TALK OF THE TOWN: Game of Thrones’s Gemma Whelan is loving being typecast as a lesbian

In  real life she’s happily married to comedian Gerry Howell and has a two-year-old daughter, so why do the parts played by Game Of Thrones actress Gemma Whelan always involve some lesbian passion?

Her character in the fantasy drama, Yara Greyjoy, kisses Dornish ruler Ellaria Sand, and in The Upstart Crow she enjoys another same-sex smooch.

Gemma says: ‘Every single thing I do, there’s a lesbian touch to it. Long may I continue to be typecast, if that’s the way it goes.’

Gemma Whelan’s character in the Game of Thrones, Yara Greyjoy, kisses Dornish ruler Ellaria Sand, and in The Upstart Crow she enjoys another same-sex smooch

In real life, Gemma, left, is happily married to comedian Gerry Howell, right

Cherie Blair has revealed she feared husband Tony would divorce her… because someone dared to say she would be a better politician – while he should stick to washing up.

Mrs Blair told Swedish TV how, years ago, she and Tony went for dinner with her constituency agent, Bill, when she was vainly fighting a seat for Labour – before Tony had found a seat for himself. 

She said: ‘The wife of my agent said to Tony, “Do you mind leaving Bill and Cherie now, they want to talk politics. Come and help with the washing up.” So he went and she said to him, “Are you interested in politics at all or are you just doing this for Cherie?” In the car going back, I thought he might divorce me.’ 

Luckily for the Blairs, he got to No 10 – and they got someone else to do the housework.

Ms Pretentious: Maxine Peake

Think you deserve to relax during a night at the theatre? Not according to Maxine Peake, who has torn a strip off audiences who don’t work hard enough to understand the East Anglian dialect used in The Welkin, a play set in the 18th Century. 

Maxine, pictured right in the National Theatre production, says: ‘The audience have to listen and do some work. You have to do a bit of a workout so you don’t get too complacent. People sit through Shakespeare! Some tell themselves they understand that – jog on, even I don’t.’

Maxine Peake, who has torn a strip off audiences who don’t work hard enough to understand the East Anglian dialect used in The Welkin, a play set in the 18th Century