Caught & Social: Rain fails to ruffle Iron Lady

Despite the howling wind and rain, a stateswoman-like Meryl Streep didn’t have a hair out of place as she walked the blue carpet for the premiere of The Iron Lady in London last night. Also putting in an appearance was Jim Broadbent, who plays Margaret Thatcher’s husband, Denis. He said preparing for the role had been unusual. “He always kept his cards close to his chest. His motto was better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.”Anthony Head, who plays Geoffrey Howe, said: “Meryl said it’s like King Lear with girls, and she’s absolutely right.”

Uggie has the right pedigree

Jean Dujardin and Uggie the dog play on the red carpet at the premiere of The Artist in Berlin. Being both black and white and silent, the film does not immediately seem the sort that will drag in the masses, but it has been widely tipped to find success at awards season. Some have even asked whether, as a dog, Uggie would be eligible for the best supporting actor gong at the Oscars…

Helen goes to the extreme

Making all those with New Year fitness regimes feel inadequate, Blue Peter presenter Helen Skelton set off yesterday morning on a journey to the South Pole in aid of Sport Relief. The 28-year-old will be making the 500- mile journey via kite, ski and, in an apparent first for Antarctica, on a bike.

Scene & heard

Madonna took no prisoners in her research for her King Edward and Wallis Simpson film, W.E. “People wanted to sell me their letters. I didn’t purchase any, but I read them, noted the information and then said thanks, but no thanks,”she tells Glamour. “I tried to go to places they were at and soak up their energy. Of course, I wasn’t allowed in Windsor Castle – how very dare they!”

In other royal news, Pixie Lott may be pitching herself as a future princess. “Someone asked meonce if I’d like to be a princess, and I was like, ‘Yes, wouldn’t any girl?’” the pop star tells Cosmopolitan. “Now I think mymum would quite like meto get together with Prince Harry!” Speaking of “getting together”, Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel are engaged, after he proposed during a holiday in the mountains.

Halle Berry, meanwhile, was pictured with a gem on her ring finger and may (or may not) be about to marry Olivier Martinez, the ex of Kylie Minogue.

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