Bill Nighy
Photograph: Matt Sayles/ AP
In unrelated Beckham news, Bill Nighy reminds us why actors should always be encouraged to stray self-effacingly off-topic. During promotional interviews this week, the Pirates of the Caribbean star revealed that he had written to David Beckham to express his outrage that Steve McClaren had dropped him from international duty.
"I wrote to David to say I thought it was unfortunate he was no longer part of the England set-up," Bill explained. "Let's just say I was confused by the decision," he went on, "and thought I'd like to disassociate myself from it."
He thought he'd like to what?
Still, thank heavens he did, because I'm told that until then Beckham regarded the Love Actually star as inextricably implicated in all personnel decisions made by the England football manager.
In fact, this column still remains unconvinced that Bill isn't to blame for the continued failure to bring coherence to the Lampard-Gerrard midfield partnership, and until it receives a communique in which the actor formally dissociates himself from the mess, will hold him personally responsible for any unsatisfactory display against Brazil next Friday.
