PRESS UPDATE : DAILY EXPRESS .. JANUARY 23RD 2015..

Meet the other Queen Elizabeth: Liz Hurley in royal family comedy

Liz Hurley is about to star in a new drama called The Royals which one critic has already described as ‘possibly the worst show in the history of television’

Alexandra Park, Liz Hurley and Joan Collins as three generations of royal ladies

The Queen is not amused. “The teacup. With no saucer,” she booms. “It’s a ******* disgrace.”

This is the royal family as you have never seen them before. And as you never will see them for these outraged words are spoken not by Queen Elizabeth II but by fictional Queen Helena, played with camp aplomb by Elizabeth Hurley in a new American TV series.

American-made drama The Royals follows the outrageous fortunes of a fantasy British royal family and offers more scandalous behaviour than any real-life annus horribilis could create.

It’s Desperate Housewives with tiaras. It’s Footballers’ Wives with a twisted silver spoon added. It’s a TV show that launches in the US in March and has already been commissioned for a second series.

The Americans can’t get enough of this sort of stuff. With the catchline “anarchy in the monarchy” the show promises to be unmissable television – possibly for all the wrong reasons.

Dame Joan Collins plays the Queen’s mother – the fi ctionally titled Grand Duchess of Oxfordshire – and does so in full Alexis Carrington mode.

This means there are plenty of power shoulder pads, pleasingly reminiscent of her starring role in 1980s series Dynasty, as well as power putdowns (and lots of diamonds). The king is called Simon (really), people crash Range Rovers into red telephone boxes and shoot 12-bore shotguns on cliffs.

Sexy Princess Eleanor (played by newcomer Alexandra Park, 21, a dead-ringer for Liz Hurley at the same age) is high on cocaine while Prince Liam (a Prince William lookalike played by 27-year-old William Moseley) is in love with Ophelia, an American blonde studying art history and dance whom he met during a drunken encounter.

PH

The alternative Royal family that's making headlines in America

There are drugs, sword fights, royal nudity and lots of attractive posh people being irresponsible. Delivering decadence and debauchery in equal measure it is flashy, trashy and far from many people’s idea of taste.

One leading Australian critic has described it as “a bunch of bed-hopping halfwits saddled with… very, very lousy dialogue” and called it “possibly the worst show in the history of TV”.

But even this is unlikely to damage ratings because what the show offers is the fascination of an alternative regal reality. Take the moment Queen Helena imagines addressing the nation in her Christmas message with what she is really thinking: “My husband is a stranger to me.”

She also refers to her daughter as “Princess party animal”. Hurley, 49, clearly enjoyed making the series. “I thought , what would it be like if Princess Diana became Queen of England?” she says. “I took my inspiration from her.

But of course what we never got to see with Princess Diana was what went on behind closed doors. Some of it we picked from Cruella de Vil, the Disney character, and the rest I added in.”

AMERICAN critics love it and have called it “a twisted, soapy take on England’s first family”. The show’s creator Mark Schwahn says: “I was working with Elizabeth on wardrobe and she asked, ‘Why not add in bits of fur? I think the Queen should wear bits of cruelty once in a while’.”

The series was filmed at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, where Sir Winston Churchill was born. Its owner the 12th Duke of Marlborough must be wondering if The Royals has the potential to do for his home what Downton Abbey has done for Highclere Castle, where American tourists have been arriving in busloads at the rate of 1,200 a day.

PHOTO OF THE DAY : PRICELESS JOAN IS AN OFF THE SHOULDER ICON!

Joan's a stunning lady in red in this shot from the latest issue of 'Hello!' magazine which features a super 10 page interview with even more stunning photo's by Eddie Sanderson...

PRESS UPDATE : STAR TREK.COM .. JANUARY 21ST 2015

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Legendary TOS Guest Star, Joan Collins

By StarTrek.com Staff - January 21, 2015
   

Joan Collins is now Dame Joan Collins, but to Star Trek fans worldwide she'll always be the actress who brought such warmth and humanity to Edith Keeler, the pivotal pacifist character at the center of "The City on the Edge of Forever." That brilliant, award-winning episode of Star Trek: The Original Series is widely regarded as not only the franchise's finest hour, but simply one of the best sci-fi stories ever told. An interview with Collins has been on StarTrek.com's wish list since the site was rebooted in 2010, and we're pleased to say that we can finally scratch her name off the list. Collins will be appearing at the Hollywood Show this weekend -- click HERE for details -- where she'll sign autographs and pose for photos with fans. And, in advance of that event, she agreed to an interview in which she talked about "The City on the Edge of Forever," Dynasty, becoming Dame Joan, her books, beauty and skincare company, upcoming projects and more. Here's what she had to say...

Congratulations on your recent honor. What does it mean to you to now be Dame Joan Collins
COLLINS: It's wonderful. It's lovely. It's just about the highest honor that a woman can get in Britain. So it means a great deal to me.
You seem to be forever young and forever busy. Tell us about some of your current projects...
COLLINS: I'm in a series called The Royals that has just been picked up (by E! and will premiere in March). That's their first scripted series. I'm in another series called Benidorm in England, but people (in the United States) probably never have heard of it. I'm also working on writing books. And I have a very successful beauty and skincare line on QVC in Europe. It's in England and Germany and Italy, and I hope it's going to come to America. I'm totally hands-on with it. I've been involved with that for nearly four years, and with every single piece of it. We have a fantastic scent called I Am Woman. So I have to tell you, I am very busy.
You'll be at the Hollywood Show this weekend. How do you enjoy meeting the fans, signing autographs and posing for photos?
COLLINS: I enjoy meeting the fans. I enjoy signing the autographs. I'm not so thrilled about posing for the photographs, but it's part of the job.

Let's talk about Star Trek. By the time you shot "The City on the Edge of Forever" in February 1967, you'd already established yourself in America. You'd done The Bravados, Rally Round the Flag, The Road to Hong Kong and other feature films. So what led you to a one-off guest appearance on Star Trek?
COLLINS: My children. When I was asked to do Star Trek, I remember saying to my agent, "Well, what is Star Trek?" I'd never heard of it. When I told my children -- who were then about two and four -- that I'd been asked to do Star Trek, my daughter (who was the older child) jumped up and down and said, "Oh, mum, you must do it. It's a great show." So that's why I did it.
What intrigued you most about Keeler and about the episode's concept that this well-meaning woman had to die for millions of other people to live?
COLLINS: I really didn't think about it very much. I just read the script and I thought the script was very good. And I thought it was an interesting premise that this woman could have prevented a world war. So I just went ahead and did it.

What do you remember of the shoot itself? Of working with Shatner and Nimoy and Kelley?
COLLINS: It was fun. I did get to know Bill a little bit. We cross paths once in a while still. Years ago, at my first (Star Trek) convention, he introduced me (to the audience). I actually think that was the only convention I've ever done.
There's a shot of Keeler and Kirk walking in front of a barbershop. That was actually the Floyd's Barbershop storefront from The Andy Griffith Show, which filmed on the famous 40 Acres backlot, where you filmed portions of "The City on the Edge of Forever." Were you aware of that at the time? Has anyone ever pointed that out to you? Or is that too arcane a piece of Trek trivia?
COLLINS: I had no clue! (Laughs). As far as I was concerned, I was starting to do lots of television at that time. I did The Man from U.N.C.L.E.  I did The Virginian. So I was doing quite a few shows and, as far as I was concerned, (Star Trek) really was just another gig.
At the end of the day, though, "The City on the Edge of Forever" ranks as one of Star Trek's best episodes ever...
COLLINS: ... I know.
How pleased are you to have been a part of that episode and, as a result, of the whole Star Trek phenomenon?
COLLINS: I am pleased. It's nice. But I didn't even have a clue at the time that we'd made a memorable episode. It was not until several years later.

The episode aired back in 1967. Have you seen it since it premiered?
COLLINS: I don't watch my older work. I'm not Gloria Swanson. (Laughs). But if it's on, sometimes I will take a look. But I don't exactly sit there and hunch over it and think, "Oh, my God."
When you're doing appearances like the one at the Hollywood Show, what do people want to talk with you about most? Is it Dynasty? Star Trek? Something else? Maybe something like Batman or Empire of the Ants?
COLLINS: It's mostly Dynasty. People mostly want to talk about Dynasty. Let's say that out of 10 people, 8 will want to talk about Dynasty, one will want to talk about Star Trek and another one will want to talk about other things. Some people talk to me about theater, because I've done a great deal of theater. I've been doing a one-woman show regularly, and I'll be doing that two or three times this year.

You have hundreds of film, stage and TV credits. What are you proudest of? Maybe credits most people haven't even seen?
COLLINS: Well, there are two movies that I did, independent films that you've probably never heard of. They didn't get a lot of attention. One is called Quest for Love, an English film (released in 1971). And the other is called Decadence, which is also a British film (released in 1994), that I did with (writer, director and co-star) Steven Berkoff. I would say that my performances in those films are the performances I'm most proud of. Then, again, I'd also say Dynasty. It's not easy to take a venal, vindictive character and make her extremely popular.
The Royals will debut in March and has already been renewed for a second season, before a single episode has even aired. Tell us about your character on the show...
COLLINS: It was only just announced last week. The show is a fictional account of the royal family. I'm playing the Grand Duchess of Oxford (the mother of Queen Helena, portrayed by Elizabeth Hurley).

Dame Joan will appear at The Hollywood Show on Saturday only. For those who can't attend, be sure to visit the site -- at http://hollywoodshow.com/main.php -- for mail order options.

PHOTO OF THE DAY : BEEN A DAME IS ICING ON THE CAPE FOR JOAN!

Here is a fabulous shot from the latest issue of Hello! magazine which features a 10 page interview and sensational shots by Eddie Sanderson.. Joan looks the ultimate star in this spectacular outfit..

TV ALERT : BACKCHAT WITH JACK WHITEHALL ... MONDAY JANUARY 26TH 2015 .. BBC2 11:50PM

Just to mention Joan will make an appearance on the next edition of 'Backchat' with Jack Whitehall, which can be seen on BBC 2 on Monday 26th at 11:50pm..

PRESS UPDATE : HELLO! .. JANUARY 19TH 2015 ..

Joan features in the latest issue of Hello! magazine UK, with an exclusive interview and photo's taken at her LA apartment last week.. Watch this space for more, but in the meantime get your copy now!

PRESS UPDATE: THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER .. JANUARY 15TH 2015 ..

E! Gives Early Renewal to 'The Royals'

           1/15/2015 by Michael O'Connell...

The cable network's first scripted series officially bows in March.

E!

'The Royals'

E! is very high on The Royals. The scripted series, the cable network’s first, has been renewed for a second season — two months before it even premieres.

 

The Royals has been an internal favorite at NBCUniversal Cable since it received a series order in 2014 following the pilot production. Set to premiere March 15, it stars Elizabeth Hurley as the Queen and matriarch of a twisted, soapy take on England’s first family and a special appearance by Joan Collins..

See More Watch the Trailer for E!’s The Royals
From One Tree Hill creator Mark Schwahn and Lionsgate Television, the series shoots entirely on location in the United Kingdom. “The energy, excitement and promotion ... People are very excited about the show,” said Schwahn at the Television Critics Association press tour. “This pickup caught us all off guard. I feel like if we’re not doing seasons five, six, seven, we’re making a mistake. And I’d be thrilled to do it with this cast and the ensemble.”
“To renew this freshman series before its highly anticipated first-season premiere underscores E!’s commitment to the scripted genre and our confidence and support of this groundbreaking and rule-breaking original series,” said E! executive vp original programming and development Jeff Olde. “We’re thrilled to have Universal Cable Productions joining Lionsgate as a co-producing partner as we announce a second-season pickup for this scandalously fun series.”
Joining Lionsgate and E! on the second season will be Universal Cable Productions. The in-house studio for the cable networks, it will serve as co-producer moving forward.
The Royals’ arrival comes just a few months after sister network Bravo launched its own scripted debut with Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce. Both networks are now under the purview of Frances Berwick, president of NBCU Cable’s lifestyle networks.
“We’re very proud that E! chose The Royals as its first original scripted series and delighted about this early season-two pickup,” added Lionsgate TV Group chairman Kevin Beggs. “The cast and creative team are exceptional, and E! has been a tremendous partner in supporting the creative direction of the series from day one.”
The Royals also stars William Moseley, Alexandra Park and Vincent Regan.

PHOTO OF THE DAY EXTRA: THERE IS NOTHING LIKE A DAME GREAT PARTY!

Joan celebrated her Damehood with a special dinner party at Craig's restaurant in Los Angeles..

PRESS UPDATE : E! ONLINE .. THE ROYALS .. JANUARY 16TH 2015 ..

Fire the royal cannons! Or, you know, pop some champagne, or declutter a closet. However you like to celebrate.
E!'s richly decadent new drama series The Royals scored a second-season pickup, before it even begins airing (the show premieres March 15), and although you might not know it yet: That is fantastic news.
We chatted up Elizabeth Hurley, Joan Collins and the rest of the cast—plus the show's creator Mark Schwahn (One Tree Hill) — and here are 7 things you can get excited about regarding The Royals, the scripted series starring Hurley as the matriarch of a fictional modern-day British monarchy:

E! Entertainment

1. The Amazing Mother-Daughter-Grandmother Casting Trifecta: Not only did creator Mark Schwahn find an exciting breakout star to play Elizabeth Hurley's daughter on the series—Alexandra Park, who is gorgeous-but-edgy, and a dead ringer for Hurley on screen—but he helped to make Hurley's lifelong dream of playing Joan Collins' daughter a reality. "I was thrilled!" Hurley tells me. "Because we've had two near misses of her playing my mom before in the past and it never panned out, and every time we meet at a party or whatever, we would always say, ‘We're going to make it happen!' And she said, ‘Well, you better make it soon because pretty soon you're going to be too old to play my daughter!'" Hurley has already put in a request to catfight with Joan, being herself a diehard Dynasty fan. "We've been begging the writers!"
2. The Deliciousness.  Mark Schwahn tells us "delicious" is the word he hears the most from people who've seen the show—and for good reason.  Since the series takes place mostly at the Royal Palace in London, focusing on a fictitious (and let's just say it—dead sexy) royal family, the aesthetics must be on point. "The locations are sumptuous," Schwahn explains. "We're shooting in London. Look, the bar is set high. When you're shooting the royal family they have to look good, they have to look impressive. We would talk about crowd scenes and I would say, ‘If they walk out that door and we don't see hundreds of people, I don't know who they are. I don't know what we're doing.'" From the show's elaborate tea parties to racy fashion shows and everything in between, the setting is gorgeous eye candy to devour piece by piece, scene by scene.
3. The Gripping Love Stories. Schwahn learned a thing or two after helming One Tree Hill for a decade—you've got to keep the audience on its toes when it comes to romantic storylines, and oh, does The Royals deliver when it comes to love-life entanglements. Merrit Patterson (Ophelia) and William Mosely (Prince Liam) play the star-crossed lovers—with a twist. "They met as a drunken hookup, which is what makes it modern," Schwahn explains. "And on top of that, she isn't sure she even wants to be with a prince." Mosely adds that Liam himself is struggling. "The big question is family or love? What do you put first?"

E! Entertainment

4. The Gripping Lust Stories. Princess Eleanor (Alexandra Park) has what might be one of the most twisted romances we've seen on TV in a long time—we wont spoil it for you, but her greatest enemy, and, ahem,  blackmailer, could also turn out to be her perfect match.  "I think that is a sexy, twisted relationship that balances out the more romantic storylines," Schwahn says of Eleanor and Jasper. "It's something that's devilish and risky. Some people won't agree with it. Some people, it will turn them on."
5. The Gripping Power Stories. The Royals begins with the death of the Queen and King's oldest son, Robert, which instantaneously makes younger brother Liam (William Mosely) the new heir to the throne. "I'm really compelled by the king and the fact that as a good man, maybe surrounded by vipers, the death of his son, is something that he can't seem to get past," Schwahn explains. "Also, Liam is stepping into a spotlight that he wasn't groomed for, and might not be particularly good at."
6. The "Heartbeat". This sexy, modern take on the monarchy is clearly worlds away from Schwahn's last cult-hit series, One Tree Hill, but he believes OTH fans will love it, too. "Fans of One Tree Hill will feel it has the same heartbeat beneath it," he explains. It's a little racier as you know, it's it's own thing. I do believe that we can always do better…[but we have] set the bar really high."
7. The Flawlessness That Is Still Joan Collins: As  Hurley's mother, the Grand Duchess of Oxfordshire, she owns the room—no matter how large, and no matter who's in it. "The character I'm playing is actually the one in control," Collins explains. "She knows what's going on with all the  madness and naughtiness and decadence that's going on with the royal family – the fictional royal family – so she decides to step in and stop it all."

PRESS UPDATE : DAILY STAR .. JANUARY 16TH 2015 ..

‘Joan Collins brought own sexy negligee for TV threesome,’ says Benidorm co-star.'

By Ash Percival /                                

 The former Dynasty star, finds filming saucy plots “hilarious” and couldn’t wait to seduce Jake Canuso’s character Mateo.

Fans of the ITV comedy hit will see Joan’s superbitch character Crystal Hennessy-Vass invite the randy barman back to her hotel room in scenes set to air tonight.
But their romp doesn’t go to plan when Johnny Vegas is lying half naked on the bed after a booking mix up.
“Joan looked amazing that day. She had this negligee on with marabou feathers and all that, and you can’t help but think of Dynasty,” Jake told The Sun.
“That’s her own negligee. She’s really game with all the storylines and she thinks it’s hilarious.”

Joan is just one of the guest stars set to appear on the new series of Benidorm, with Ruth Madoc, Denise Black, John Challis, Nadia Sawalha, Amanda Barrie and Leslie Jordan all making appearances.

But Jake added that he hopes Joan becomes a more regular addition to the cast after tickling fans with her on-screen fights with Sherrie Hewson, who plays hotel manager Joyce Temple-Savage.
“Joan adores Benidorm and we adore her. She loves that between her hectic lifestyle she can nip over and do a few scenes.
“She loves being on set and the characters. It’s such a great dynamic.”

PRESS UPDATE : DAILY EXPRESS ... JANUARY 16TH 2015 ..

Joan Collins turns heads in chic peplum dress and nude heels for NBC Universal tour

SHE joined her fellow The Royals actress Elizabeth Hurley on the red carpet last night, but Joan Collins certainly made sure she wasn't over-shadowed by her younger co-star.                

By Jessica Earnshaw

Joan Collins looked stunning as she arrived at The Langham Huntington Hotel in Pasadena yesterday

The actress showed off her enviably slim figure in eye-catching monochrome as she arrived at The Langham Huntington Hotel in Pasadena, California.
Joan who was attending the NBCUniversal 2015 TCA Press Tour, looked stunning in the knee-length number.
Her long -sleeved dress came complete with flattering peplum, and was teamed with classic nude peep-toe heels.
With her brunette tresses styled into a voluminous 'do, the former Dynasty stunner couldn't resist a pair of statement earrings to polish off her ensemble.

Joan, who plays the Grand Duchess Of Oxford in the new E! drama, also added a slick of bright red lipstick and smoky eye-make-up.
Her show, which follows a fictional British royal family in modern-day London, is set to air on March 15.
Liz, who portrays Queen Helena, previously said of her role: "She has a lot of power and I think she knows how to use it."
Meanwhile Joan has recently spoken out about agesim in the film industry..

AdMedia/Splash News

The star elongated her pins with a pair of classic nude heels

She said: "Every actress over the age of 35 experiences ageism. I was cast in a TV role once when I was 39. My agent told them I was 32 because I looked it.
"I got the role but at the end the producer said: 'My God, you are 39. Had we known that we would never have cast you.'"
Yet her male stars including Bing Crosby who was Joan's leading man in The Road To Hong Kong when she was 30 years his junior suffered no such prejudice. "It was another taste of ageism in Hollywood," Joan claimed

PRESS UPDATE : THE WRAP .. THE ROYALS TCA PANEL. JANUARY 15TH 2015..

Joan Collins Reminds Elizabeth Hurley That She’s Aging During ‘Royals’ Panel

REPORT FROM TCA | By Tim Kenneally on January 15

TCA 2015: “Dynasty” icon proves that she’s still the reigning queen of cattiness at panel for E!’s first scripted show

Elizabeth Hurley got royally burned at the Television Critics Association press tour in Pasadena, Calif., on Thursday — and the burn came from her own costar, Joan Collins.

Collins, who plays the mother to Hurley’s Queen Helena on E! first scripted series “The Royals,” dropped in at the TCA panel for the show Thursday. Collins, who was recently made a Dame in England, proved that she’s still the queen of cattiness when it comes to a cutting remark or two.

The moment came when one reporter asked if any of the younger members of the show’s cast had seen Joan's previous series, the iconic nighttime soap “Dynasty.”

“Yeah, of course,” Hurley offered.

“You’re not one of the younger members, darling,” Collins shot back.

Apparently, reminding Hurley that she’s aging is a favorite pastime of Collins’. During the panel, Hurley recalled that she and Collins had tried to play a mother-daughter pair twice in the past, with no success.

“Joan used to say to me, ‘You’d better hurry up and make it happen or you’ll be much too old to be my daughter.”

Apparently, however, it was all in good fun — and just the sort of dynamic that series creator Mark Schwahn would like to portray on the second season of the series, which was renewed on Thursday.

“Sure, bring it on; royal catfights next season on ‘The Royals,'” Schwahn enthused.

“The Royals” premieres its first season March 15 at 10 p.m.
.

PRESS UPDATE : THE MIRROR .. JANUARY 13TH 2015 ..

Joan Collins got role in Benidorm because sister Jackie is a big fan

• Jan 13, 2015 16:56
• By Steve White

Former Dynasty star Joan watched a box set of the show with sister Jackie Collins who recommended her to the writers...

Cameo: Joan Collins as Crystal Henessy-Vass with writer of Benidorm Derren Litten

Joan Collins got a part in the hit comedy Benidorm because sister Jackie is a fan.
Jackie, took a box set to Joan’s LA home. After watching it for four hours, a giggling Jackie rang creator Derren Litten.
Derren said: “Jackie asked me, ‘Why don’t you put my sister in your show’, so I did.”
Joan plays hotel boss Crystal Hennessy-Vass in the new series on ITV.
Derren said: “She has a scene with Johnny Vegas and I think it might be the funniest scene we have ever had in the show.”
“But we didn’t know if you weren’t going to turn up, because you’re Joan Collins. She said: ‘Oh Derren , I’m just an actress.’

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“I can’t say too much, it’s Johnny Vegas and Elsie Kelly who plays his mum Noreen in the show. It is so funny. I can’t wait.”

 

Only Fools And Horses star John Challis, is also to take a role in the seventh series of the ITV comedy series along with TV host and former EastEnders star Nadia Sawalha.
Collins, plays hotel group boss Crystal Hennessy-Vass in the series which pulls in around 6.8 million viewers.

EVENT ALERT : THE 17TH ANNUAL OLD BAGS LUNCHEON .. THE BREAKERS.. PALM BEACH .. MARCH 5TH 2015 ..

Old Bags Luncheon

Bags, Beauty, and A Good Cause Take Center Stage as The Center for Family Services Hosts 17th Annual Old Bags Luncheon

One of the most popular social events of the season is returning for its 17^th year this coming March and it is sure to be an event you won’t want to miss!

The 17^th Annual Old Bags Luncheon will take place on Thursday, March 5, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. at The Breakers Palm Beach. Guests will enjoy a delicious luncheon prepared by the award winning culinary team at The Breakers Palm Beach and will also have the opportunity to bid on the more than 400 stunning handbags ranging in value from $25 - $30,000 on display in the event’s silent auction. The luncheon, dubbed the must attend event of the season, is an integral support tool for The Center for Family Services’ programs, which focus on ending the generational cycle of family violence and protecting the children while strengthening the families in our community.

 “Who doesn’t love the chance to go handbag shopping,” said Janet Levy, co-chair of the 17^th annual Old Bags Luncheon. “This event gives you the opportunity to do so while having fun supporting the programs and services that are making a direct impact on families in our community. The Center for Family Services proudly offers the only emergency homeless shelter in Palm Beach County for families and is the only organization with a licensed sexual abuse counselor. And, because they are the only organization providing these services, it is vital we support these efforts so those in need can utilize the services.”
Tickets and sponsorship opportunities for the Old Bags Luncheon are now available. Ticket price is $350. Janet Levy and Debra Porreco will serve as co-chairs of the event while Lorrain Hall, Soula Rifkin, and Linda Adelson serve as honorary chairs. Lead sponsor of the event is Neiman Marcus in Palm Beach who has pledged $300,000 as part of a 3-year commitment to the event and the Center..

2015 Speaker

Joan Collins is coming to Old Bags, to share stories and secrets of her celebrated life and career as one of the world’s most glamorous and intriguing actresses.
The not-to-be-missed luncheon is the perfect opportunity to spend an intimate afternoon in the company of a true English Hollywood legend. Joan Collins will take to the stage with honesty, style and grace and with the same engaging wit and frankness that turned her two memoirs, Past Imperfect and Second Act, into international bestsellers.  Her latest memoir Passion for Life has just been published by Constable & Robinson.
The Old Bags Luncheon is a chance to hear first-hand about her screen test for Cleopatra and why she lost the role to Elizabeth Taylor, her on-set encounters with the formidable Bette Davis and many others including Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Paul Newman and Richard Burton; and, of course, her relationships!

Joan Collins has appeared in more than 60 feature films and hundreds of TV shows, including creating the role of Alexis Carrington on Dynasty, one of the most highly rated television dramas of all time. Her novels and memoirs have sold over 50 million copies worldwide and have been translated into 30 languages. She is a regular diarist for The Spectator and a contributor to The Daily Mail, The Telegraph, The Times and Harper's Bazaar.
On stage, Joan Collins has performed on Broadway, the West End, and in national tours in the UK and North America. She is recognized worldwide as a fashion maven of timeless beauty, and is a brand ambassador and spokeswoman for top cosmetic, health and beauty companies. On the humanitarian front, Joan Collins is devoted to the wellbeing of women, children and families and regularly lends her support and celebrity to causes that include finding a cure for breast cancer and empowering children with learning disabilities. She is also a committed patron of Shooting Star/Chase Hospice for Children. She is married to Theatrical Manager Percy Gibson, and they live between their homes in Los Angeles, London, New York and the South of France. In 1997 she received an OBE for her lifetime contribution to the arts and her continuing charity work. Joan will also be made a Dame in 2015 for her services to charity..

CAMPAIGN ALERT : BARNARDO'S NATIONAL ADOPTION & FOSTERING WEEK CAMPAIGN .. JANUARY 12TH 2015..

Celebrities reveal teen pics to launch Barnardo's fostering campaign

Release Date: 12 Jan 2015

Dame Joan Collins, Andy Serkis and the late Lynda Bellingham are among stars who have braved the days of acne and dodgy haircuts to release candid photos of themselves as adolescents. Barnardo’s approached celebrities for their ‘unseen’ teen pics as part of a new campaign to recruit more foster carers in the UK.

A number of personalities have sent through informal snaps of themselves in their teen years. They include I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here winner Christopher Biggins in hippy garb, Geordie Shore’s Charlotte Crosby pulling a funny face and the late Lynda Bellingham playing Puck in a teenage production of A Midsummer’s Night Dream.
The celebrities have also shared pearls of wisdom passed down by their family for Barnardo’s Fostering Week 2015 which launches today. Along with her poignant photo, the late Lynda Bellingham’s husband Michael Pattemore reveals that Lynda’s motto was always ‘Live Life to the Full’. He says Lynda’s maxim, is the best advice you could give any young person.
Barnardo’s is looking to recruit 500 foster carers in 2015 to help address a shortfall of 8,600 carers nationally. The charity is asking members of the public to consider becoming foster carers, particularly for teenagers and older children who are amongst those who wait the longest to find a new home.
Using the celebrity pictures, Barnardo’s will be staging projection stunts throughout the week (12 – 18 January 2014), on the busiest high streets in Edinburgh (12th), Newcastle (13th) and Cardiff (14th).
Barnardo’s is targeting commuters, January sales shoppers and evening revellers in all three cities, giving a glimpse into the early life of some of the nation’s favourite celebrities.
Barnardo’s CEO Javed Khan said:

Most of us can remember the advice and support we received from our family growing up. Without the right foster family to care for them, many vulnerable children may never experience the kind of love and stability we take for granted.

Currently a third of all children in foster care are moved between different families more than twice every year due to the lack of suitable foster carers. The number of children in the care system in the UK has risen for the 8th year in a row to more than 90,000 and at least 8,600 new foster carers are needed in the UK.

It is a critical situation and Barnardo’s is looking for people with patience and commitment to provide a stable home for the most vulnerable children in the UK. Fostering is a caring career and I would encourage those who feel they have a lot of love to give to get in touch.”

Brenda Blethyn OBE, a Barnardo’s ambassador, who is supporting the campaign, said:

I am a long-term supporter of Barnardo’s and their fostering services. The work foster carers do is invaluable, as they offer vulnerable children and young people a stable, safe and caring home, sometimes for the first time in their lives.

Although it is a demanding role, it is very rewarding and we desperately need more potential foster carers to come forward for children waiting for a family. That is why I’m taking part in this year’s National Fostering and Adoption Week.”

There is no upper age limit although there is a minimum age of 21. Barnardo’s does not exclude anyone from consideration on the grounds of marital status, gender, sexual orientation, disability or employment status. Barnardo’s is keen to speak to individuals from the BME and LGBT communities who are interested in fostering.
To find out more about fostering visit www.barnardos.org.uk/fostering or call 08000 277 280
Follow the campaign on twitter using the hashtag #WhyFoster and share your teen pictures and family advice.
                            

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