ROBBIE Williams is “gutted” that a knee injury has forced him out of Soccer Aid 2008.
But I’m told the former Take That star will still be heavily involved in the charity game in aid of United Nations children’s charity UNICEF.
Tickets for the England v The Rest of the World TV spectacular at Wembley on Sept 7 went on sale at 9am today.
Ant and Dec will host the event, which was the brainchild of UNICEF ambassador Robbie and his pal Jonathan Wilkes.
The last match at Old Trafford in 2006 raised £2.6m for the charity’s work with partners for children around the world.
There’s a news story in today’s MEN – the online version is here.
I interviewed Robbie in the run-up to the last Soccer Aid game.
Author: ianwylie
WILD At Heart fans are a devoted bunch.
I know from the huge number of comments and emails I receive just how much they appreciate the ITV1 series.
So I thought they might like to read the first full details of the fourth series, released this afternoon – with filming going on until November.
Here’s the official ITV press release:
“The Trevanions are back at Leopard’s Den for a fourth series of the much-loved, ratings winning ITV drama Wild At Heart and this series there is a new vet on the scene.
Dawn Steele (Sea of Souls, Monarch of the Glen) joins the cast as feisty vet Alice Collins, who has been working as a locum in South Africa, with her young daughter Charlotte. Danny needs a new vet to work alongside him in the busy animal hospital, but gradually realises he’s taken on more than he bargained for in Alice.
HOME movies are usually of no interest to anyone except those who are in them.
But Rosie Newman’s amateur films contain one or two gems.
They include the earliest known colour footage of the Queen – screened for the first time on TV tonight.
It was taken in the summer of 1936 by Rosie, the daughter of a wealthy banker.
Her family owned a house in London next door to one of the homes occupied by the Duke and Duchess of York.
They were to become King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, known later as the Queen Mother.
Invited one day into their garden, Rosie captured colour images of young Princess Elizabeth – now our Queen – and her sister Princess Margaret, whose lives were about to change forever.
Within months King Edward VIII, torn between royal duty and his love for American divorcee Wallis Simpson, had abdicated.
BACK to normal TV service after the annual two weeks covering Wimbledon.
Last month I met up again with Spooks star Rupert Penry-Jones.
The occasion was the launch of new two-part BBC2 thriller Burn Up, which is screened next week.
More on that in tomorrow’s MEN and in a later blog entry.
I also took the opportunity to ask Rupert about filming his final scenes as Adam Carter in Spooks.
We’ll see them when the new series returns to BBC1 later this year.
And now the embargo on the Burn Up interview has expired, I can report what Rupert said.
“I did nearly cry on my last sequence,” he told me.
“But then they brought me back for re-shoots.
RAFAEL Nadal has just been into the press conference room after achieving his Wimbledon dream tonight in one of the greatest finals of all time.
The raging bull from Majorca ended Roger Federer’s bid to win a record Open-era sixth successive men’s singles title.
But he still had to ask us what the score was.
Before revealing that he couldn’t see a thing at the end of the longest men’s final in Wimbledon history.
As the light faded on Centre Court, Nadal, 22, converted his fourth match point to take the Championship 6-4 6-4 6-7 6-7 9-7.
Rafa was applauded by the media as he walked into the press room.
He had been due to talk at 10.20pm – but being Nadal, it was 10.50pm before he arrived.
“Rafa’s minutes are elastic,” explained one official.
Well, I think we can forgive him.
LAURA Robson may have eclipsed Venus in terms of public and press attention.
But let’s at least mark the fact that Venus Williams won her fifth Wimbledon singles title here yesterday.
As for today – well, it’s raining again ahead of the Roger Federer v Rafael Nadal clash at 2pm.
Top sports writers from around the world have flown in to report on the dream final.
The rain may delay the start, with heavy showers also threatening to interrupt the match.
I was caught in one on the walk to the All England Club just after 8am and it was accompanied by much stronger winds than yesterday.
Clutching my brolly, I diverted into Wimbledon Park to check out the queue – both for ground passes today and possible play tomorrow.
There is, in fact, no need to turn up early for ground passes on the final Saturday and Sunday.
THERE was a last, almost embarrassed, wave as she walked off court.
But Laura Robson could not stop smiling.
She had, after all, just won the Girls’ Singles title at Wimbledon.
Those of us on Court One this afternoon can say we were there.
This was the day a Brit showed true grit.
The moment she held the trophy aloft.
It’s worth repeating, because it doesn’t happen very often.
We were there when a British player won a singles title on the green and pleasant lawns of the All England Club.
The last time was almost a quarter of a century ago in 1984.
That’s when Annabel Croft triumphed in the girls’ singles, the last British success in any of the singles competitions.
Wimbledon champion Laura, 14, arrived in the press conference room at 7.30pm.
JUST back from a walk around the All England Club ahead of the women’s final.
The grounds are packed, with people still coming in through the gates.
Lots of smiles in the sunshine for a special occasion, although there may be a shower later in the day.
The band is playing on Centre Court and it’s a wonderful English summer scene.
I took my camera along for the stroll and thought you might like to see a few random snaps.
Meanwhile Roger Federer has already been in to see us for his pre-final press conference.
There was a little bit of implied criticism of how Rafael Nadal slows the game down on court, but our Roger was mostly his usual respectful self.
HEAVY rain showers at Wimbledon this morning ahead of Ladies’ Final Day – and a whole lot more.
A few optimistic – or is it pessimistic? – souls are already camped out in Wimbledon Park in case rain delays lead to play on Monday.
Today’s all-Williams final is on Centre Court at 2pm and the weather forecast is for the rain to clear.
The covers have come off since the photos (below) were taken around 8.30am.
Venus and Serena are then due to return later in the day to play their ladies’ doubles final.
Fans who have tickets for Court 1 have a real bonus – Britain’s Laura Robson, 14, in her Girls’ Final against third seed Noppawan Lertcheewakarn, 16, of Thailand.
I watched Stockport’s Naomi Broady, 18, come close to beating Noppa – as we shall call her – in the quarter finals.
TEENAGE sensation Laura Robson tomorrow bids to become the first British singles winner at Wimbledon since 1984.
Through to the girls’ singles final, she gave yet another accomplished performance in the press room this afternoon.
I asked her if she could sum up how it feels to get to a Wimbledon final.
“Really, really good. It’s just an overwhelming experience,” she smiled.
“There were so many people watching me today.
“The crowd and the support is really good.”
Laura defeated Romana Tabakova, 17, of Slovakia in straight sets 6-2 7-5 in front of a packed Court Three.
In the eighth game of the second set her opponent was booed after she resorted to an underhand serve which left Laura stranded on the baseline.
Life of Wylie 