GB News Star's Ex-Husband Enters Politics Inspired by Nigel Farage
Mike Hollingsworth, the former husband of prominent GB News presenter Anne Diamond, has announced his candidacy for Reform UK in next month's local elections. The veteran television executive, who shares four adult sons with Diamond, revealed that his political ambitions were directly inspired by another leading GB News figure, Nigel Farage, who serves as the party's leader.
Westminster Council in the Crosshairs
Hollingsworth, aged 80, is targeting a council seat in Labour-controlled Westminster, declaring the local authority to be in a state of disarray. 'The country is in an appalling state and Westminster Council is in a similar mess,' he stated emphatically. 'They're spending money like it's going out of fashion – something new needs to be done.' His campaign will focus on fiscal responsibility and challenging what he perceives as wasteful expenditure by the incumbent administration.
Reflecting on his relationship with Farage, Hollingsworth expressed longstanding admiration for the controversial politician. 'I've known Nigel for many years and admired him... he's a bit Marmite, but we need that colour in our politics. A lot of what he says is what people think,' he explained. He also confirmed that Anne Diamond supports his political venture, adding 'Anne is behind me.'
Family Dynamics and Personal Turmoil
The couple's personal history includes the tragic loss of their third son, Sebastian, to sudden infant death syndrome during infancy. Hollingsworth acknowledged that his four surviving sons – Oliver, James, Jake, and Connor – hold divergent views regarding his new political career. 'It's a subject that's off limits around the meal table,' he admitted. 'We're in danger of coming to blows. My boys are split down the middle as supporting me or wishing I'd do something else in my retirement.'
Following his decade-long marriage to Diamond, which began when they met working on TV-am, Hollingsworth's personal life encountered further turbulence. He later married Kimberley Stewart-Mole, a student 33 years his junior, but the union lasted merely 12 weeks, resulting in a substantial £100,500 financial settlement. The divorce also cost him his Oxfordshire cottage and his Jack Russell dog, Dashwood. 'As I said to the judge in the divorce court, there's no fool like an old fool... I am a bit of a sucker for a pretty woman – but what man isn't?' he reflected candidly.
Political and Celebrity Updates
In other political news, nightclub tycoon James Palumbo, the Liberal Democrat peer known as Lord Palumbo of Southwark, has retired from the House of Lords after a 12-year tenure during which he delivered only eight speeches. The Old Etonian, now 62, secured his peerage through his friendship with former Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, who occasionally utilised Palumbo's Ministry of Sound nightclub for political events. Despite his early retirement from politics, he retains his title, likely considering the endeavour worthwhile.
Meanwhile, Sir Ian McKellen, approaching his 87th birthday, has expressed philosophical views on legacy, noting that younger actors are often unfamiliar with theatrical giants of the past. 'I can talk to actors who are 20, 30 years younger than me who have never heard of Laurence Olivier or Noel Coward or John Gielgud or Peggy Ashcroft or these giants of my youth – gone. Particularly theatre actors – over and done with,' he remarked. The Lord of the Rings star, set to reprise his role as Gandalf in the 2027 film The Hunt For Gollum, added, 'That's fine. And I don't have children. That's most people's legacy, isn't it? I don't think there's any life after death... so you better enjoy it while you're here.'
In entertainment, Game of Thrones actress Maisie Williams, who celebrated her 29th birthday, has accumulated a fortune of £4.2 million through her portrayal of Arya Stark. Recent figures from her company, Wobbly Carrot Entertainment Ltd, show she paid herself £210,000 in dividends, a notable reduction from the previous year's £1.36 million. Additionally, singer Elvis Costello, 71, disclosed he no longer holds a record deal, viewing the situation as an opportunity for greater creative freedom. 'I don't have a current record contract,' he admitted. 'Maybe that's a good thing. There's a lot more freedom without expectations [and] deadlines.'
Comedian Jack Whitehall's upcoming wedding to model Roxy Horner has encountered a minor hiccup, with his mother, actress Hilary, expressing frustration over receiving incorrect dress code information. 'When I asked Jack what the dress code was several weeks ago... he gave me the wrong dress code,' she lamented. 'I got the wrong dress, [then] the wedding invitation arrived with a completely different dress code on it. [Jack] said, 'Sorry about that, Mumsy'.'
Finally, Caroline Dalmeny, former wife of Sotheby's chairman Harry Dalmeny, has announced her engagement to former Gurkha officer Jules Irens, 58, nicknamed 'Froggy' in tribute to his late French-speaking mother. The proposal took place in Paris, with Caroline, 57, describing it as 'one of the greatest pleasures and honours of my life.' She remains on amicable terms with her ex-husband and his new wife but has publicly denounced former friends who once excluded Irens from a couples-only event, declaring them 'dead to me' and 'vipers.'
