The Plumbing Planet

Coe rows into Olympic row

Thursday, September 4 2008

by our Entertainment correspondent Crystal B Day

Sebastian "Lord" Coe has announced a four-year programme of cultural events leading up to the London Olympics in 2012. A William Shakespeare festival, 12 new public works of art and a water-based memorial to late rockers Chas 'n' Dave will form the centrepiece to the cultural line-up.
However there is already controversy over the agenda as there are no plans for Mr Dave's widow, novelist Maeve Binchy, to take part in the opening ceremony. It is understood that Mr Dave's girlfriend, classical violinist Vanessa Mae, has insisted that his wife is not invited. The row is said to have caused a deep rift with Mr Chas's widow, former Speaker of the House Betty Boothroyd, who has expressed her unhappiness at everyone not being able to get along as "let's face we are all celebrities here".
Chas 'n' Dave, personal favourites of "Sebastian" Coe, tragically died in 2006 on the eve of a world comeback tour. They were crushed to death when their recording studio was hit by a freak cyclone while digitally remastering a hip-hop version of Snooker Loopy which was intended to be the 2012 games official anthem.