The Daily Tonic: Splashing Pansy

It’s a nifty trick – and Rice isn’t the only one who’s suspected of having done it. There are some at CBeebies who noted that on the occasions they had to call Justin Fletcher (aka Mr Tumble), the female PA who answered the phone sounded uncannily like another of Justin’s characters, Aunt Polly.

So we want to know more about the other odd things that famous people have had etched on their bodies; the more unusual (and unseen) the better.

Today’s Question: What are the strangest/funniest/most unlikely celebrity tattoos you know of?

Sends stories of celebrity ink to hello@popbitch.com and we’ll dish out some digital goodies to the best of them.

glossygirl writes:
“Many years ago, when he was still a controversial big name and had just opened Angels, I was sent to interview Peter Stringfellow one rainy afternoon at his apartment above the club.

“He took a while to appear and when he did it was in an enormous, fluffy, black dressing gown and nothing else. I know there was nothing else under the gown as during the course of the interview he slowly (and I’m sure deliberately) let the gown fall more and more open until I could see a good portion of his man-bush.

“A few days later, a lifetime VIP pass to the club arrived at the newspaper’s offices, hand signed by him in gold ink, with a very polite note saying how lovely it had been to meet me. I think I still have it somewhere, but I never used it.”

Having done a stint in the Britpop trenches with Longpigs before starting his own critically acclaimed solo career, Richard Hawley was set to be recognised by his home town of Sheffield in 2008 – with an honorary doctorate from Sheffield Hallam.

Everything was arranged, the university officials were on hand, the press was assembled, and then… nothing. Hawley didn’t show.

He was home in bed, fast asleep, trying to outmanoeuvre a hangover – as the organisers had given him the wrong date.

NB writes:
“Before Pulp made it, they were known in Sheffield as the best local band that hadn’t broken the charts. Everybody else was getting signed and Sheffield was roaring. As the singer of another band that hadn’t been signed, I answered an ad to share their practice room.

“We headed to this building in the city centre. I drew the short straw to knock on the door and discuss the room share, while my bandmate hid around the corner. I could hear someone playing piano upstairs but knocked a few times. Then I waited until there was a break in playing before knocking again, loudly enough for him to hear.

“Cue a cartoon-like piano slam, followed by loud stomping down the wooden stairs to the front door. It flew open and there was Cocker. I opened my mouth to introduce myself and to say I was there about sharing the room… but before I could say a single word he boomed, ‘Fuck off, I’m practicing my art!’ slammed the door and stomped back up the wooden stairs like a big kid.”

Today’s ten tracks all come from one of the four boroughs of South Yorkshire: Sheffield, Doncaster, Barnsley or Rotheram. You get a point for correctly identifying each of the songs (for a maximum of ten) and a further point for getting the names of the artist/s too (another possible ten).

Twenty points in total. None of any actual value.

[Play it here]

Don’t You Want Me by the Human League but just the line “You were working as a waitress in a cocktail bar”
[Listen on YouTube]

Local News Of The Day: Yorkshire Mushroom Looks Like Ghost
[Read on York Press]

The South Park boys and Peter Serafinowicz appear to have started a deepfake comedy series
[Sassy Justice]