. Alas it was only a desperate fantasy, given his lower place in the order of succession and his scandalous private life, it was always unlikely. There is much speculation to this day about the exact nature of his sudden death and whether there is was more to it and if he was on some sort of secret mission in Scotland when he died.

American actor Tom Skerritt celebrates his 89th birthday today. Starred in numerous films including Top Gun, Poltergeist 3, A River runs through it (1992) with Brad Pitt, Alien (1979) , The Rookie (1990).

British novelist Alexander McCall Smith, who writes the popular ' The Number 1 ladies Detective agency ' series, celebrates his 74th birthday today.

https://people.com/movies/sylvester-stallone-wife-jennifer-flavin-break-up-after-25-years-of-marriage/ Sylvester Stallones wife model Jennifer Flavin has filed for divorce after 25 years of marriage.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/breaking-former-eastenders-star-matt-27814565 Former EastEnders star Matt Di Angelo announces he has become a father to twins .

You don't want to try your luck with Adam now he is single?! You are not tempted?!

On this day one year ago in 2021, English Musician Charlie Watts AKA the legendary drummer of band The Rolling Stones, died aged 80.

Brazilian novelist Paulo Coelho, celebrates his 75th birthday today. He wrote the best selling and award much acclaimed novel The Alchemist (1988) , as well as The Devil and Miss Prym (2000) and The Pilgrimage (1987). Hollywood actor Will Smith bought the rights for the novel to be adapted into a Hollywood film but alas the projects status is unknown after numerous delays

I wonder if this trend will continue until the end of year or beyond and if it is replicated in other countries like the US and Australia?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-11139255/Adam-Peaty-SPLITS-girlfriend-Eiri-Munro-three-years.html British Olympic gold swimming sensation Adam Peaty has split from his partner and mother of his child after three years.

On this day in 1926 italian actor Rudolph Valentino died of sepsis aged 31- probably as a result of complications of appendicitis and stomach ulcers. He starred in a number of silent movies in Hollywood including The Four horsemen of the apolcalypse and The Eagle. He was nicknamed the Latin lover and had a huge reputation as a womaniser in Hollywood.

@MariNisia My absolute favourite work of Barbara Eden is as Leeann De la Vega in Dallas - JRs vengeful old flame. Absolutely delicious!

On this day in 2010 professional american bodybuilder Bruce Randall, who won the Mr Universe contest in 1959, died aged 79. He famously slimmed down from 425 pounds to 223 pounds after intense and extensive dieting and training.

Love your optimism!

Golden era Hollywood actress Vera Miles, a particular deadpooling favourite of mine who continues to defy my predictions, celebrates her 93rd birthday today.

Awful and incredibly selfish.

On this day in 2012 English novelist and childrens writer Nina Bawden died aged 87. She wrote over 55 books, mostly aimed at children , and had huge success with many being adapted by the BBC for childrens television drama. Nina was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1987 and the publicly voted Lost man Booker Prize in 2010. She is one of the very few writers who has served as a Judge on the Booker Prize panel and also made the shortlist at some point. Bawden also was the recipient of a Golden Pen award. Her many books include On the run(1964), The Witchs daughter (1966), Carries War (1973), The Peppermint pig (1975), Circles of deceit (1987- Nominated for a Booker Prize) and The Outside Child (1989). So a great deal of career success and accomplishment but much heartache, personal woes and tragedy in her personal life. Nina married twice. She had two sons by her first marriage, one of whom Nicholas committed suicide in 1981 . In 2002 Nina was badly injured in the Potters bar rail crash .Her husband a former managing director of the BBC World Service Austen Kark, died in the crash.. Ninas testimony about the crash and its causes formed a huge part of the David Hare play 'The Permanent way' about the disaster. In March 2012 just five months before her own death , Perdita -Ninas daughter by her second marriage died, becoming the second of her three children she outlived.