Silver Dinner- a glittering event

 This year's annual Silver Dinner was hosted at Swifts, that extraordinary mansion in Darling Point with it's commanding views over Sydney Harbour. Swifts may well be the most valuable property in Australia. It was built in 1875 by Sir Robert Lucas Lucas-Tooth, the beer baron and is now owned by the Moran family of nursing home fame. With it's 6 acres of land, approximately 9 building blocks it's hard to estimate it's value. being National Trust listed it cannot be changed so development is off the books.
And with it's own ballroom and band stand in the garden it's the perfect location for a swell party. The Silver Dinner, the brainchild of Skye Leckie (above left) in a gold dress has raised $Millions for the Children's Hospital over the years.

Scenes for a party:

Times up

Seven years ago Whispers joined a battery of Nine Network stars at a Kings Cross restaurant to celebrate the launch of celebrity interviewer Richard Wilkins' book Black Ties, Red Carpets, Green Rooms.
Nine's then head honcho David Gyngell was there along with Australia's powerful music mogul, Sony boss Denis Handlin.
TV colleagues who joined the throng included Georgie Gardner and Lisa Wilkinson with Karl Stefanovic who launched Wilkins' book with some pretty raunchy tales. They were all at the peak of their careers. Now they have crashed and burned and their careers lie in tatters.

left- Wilkins with Vanessa Amarosi at his book launch.

A Nine insider has told Whispers that the rot began not with Stevanic's over hyped wedding, rather in 2017 with the pay negotiations over presenter Lisa Wilkinson who demanded $Millions or she would defect to Network Ten's The Project. Our source says Nine's management were more than happy to see her leave and only half-heartedly continued negotiations.

The departing Today crew that includes Richard Wilkins, well passed his prime as a star interviewer and presenter Karl Stefanovic may have believed  as many TV presenters do -that they were irreplaceable and more powerful than the show they fronted.

 Our Nine spy says senior management were secretly delighted over the endless tabloid tales of the Stefanovic shenanigans and were determined to use Karl's courting of the media as a reason to clear the decks.
 His sale of his wedding snaps to a rival magazine lead to the coup de grâce. Georgie Gardner remains having never (sensibly) rocked the boat.You can be sure those pretty younger faces who replace the other sacked Today crew are on a fraction of the wages of their predecessors.
right- Georgie Gardner & Lisa Wilkinson at Wilkins' book launch.

Predictions:  
# Our source says Karl Stevanovic is sure to end up on the board of his close pal James Packer's Crown Casino in Sydney.
# Difficult to imagine where Richard Wilkins goes from here except downwards.
# And there are warning bells for a particular high profile publicist who seems to court publicity with numerous clients questioning their involvement with her.
Below: Karl on Christmas Day:

The Star lights up for Summer !

Whispers can't really think of a better spot to party during summer than at the Terrace Rooftop Bar at The Star in Pyrmont. With sensational views as you can see above- gorgeous Laura Csortan checks it out - and lots of pretty people plus drinks & fine food with cool harbour breezes. What more could a mortal want? And the following list of lovely celebs at the launch shindig all swear they put in regular appearances and that includes Richard Wilkins, actor Dan McPherson, Laura Dundovic, singers Nathaniel & Samantha Jade. beautiful Jodi Anasta and Sally Obermeder. They're in our pictures below and most are Ambassadors for the Terrace so you can guarantee it will be a great place for star spotting. And where else can you play flamingo croquet?

 We've only just discovered this game : you pile wood bricks on top of each other and keep removing one to place at the top. And then they all fall down !. We thought it looked like fun.

 X-Factor discovery Nat Conway (right) sang at the launch: it's tad noisy but that's because folks were having so much fun !! Below : Richard Wilkins captures the action on the Flamingo Croquet pitch.

 

A (food) Star is Born

 If you have never tried chef Stefano Manfredi's food you really haven't lived. He's been one of Sydney's most favoured star chefs who is admired by his customers and all in his profession.
Stefano has opened PizzaPerta at The Star casino and it really must be visited. Do your self a favour, these are undoubtedly the best pizzas I have ever tasted and I've traveled the world seeking out the best !
left : Luke Mangan showed his support along with Richard Wilkins and Stefano
Find out more here : www.manfredi.com.au/

where else would you get a juggling waiter ? Perhaps the Veuve Clicquot helped.

Ground Hog Day !

We are being wicked of course. In the nicest possible way. The media excitedly told us that a new broom was to sweep through the clipboard guest lists and names would be ruthlessly slashed to pave the way for a new generation of society figures to attend this week's David Jones Spring Summer fashion parades.
How pleasing then to arrive and find the usual suspects- Terri Biviano, Anthony Minichiello, Kerri-Anne Kennerley and Richard Wilkins and his permanent date these days, son Christian.
And best of all the champagne remains the same with the party awash with Bolinger.
Below : Jessica Gomez,Gary Bigeni, Carla Zampatti & Marta Dusseldorp, Miranda Otto, Tash Oakley, Rachael Finch

And the fashion...

And the video of the event..

Collette Dinnigan Takes a Back Seat

Collette with husband Bradley Cocks

Designer Collette Dinnigan has announced via a hand-written letter on owly.com that she is stepping into the background with her business activities to concentrate on raising her young child.
 Dinnigan has a young toddler with new hubby Bradley Cocks and a daughter who is now 9 years old by former flame Richard Wilkins. Collete says after losing her own mother at a young age she has decided she wants to concentrate on raising her children.
Meanwhile her business empire thrives. You can read her very personal letter here.

New Hotel Rocks!

David & Lisa Campbell with Michelle Burke & Richard Wilkins

The copious flutes of Pol Roger, the delicious canapes have not affected this report in any way : we have discovered a new hotel and it's a beauty.

The Harbour Rocks Hotel opened on Wednesday night with a small party for a select 100 (Shuttle included)-various TV stars and travel bigwigs and a handful of those keen young men who are involved in finance.

song legends Helen Reddy & Barry Crocker

Funny gal Julia Morris and hubby Dan

And what a fantastic addition to Sydney's inns of quality.

 Tucked away in The Rocks and just a short walk from all manner of tourists spots, the Opera House and so on, the HRH has about 50 beautifully decorated rooms with sensational luxury bathrooms and a wonderful penthouse suite with views of the harbour.

Apparently the hotel has been there since 1887 as our pic shows but over the past few years it has been going under extensive renovations with millions of dollars spent on the makeover. And it was worth it.

And it was a swell opening party with champagne in the cosy book-lined foyer, drinks on the terrace with a harpist paying Mexican music (unusual but entertaining) and then finally drinks in the penthouse with crooner David Campbell.

stylish rooms

The Harbour Rocks Hotel in the early 1900s and today
                                     Below: the balcony/courtyard

25 Years of Wilko

Richard with Tracey Grimshaw

 To Luke Mangan's superb restaurant, the  Glass Brasserie in the Hilton Hotel for a select gathering of Nine Network bigwigs and stars to celebrate Richard Wilkins's 25 years on the telly.

Tony Bennett at Glass Brasserie

Mangan is a great pal of Wilkins so the venue was an obvious choice. And there was a surprise guest who called in to wish Wilkins the best- crooner Tony Bennett.

 Glass is quite spectacular with it's huge glass windows fronting George Street. It was designed by New Yorker Tony Chi and really does conjure up the feel of a Big Apple skyscrapper venue. But it's the food that is the reason to be there and plenty of nibbles created by Mangan were served.

Wilkins like many of our best imports hails from New Zealand where he was once a school teacher who started a band called Wilde & Reckless and travelled to Australia to support Grace Jones. He scored a job as a presenter on the fledgling MTV show which was cancelled after about 2 years. Snapped up by the Nine network, he's been in work for the past quarter decade reporting from the red carpet at the Academy Awards  and travelling the world to interview stars. Lucky man !

                         
 right : Karl Stefanovic attempts to hypnotise Luke Mangan

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Christopher & Fiona Day

Sandersons who have showrooms in Rushcutter's Bay selling Mercedes cars hosted a drinks party for the  launch of the new M Class and B Class luxury motors. Just a small crowd and nearly everyone of them confessed to actually owning a Mercedes.  
Christopher & Fiona Day who own the wonderful Christopher Day Gallery in Paddington say they love their new B Class Merc particularly as it parks itself.

One thing they did note-unlike their car, the model on display had little trays ala Rolls Royce in the back passenger seats. What were they for we pondered? . Is one likely to host a drinks party in the back?. It was a topic that occupied us over 2 glasses of Veuve Clicquot and the Shuttle can't quite remember what the outcome was.
Such trivial matters occupy one when looking at luxury motor vehicles.

Vanessa Amarosi Sings For Richard Wilkins

Richard Wilkins & Vanessa Amarosi

 Plenty of network heavies and stars from NINE TV clambered up the steep stairs to the second floor in the Kings Cross nightclub Kit & Kaboodle last night to pay homage to Richard Wilkins.

Ben Fordham & David Gyngell

The TV celebrity interviewer was launching his first book :Black Ties, Red Carpets, Green Rooms. It's a series of his interviews with some of the world's most famous stars plus heaps of back stage gossip with an insight into the sometimes strange world of celebrity ego.

However you won't find much in the book about his many love affairs including with the fashion designer Collette Dinnigan or Tottie Goldsmith although there are some tales about Tottie's famous aunt Olivia Newton John. Since arriving on these shores from New Zealand some 25 years ago Wilkins has been working non-stop, first in his own band Wilde and Reckless, then as an MTV  presenter and for the last 15 years as the Nine network's top interviewer of celebrities including on-camera stints from the red carpet at the Oscars.

Among those at the party-his Today Show co-hosts Cameron Williams, Georgie Gardner, Lisa Wilkinson and Karl Stefanovic (who launched the book), Nine network supremo David Gyngell and Sony boss Denis Handlin.

Lots of Richard's interview subjects sent their best wishes- Prince, Mel Gibson, Nicole Kidman but one, Vanessa Amarosi presented her fondness by attending the party and singing. The video is below:

model agency supremo Peter Chadwick & Deborah Hutton

a night of hugs and kisses.....

Georgie Gardner & Lisa Wilkinson

even The Wiggles turned up!

Richard Wilkins & Jeff Goldblum's 'Death'

One guest at last Friday's Volvo Alpine ice skating party was Richard Wilkins who arrived with his pal top chef Luke Mangan.

Luke Mangan & Richard Wilkins

 Wilkins has had a long and varied career. Born in New Zealand he was a budding classical violinist until he decided that rock was more his thing. After graduating from teachers’ college, majoring in English and Music, he started a band – Wilde and Reckless which he fronted under the name Richard Wilde.

He enjoyed some success, touring Australia with the band in 1980 and supporting Grace Jones, while managing several other bands from a small Sydney office. Eventually he became the face of MTV when it was first launched and for many years now he's been a fixture on the Nine TV network jetting back and forth between the USA and Australia and interviewing celebs like Billy Connolly, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Diamond, Robbie Williams, Olivia Newton-John, Britney Spears and Barbara Streisand.

On the 25th of this month he launches his first book : Black Ties, Red Carpets, Green Rooms published by Doubleday. Richard says it isn't an autobiography but more a series of anecdotes about the people he's met, interviews with some of the world's top stars along with back room show biz gossip.
Maybe he'll reveal how he happened upon one of his top exclusives that swept the world- the announcement that actor Jeff Goldblum had 'died' while falling from a cliff in New Zealand. Fortunately for Goldblum it turned out to be a hoax !.

A Day at The Races : Ben Hur

If you are going to the ANZ Stadium this Friday or Saturday for the performance of Ben Hur, take a rug. It gets cold, very cold. Here are some snaps we took from Wednesday night's full dress rehearsal that went without a hitch.

This show has it all-half naked men wrestling each other, slave girls being whipped, huge galley ships being erected before your eyes and leprosy !. A Roman stadium built as you watch and that race-the race between Ben Hur and his rival. There are still 14000 tickets available but that means audiences of at least 15000 at each show, something that should really boost the atmosphere ( there is audience participation).And of course Russell Crowe narrating ( which makes up for Jesus Christ's American accent). Friday night's show is introduced by Richard Wilkins, Saturday's by Alan Jones. Book at Ticketek here !

The Roman Senate !

Ben Hur takes the lead at the 9th lap !