Walk for Jade a success, say organisers

JADE Goody supporters undertook a 1.6-mile walk today to raise money for the cancer-stricken star's two children and to show support for the reality television star.

Onlookers said about 250 people - many wearing Goody T-shirts - took part in Loughton, Essex.

The walk started at Femme Fatale, the beauty salon Goody jointly owns.

Jerri Lee, who help organise the event, said it was intended to "display our love" for Goody.

"Jade is Jade and she does what she wishes and what she knows," she added.

"Nobody should be criticising her for how she has chosen to handle what is happening to her."

Cole, Moyles and Keating in Africa for charity climb

COMIC Relief's celebrity climbers today arrived in Africa as they prepare to embark on the first leg of The BT Red Nose Climb to reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Boyzone frontman Ronan Keating nearly missed the outbound flight last night after his connection from Dublin was delayed by an hour-and-a-half.

The star had to be driven across the Heathrow Tarmac in order to catch the waiting flight.

The group, including Cheryl Cole, Chris Moyles and Gary Barlow, are undertaking the climb of a lifetime to raise cash for this year's Red Nose Day Campaign.

More than £460,000 has been raised so far - and yesterday the Radio 1 audience raised a whopping £180,000 via text donations.

Other celebrities taking part include Denise Van Outen, Fearne Cotton and Kimberley Walsh.

The stars flew out from Heathrow on a Kenya Airways plane with its nose painted red for the occasion.

A Comic Relief spokeswoman explained: "Ronan nearly didn't make it, it was touch and go.

"His flight from Dublin was delayed and once he did arrive at Heathrow he had to be driven over to the plane, luckily he was just in time."

Speaking last night Barlow said: "We've been planning to climb Mount Kilimanjaro for so long, it's only now that we're boarding the plane that it's really dawned on me just how tough this could be!"

Walsh, who has been suffering from foot problems recently, added: "I'm really excited but also really nervous now we're finally jetting out.

"Hopefully all our training will have paid off."

Mount Kilimanjaro stands at 19,340ft above sea level, is the tallest mountain in Africa and the highest free-standing mountain in the world.

It will take the celebrity climbers an exhausting eight-day trek to reach the summit.

Organisers said the exact day they will begin the climb has not been decided and will depend on factors like the weather.

Firth's east London death row film chat

COLIN Firth will front a crowd of poverty and green campaigners today after a screening of his new political film.

In Prison My Whole Life, co-produced by the actor, will be shown at a rally in east London billed as "the largest British event to confront the global economic crisis."

The film is about death row prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal, a Black Panther and radical journalist.

Firth's talk on it will be part of an all-day programme of speeches at Rich Mix arts centre.

Other speakers on the bill include human rights campaigner Bianca Jagger, activist comedian Mark Thomas, ex-London mayor Ken Livingstone and former Guantanamo Bay detainee Moazzam Begg.

Topics to be covered during the day include activism, multinationals' abuse and Palestine.

Denise van Outen lives the high life

DENISE van Outen and fiance Lee Mead have spoken about their engagement for the first time.

theBuzz caught up with the pair at the launch of cool new speakeasy-style bar Barts in Chelsea.

“We’re really happy,” Denise told us. “We’re ­thinking we’ll get married in the UK at the end of the year.”

But they also said that no plans will be made until after Denise is back from her trip to Tanzania, where she is climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for Comic Relief with other celebrities including Cheryl Cole, Chris Moyles and Take That’s Gary Barlow and Jason Orange.

“I’m just really keen to get up there now,” she said.

 “Tell all your readers to go to the website bt.com/btrednoseclimb and ­sponsor us!”

Consider it done.

Boring? Bono way!

BONO'S finding that even being a big rock star doesn’t make you cool in the eyes of your kids.

The U2 frontman revealed that his ­daughters Jordan and Memphis Eve cringed at the thought of him acting uncool when Jay-Z and Beyoncé came round to their house.

He told Absolute Radio: “They’re just too very serious about their music. I went in to get some wine out of the fridge and I heard her talking to her friends, because she loved Jay-Z and Beyoncé, and I heard her saying he’s ­probably boring their arses off talking about Africa. And actually I think I was at the time – not boring their arses off, but actually, probably.”

The band, in town to promote their new ­album No Line On The Horizon, are set to play a secret gig tonight in London.

The Lilo show is back in town

THE circus is back in town. Lindsay Lohan and girlfriend Sam Ronson have returned to London – and they are already rowing...

The couple, known across the Atlantic for their “passionate discussions”, lived up to their reputation when they touched down at Heathrow and proceeded to argue.

A source told theBuzz: “They were having what could only be described as an ‘animated conversation’.  Walking through the airport, Sam was more interested in checking her BlackBerry than chatting to Lindsay, who didn’t look at all happy.”

The pair are in town as Lindsay looks to move her music career on. The actress is planning on writing songs with singer pal Bryan Adams, who has invited the pair to stay at his lavish Chelsea home. “She’s really keen on making another album,” a source tells theBuzz.

“Last time she was in town, she spoke to Bryan about working together. She loves his music and wants to write some songs with him.”

But it seems like Bryan might have his hands full with the pair. Last time the  tempestuous twosome were in London, all hell broke loose as Ronson, 31, caught her 22-year-old girlfriend chatting to her ex Calum Best in a nightclub. And on Valentine’s Day, they were spotted having a shouting match.

Despite being used to the finer things in life, the duo were happy to slum it, picking out fizzy drinks and crisps at budget supermarket Somerfield.

But when it came to carrying the goodies home, Sam and Lindsay got off lightly – they only took a single bag each, leaving their pal to struggle with the rest of the load.

Well at least they were smiling again.

We can’t wait to see what they get up to during their stay this time around...

A magical role for Melanie Slade

HER boyfriend is a wizard of dribble on the football pitch, but WAG Melanie Slade will be featuring with the most famous magician of them all after landing a role in the latest Harry Potter film.

The 19-year-old, who dates England and Arsenal striker Theo ­Walcott, is known for hating the term WAG and has been at pains to make the point she wants to pay her own way.

But it appears she landed a small role in Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, in which she chats to Hermione (Emma Watson), through a ­Walcott family connection.

According to The Independent, Walcott’s aunt Yvonne is the partner of the film’s director David Yates, but it is not known if Mel received a fee for the part.

Slade said: “I was in a scene with Hermione watching a ­Quidditch game and had a couple of lines to say.”

As for being called a WAG, the physiotherapy student adds: “Theo sometimes uses it to wind me up because he knows I don’t like the idea of being a WAG.”

-Steve Myall

Tyson after role in Ritchie flick

MODEL Tyson Beckford is hankering for a part in a Guy Ritchie film - and is prepared to perfect his East End accent to bag a role…

The catwalk hunk, in town to launch the Prince’s Trust Success Collection at Selfridges’ Ultralounge, told theBuzz: “I’d love to do a film in London and work with Guy Ritchie - we worship directors like him back in the States! It’s one of my dreams.

“Let him know I’m a big fan – I can do the West Indian dialect or whatever he needs!”

But Tyson, 38, who starred in Biker Boyz and Into The Blue, admits he has to brush up on his cockney rhyming slang…

“An East End accent? I can’t do that yet, but if I spend enough time here, I could probably get it!”

-Kala Paul-Worika

Rihanna hinders attack case

RIHANNA is refusing to cooperate with police investigating the attack which left her with horrific facial injuries, it emerged today.

Chris Brown, 19, was arrested on suspicion of making criminal threats after a furious pre-Grammys bust-up on 7 February left the Umbrella singer bloodied and bruised.

Detectives in Los Angeles are desperately trying to gather evidence against the Run It singer before his next court appearance on Thursday.

They vowed to press ahead even if Rihanna, who turned 21 on Friday, is reluctant to testify against her former lover.

A spokesman for Los Angeles district attorney's office said: "We do not have enough evidence and there have been no charges filed on the Chris Brown case.

"If the state gathers up enough evidence, we will press charges with or without her testifying. It is not up to the victim. She will not have to show up during the arraignment."

Massive Attack and Fleet Foxes set for Bestival

FLEET Foxes (pictured left), MGMT, VV Brown and Little Boots are among the acts today unveiled for Bestival 2009.

Alongside headliners Kraftwerk - already announced - there will also be big stage performances from Massive Attack, Seasick Steve, Klaxons and Bat for Lashes.

Hot new thing Florence & The Machine is on the bill, as are Abba tribute act Bjorn Again and jolly hip-hoppers Goldie Lookin' Chain.

This year's festival runs from 11 to 13 September, with founder Rob Da Bank promising the Isle of Wight site has had a "spruce-up" and a new layout.

The fancy dress theme is Outer Space - and other highlights include a 'Blastival' pyrotechnic "spectacular" over three nights, and a new 360-degree multi-stage arena "centred around a ten metre tower built from jet engine components" producing special effects with fire, smoke and water - and featuring a DJ booth in its midst.

For a full line-up and tickets, costing from £50 for campervans to £140 for an adult weekend pass, go to bestival.net