As you probably know by how often I write about them, I am in love with Liz Hurley and Shane Warne as a couple. They’re so delightfully trashy and sleazy, with a healthy helping of kitschy fabulousness. If you’d like to see more about my favorite C-list couple, go here or here or here or here or here. My ongoing theory is that their relationship is like a gender-reversed Pygmalion, with Liz as Prof. Higgins, and Shane as the Botoxed, cat-faced Eliza Doolittle. He does whatever she says. She’s remaking him in her own image. Anyway, Shane gave a radio interview where denial and delusion were the specials of the day. Shane claims that he’s NEVER had any plastic surgery, and that Liz has never demanded that he become her walking, talking Ken doll. He also speaks glowingly about their Love. This interview is epic.

Shane Warne has finally spoken out about claims that he has undergone plastic surgery to maintain his astonishingly youthful looks. In a candid new radio interview, he has denied going under the surgeon’s knife, and instead credits his new lease of life to being in love and healthier habits. The star bowler also refused to confirm or deny rumours of an engagement to Liz Hurley. Talking openly on 3AW’s breakfast show today, Shane stressed that he had never even contacted a plastic surgeon.

‘I’ve got some wrinkles,’ Shane admitted, but emphasised: ‘I have never even had a consultation with a plastic surgeon.’

Shane even indicated that the media have manipulated images of his face to promote the idea that he’s had work done.

‘I don’t think it’s right or fair to the public to portray me as a person with no wrinkles,’ he said. ‘I’ve got some legal advice on that at the moment. Some pictures have been doctored. That’s illegal in this country. I haven’t changed one bit,’ the 42 year old insisted.

Warne said that he has adopted a more moderate lifestyle as a way of keeping up with younger players. His weight loss started when he began a new TV show in Australia last October.

‘I’m no longer the 30-year-old bloke who used to sit in the changing room and have beer and pies. I still do that but I’m 42 and maturing now. I still like my beans in the morning. Or my spaghetti on toast,’ Shane said. ‘I’m around 78 kilos at the moment. I’m running. I’m fit, I’m strong. I was around 92kg when I was playing. I actually wanted to get fit. I got into it and I really started to enjoy it so I have kept going.’

Shane addressed the widely held belief that his relationship with model Elizabeth Hurley was the reason behind his health kick: ‘I think Liz is annoyed about reports she’s the person who’s changed me. Elizabeth Hurley hasn’t got her high heels in the middle of my back saying, “You must do 100 push ups” and, “You can’t do that”. It’s absolute rubbish. Suddenly people see you with Elizabeth Hurley and they see you mixing with some of her friends and they think, “Where’s this Aussie guy who had a pie and beer in his hand gone?” I’m the fittest I have ever been, I’m the happiest I have ever been. I’m healthy, what’s the crime here?’

Nevertheless he admitted to some remaining vices. ‘I still eat pizzas, I still have a pie and a beer, but it’s all in moderation,’ Shane confessed.

When the conversation turned to more romantic matters, Shane was less forthcoming, and refused to say whether he had proposed.

‘If I had some sort of news about that I’d be happy to share it with you,’ he said.

When interviewer Neil Mitchell persisted, a smiling Warne replied: ‘As I said Neil, if there is any news, I will let you know.’

Asked if he was in love, he replied: “Yes I am. Being in love with someone is a wonderful feeling and I am at the moment. ‘I think that gives off a radiant glow too, you know. I was lucky to meet Elizabeth, we’ve met, we’re having a great time and I am in love with her. We’re going really well, it’s easy with each other. It’s a bit interesting. It’s different at times, in her world. But she likes my world. Together, we make a pretty good partnership. It’s nice that the people out there think that we make a good couple and they’re happy for us. She’s a lovely lady. The kids are accepting of her.’

[From The Mail]

What’s my favorite part? There are so many. I like when he claims his completely new head is the result of consistent Photoshopping on candid photos. I like when Shane makes it seem like he has proposed to Liz, but she refused him. I like all of the back and forth where Shane is trying to keep his “average bloke” street cred by talking about all of the carbs that he eats, when really you can tell he wants desperately to suck on an ice cube. Basically, I love this strange, crazy, tweaked and ‘Toxed man. He’s so wonderfully bizarre.

Thanks to Doug, who sent this in because he knows I love Shane Warne with all of my heart.

Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame.

Some days, I truly wonder whether Elizabeth “Sleaze-E” Hurley (credit to Kaiser) is a real-life fembot (Model T&A400) because, let’s face it, she doesn’t just play one in the movies. In fact, Liz covets her mankiller reputation to a point where she doesn’t find it at all laughable to divorce a man for “unreasonable behavior” when the unfortunate fellow, for all practical purposes, seemed like a perfectly decent and reasonable man for which to be married. Naturally, Liz had previously cheated with Aussie cricket manwhore Shane Warne on her then-husband Arun Nayar just for an ego boost and because it’s really hard to be married to a millionaire when you were previously under the impression that he was a billionaire. In light of her own well-crafted persona, it comes as absolutely no surprise that Liz prefers the part of the villain when she “acts” in various movies and television shows:

Elizabeth Hurley says “less acting is required” when she plays the villain.

The actress-turned-fashion designer is renowned for playing Vanessa Kensington in the hit spy comedies Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery and the Devil in 2000 film Bedazzled.

The 45-year-old beauty recently shot the NBC pilot of Wonder Woman in Los Angeles, where she guest-starred as a bad character.

Elizabeth says she has most fun playing evil role and has even joked they are close to her own personality.

“I’ve played a few villains in my time and love it – less acting required. Just kidding!” she joked in an interview with Hello!

The stunning model says she was excited to appear in the Wonder Woman pilot. She has revealed she admires the work of the show’s writer David E. Kelley, so jumped at the chance of guest-starring in the show.

“I met the head of Warner Bros TV when I was in LA in January, shooting a commercial, and he offered me Wonder Woman. I was really pleased as the writer, David Kelley has created such fabulous shows, like Ally McBeal,” she explained.

[From Musicrooms]

Does Liz really think that “Ally McBeal” was a fabulous television show? Sure, the first season or so had possessed a very subtle charm, but nearly the entirety of the program was just a series of nonsensical scenes (and CGI babies) crafted around impossibly skinny women in short skirts. Well, no wonder Liz loved it. As for Liz’s knack for playing the villain, I presume that it has less to do with whether or not she prefers those parts as much as good, old-fashioned typecasting.

Here’s a photo of Liz at the launch of her new Belgium fashion beach store (plus some more of her on the set of “Wonder Woman” as well as in the company of the men she boinks), where she’s going to sell an inexplicable amount of unexceptional $177 bikinis. Call me crazy, but these bikinis look like they could have come out of the latest Victoria’s Secret catalog. Maybe they give your boobs magical powers or are otherwise infused with the Evil Essence of Liz. You just know that poor Liz can’t stand to cover up her body next to these bikini models but couldn’t quite muster up the chutzpah to slut it up next to two twenty-something nymphs. No payoff there, but hext to men of any age, Liz would’ve hoisted those puppies to the moon in full view.

Photos courtesy of Fame Pictures and WENN

These are photos from the Did You Heard About the Morgans? premiere in London last last night. What can I say? Hugh Grant is no longer a “sad and lonely old man”. He’s got a girlfriend named Sarah Jessica Parker. That’s what you would think, looking through these photos. In case anyone accuses me of just picking out the ones where SJP is draped on Hugh like white on rice, let just tell you: they are all like this. SJP was clinging to Hugh. To his credit, professionalism and good humor, Hugh seemed game, although slightly taken aback with SJP’s vampy, trying-too-hard poses.

As for the fashion – well, SJP looks alright. I’ve found her sketchy on the past few red carpets that I can recall (like this past Oscar red carpet), but I get her look at this premiere. The hair is not bad, the L’Wren Scott dress works for her figure, but there are several pictures of her adjusting herself, so I think the fit was probably off. I don’t really care for the patterned fabric of the dress, but that’s just me. I’m sure some people will find it gorgeous. To me, it looks like curtain fabric. But great shoes, et cetera. And Hugh looks nice too! Black suit, no tie, hair messy, classic Hugh. Not dapper, but not plain either.

The biggest news was probably that Hugh’s ex Liz Hurley showed up – and she brought her husband Arun Nayar. I don’t really get them as a couple, but Arun looks happy to be attending a premiere on the arm of the ex-girlfriend of one of the film’s stars. Here’s more:

Hugh Grant’s glamorous former girlfriend Liz Hurley was on hand to support his latest film. The pair – who dated for 13 years and split in 2000 – met the crowds at the premiere of Did You Hear About The Morgans? in London’s Leicester Square.

And Hurley, 44, who attended with husband Arun Nayar, may have even upstaged fashionista Sarah Jessica Parker – who also stars in the film – in the dress stakes with a figure-hugging pink and red number.

But Parker also turned heads in a strapless pink mini dress designed by L’Wren Scott, paired with towering Charlotte Olympia heels, as she walked the red carpet with co-star Hugh Grant.

Hundreds of fans, many brandishing Sex And The City memorabilia, gathered to see the stars and collect autographs.

In the film, Grant and Parker play a successful Manhattan couple whose marriage is dissolving. After they witness a murder, police force them to move together to a tiny Wyoming town for their protection.

Parker said it was “easy” to work with Grant, adding: “I adore him. He makes me laugh. I am not unique. A romantic comedy working with Hugh Grant – what fool would say no?”

Grant said the actress was “exceptionally nice”.

He added: “She’s not at all actressy or Hollywood or starry, she’s just a good egg and funny.”

[From The Press Association]

Ha! I just read The Daily Mail’s coverage of the premiere, in a piece called “Now Sarah Jessica Parker encounters Hugh Grant’s wandering hands”. Er… Hugh didn’t know where to put his hands! She was all over him! He had to put his hands somewhere, or else he would look totally over her. Anyway, SJP also said in a red carpet interview that Hugh was “easy” to work with and “I adore him. He makes me laugh. I am not unique.” Well… at least they get along. And we have the photos to prove it.

SJP and Hugh at the London premiere of ‘Did You Hear About the Morgans?’ on December 8, 2009. Also pictured: Liz Hurley & her husband at the premiere Credit: WENN

Liz Hurley wants you to know that her life is so much sexier than yours. Why? Not because she’s Liz Hurly. Not because she’s loaded with money. But because she lives in the country. Liz brags about how hot her stable boys are. Okay not stable boys, but the guys who remodeled her stables. Which I think is close enough. She says people in the country are just flat-out better looking. And they have better sex because of all the fireplaces. In fact, that’s the only reason why they all have big fluffy rugs in front of their hearths. For sex. It’s all about sex, and apparently no one in London is having it half as good as she is.

Perhaps it’s all that fresh air. Or more likely, the glow of those roaring log fires. But the former girl about town Elizabeth Hurley has become something of an evangelist for the joys of country life. According to the actress turned model, the English countryside is simply far ‘sexier’ than London. And in a breathless account for Tatler magazine, in which she poses in the grounds of a country mansion, Miss Hurley, 43, paints an earthy picture of rural life that Jilly Cooper would be proud of.

‘When I close my eyes and think of England, I’m not in a fancy restaurant in Knightsbridge, but am instead lolling, scantily clad, in front of a roaring fire, surrounded by four labradors and Rupert Campbell-Black,’ she said, referring to one of Miss Cooper’s dashing characters.

‘I wouldn’t mind betting that there’s less sex in the city than there is in the country because it’s just well, sexier here.’ Miss Hurley, 43, who also has a home in London, now lives almost full-time on the £2.7million Gloucestershire estate she bought in 2003. She shares it with husband Arun Nayar, son Damian, four labradors, two cats, three geese, eight chickens, 49 cows, 63 sheep and 82 pigs.

Not to mention a cast of handsome locals, ranging from the ‘gorgeous’ builders who helped with her renovations, to the shelf stackers at the supermarket. ‘To me people look sexier in the country,’ she said. ‘Take builders for example. The lot who recently did my stable conversion were so gorgeous that friends from London used to travel down just to flirt with them… Or take the shelf-fillers in my local supermarket in Cirencester – almost all of them could be extras in Another Country… If you think of London you’re more likely to think binge-drinking, mugging and competitive schooling than hotel rooms, champagne and lacy knickers. Not so in the country.’

According to Miss Hurley, country interior design is all a little nudge, nudge, wink wink, too. ‘Next time you go to someone’s house in the country, be sure to check out if they have warm, possibly fluffy, rugs in front of their fire,’ she writes. ‘No prizes for guessing why they’re there.’ Later she adds: ‘I can also shyly confess to having two sheepskin rugs in front of all my fireplaces.’

[From the Daily Mail]

Is it me, or does it seem like Liz is overcompensating here? My very first thought was that she must not be happy at all – it’s all so over the top. The imagine of her and Arun frolicking around on one of their dozens of sheepskin rugs while the four Labradors frolic around playfully in front of the crackling fire… it’s all just a bit too much. Next thing you know, one of the stable boys saunters in… wait, I’m getting carried away. Which it sounds like Liz is doing too.

I can’t help but think this little article and accompanying photo spread is all in reaction to the rumors that Liz’s marriage is seriously on the rocks. But I’m sure it’s nothing that can’t be fixed with a frolic in a field filled with Guernsey cattle. Or, you know, a good Harlequin romance novel.

Here’s Liz Hurley and Arun Nayar at the wedding of Patsy Kensit and Jeremy Healy in London on April 18th. Images thanks to WENN.com .

If you thought Liz Hurley was stingy, uptight, but with a surprisingly tolerant attitude to prostitutes and the men who frequent them, you can now add that she’s a little, ahem, vain.

She said: “I like a certain amount of retouching, like anybody. We all like to get rid of spots and shadows under our eyes.

“I don’t have professional Photoshop, just the one that comes with your camera. Every time I download my holiday snaps, I always go over them. Just the red eye and the colour enhancement. I don’t do any slimming because you need a silly programme – but the colour enhancing is heaven.

“Vanity retouching – who wouldn’t?”

Although Liz – who has just designed a bikini range for Spanish high street fashion store Mango – is happy to have her body digitally enhanced, she refuses to let anyone change her face.

The 42-year-old star added in an interview with Britain’s Style magazine: “I’ve always been quite particular – I don’t like my face to be retouched. Often, people will want to correct one’s face, and with me, they always want to change my nose. And I say, ‘No, no, I can’t look like that. I don’t mind if you want to make me a bit thinner and a bit younger, but you can’t give me a different jaw or eyebrows.”

New Zealand Herald

Looking at these pictures of Liz’s latest modeling expedition, she’s skipped the retouching and simply gotten a 25-year-old lookalike to pose in a swinsuit.

Fortunately, we still have the paparazzi snaps, so one day Liz will be able to look back and see how she actually looked. For crying out loud woman, you’re 42 years old and have a kid, you look better than about 90% of the population, try to grow old gracefully! I know you might be saying this all tongue in cheek, but Liz, we sort of believe you.

Liz is also rumored to be pregnant, with husband Arun Nayer. Elton John was said to have been congratulating her at an April 8 Breast Cancer Research fundraiser, by rubbing her belly. She has a 6-year-old son named Damien, with television producer Stephen Bing.

Thanks to WENN for these photos of Liz Hurley and Arun Nayer at the Breast Cancer Research Foundation’s Pink Party on 4/8/08.

In case you accidentally didn’t totally hate Liz Hurley, have I got a story for you. Liz is apparently pretty darn cheap. And not in that cute, “I still buy my shoes at Payless” way, but in that “I buy the very best for myself and stiff the little people as brutally as I can” way. Last month, Helen reported that Liz and her husband Arun Nayer stiffed the church at which they were married. The couple had promised to buy the church a set of kneelers as payment. That was considered tacky enough, as the standard donation is $2000. And it’s generally customary to give more based on your wealth – but Liz gave less. And while that was ungracious enough, she and Arun still haven’t ponied up and actually supplied the kneelers. Heaven forbid they actually compensate the church for their services. Unfortunately, this hasn’t been some little oversight that can happen to anyone, it turns out it was very much indicative of Liz’s character.

Several UK papers are reporting that Liz Hurley and Arun Nayer have been accused of paying their maid as little as $2.50 an hour. At times she was forced to work from 7:30 in the morning all the way until 3 in the morning the next day.

Liz Hurley and husband Arun Nayar have been accused of paying their Indian maid as little as £1.20 an hour. Violet d’Souza, who is said to have been brought to Britain by Mr Nayar’s family, claims she was paid in rupees for working up to 70 hours a week at the couple’s Chelsea home.

Ms d’Souza, 31, says she worked several days a week at the Chelsea house, where she also lived. Her chores included cleaning, cooking and babysitting from 7.30am until, on occasions, 3am the next day. According to the Daily Mirror, the couple paid her 8,000 rupees a week – around £100. The equivalent hourly rate would be between £1.40 and £1.60, and sometimes as little as £1.20 if she worked long hours. The legal minimum wage is £5.52. Hurley, 42, is said to be worth £13 million from acting and modeling contracts while Mr Nayar, 43, comes from a wealthy Indian textiles family.

[From the Daily Mail]

The Daily Mirror says that d’Souza withdrew her claims after she was given a five-figure settlement. She was scheduled to have a hearing in front of the employment tribunal tomorrow. Ms. d’Souza was fired without warning by the couple, supposedly after getting into an argument with them. I’m guessing a person can get a little cranky after working for 20 hours in a row. Ms. d’Souza was then immediately kicked out of the residence, which was her only shelter. She took refuge at her aunt’s home, where she learned that she was being paid illegal wages. She was able to get an Oxford-educated lawyer to represent her for free from the Citizens Advice Bureau, so it sounds like she had a legitimate case. I’ve never been a big Liz Hurley fan. There’s something about her that I can’t put my finger on, but I find her distasteful. Now hearing that she’s stiffed a church and paid her maid $200 a week, I find her utterly contemptible and disgusting. Unfortunately she’s settled the claim, so there won’t be any penalty for her. Except for a bit of unkind press.

Here’s Elizabeth Hurley and Arun Nayar at the Women of the Future Awards at Grosvenor Marriott Square Hotel on November 8th. Images thanks to PR Photos.

Liz Hurley is a stingy ol’ lass. I could have used miser, or scrooge, or cheapskate, but screw up your face a little and say stingy. Feels good, doesn’t it? After marrying last March at Sudeley Castle, rather than giving the standard donation of £1,000, Liz and hubby Arun Nayer promised the church a new set of kneelers. For those of you not in the Catholic way, they’re cushions for, er, kneeling on when praying.

The church is still waiting on their dozen cushions.

Last October when news of the kneeler gift was first revealed a spokeswoman for Liz Hurley said it was hoped the dozen kneelers would be ready in time for Christmas services.

But Sue Williams, church treasurer, said today “We still haven’t received any kneelers as yet.

“They will go straight to the castle so we are basically waiting with bated breath for Lady Ashcombe, the castle owner, to inform us when they have arrived.

“We’ve had no direct contact with Liz or her representatives.

“The issue of the kneelers was discussed at a meeting last week. I suppose they will be arriving soon, but we’ve had no word.”

The Daily Mail

Sue Williams also adds that she was ‘disgusted’ to hear that the kneelers would be donated, instead of the much-needed cash. Like most churches the running costs are raised from donations. She also expected the celebrity couple to donate more, in view of their wealth.

Expecting a celebrity to donate more than a non-celeb is a little unfair, but I can see Ms Williams’ point. Liz was wed in a Versace dress, she sold her wedding photos to Hello magazine, and the whole affair was said to cost about £2 million.

Then the couple headed to Mumbai for a six day marathon of celebrating, which included a traditional ‘Haldi’ wedding ceremony, black tie dinner and a cricket match between the bride and groom’s family. Which actually sounds a lot more fun than the Sudeley Castle spectacular.

So in light of this extravagance, I think it is reasonable for the church to demand a donation. Unfortunately, I suspect the issue is that the expectation of a cash donation wasn’t made clear to the couple.

Next time, send an invoice.

Picture note by Celebitchy: Liz Hurley and Arun Nayer are shown at the Women of The Future Awards on 11/8/07, thanks to PRPhotos.

Valentino celebrated his 45th anniversary as a top designer with a star-studded three day affair in Rome this weekend to the tune of over $10 million. Celebrities including Uma Thurman, Claire Danes, Sarah Jessica Parker, Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Hudson, Liz Hurley, Eva Mendes, Claudia Schiffer, Joan Collins, Rupert Everett, and Guan Yin attended a fashion show, exhibition, dinner, and gala ball in honor of the famed designer.

The bash kicked off on Friday with a gala dinner in the 2nd century Temple of Venus in the shadow of the Colosseum.

Valentino, 75, spent a reported £135,000 restoring the ancient monument built by the Emperor Hadrian and flew in royal florist Rob Van Helden from London to bedeck columns with garlands of flowers.

He also launched an exhibition of his creations in the city’s Ara Pacis museum with examples of his coveted designs showcased behind bulletproof glass.

Visitors were greeted by a giant red glass cube encasing one of his earlier dresses, then led along a walkway featuring 300 of his designs in red, black and white on mannequins.

The collection included sequined and ruffled gowns worn by the likes of Audrey Hepburn after Valentino opened his first boutique in Rome in the 1960s.

On Saturday a 1,000-strong audience watched him unveil his latest collection of 61 outfits in the medieval Santo Spirito in Sassia church near the Vatican.

The opulent bash continued with a lavish party in the grounds of historic Villa Borghese and the launch of his new perfume, Rock’n'Rose Couture.

[From The Daily Mail]

While the 74 year-old Valentino has not mentioned that he’s retiring, his fashion house was taken over by a private equity group in May, with the handover to be finished sometime this summer. His partner said that everything would continue as usual under the new owners, but the equity group that has acquired the firm is known for cost-cutting and are expected to reign in Valentino’s excessive spending. At least he’ll always have Rome.

Rapper “The Game” has grown tired of his on-again-off-again fued with 50 Cent, and has chosen soccer star David Beckham as his next opponent. No, seriously. The Game (real name Jaceyon Taylor), has said he would happily “kick David Beckham’s ass,” after hearing the announcement that Becks was coming to his neck of the woods – sorry, hood – to play soccer for the LA Galaxy.

“I’d kick David Beckham’s ass on any given day,” the Game said when asked about Beckham. “I’d just pick the ball up and kick the shit out of the stadium, game over.”

While David may have to look into some karate lessons, his wife Victoria has fallen out with gal-pal Liz Hurley – so much that it looks like she won’t be attending Liz Hurley’s wedding ceremony in March.

A source told the Sun:’ Victoria found out that Liz had been saying some pretty unpleasant things about her behind her back. People told her how Liz was making nasty comments about her looks and her weight to others on fashion shoots.’

‘She also was saying really personal things about Victoria and the way she conducts herself.’

‘Victoria was furious and incredibly hurt. She was tempted to have it out with her but thought it best to rise above it all. She decided the best thing to do was just not to speak to her.’

Good thing Mrs. B has her new Hollywood mates Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise to lean on, as it’s possible the Beckham’s wedding invitations might be “lost” in the mail.