Londoner’s Diary: Stranded in Ukraine, star of gay love film cancelled by Moscow

TOM PRIOR’S film Firebird has already had its share of woe — it was censored in Russia — and now one of its stars is stuck in Ukraine.

Actor Oleg Zagorodnii, above left, spoke to a screening of Firebird in Soho last night via videolink, saying, “[in] my country today, Ukraine, we fight for our freedom to be Ukrainian in the future, to stay ourselves”.

Firebird tells the story of a gay romance in the Soviet air force in the Seventies. After it was shown at the Moscow film festival last year, it was subjected to protests, hostile press articles and then removed from the festival line-up. Writer-director Prior, above right, told The Londoner at the Ham Yard Hotel that Zagorodnii was “unable to leave the country” and added, “he’s volunteered several times, but… there’s so many more volunteers than there are positions in the army”.

Major memoir or more mayhem?

PETE DOHERTY was the king of mayhem in the Noughties — now the Libertines star is releasing a memoir. Amid the chaos — prison, drug binges, rehab, deaths — Doherty has managed to put pen to paper with the help of writer Simon Spence. Publisher Rough Trade says the book will feature “hard drugs, tiny gigs on the hoof, huge stadium shows, collaborations, obliterations, gangsters and groupies”. Quite the list. Will it live up to the hype or be another nearly moment in Doherty’s career?

Jemima’s protest plea unheeded

JEMIMA GOLDSMITH is not happy about the ugly protests outside her and her mother’s home, but it seems the authorities are not getting involved. She has been targeted by protesters for her links to her former husband, deposed Pakistani PM Imran Khan. Earlier this week, Goldsmith tweeted to ask the Met whether the protests were legal. She pointed to men outside her mother’s home who mimed sexual acts “after threatening to enter my bedroom”. The Londoner hears that police have yet to make contact.

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Londoner’s Diary 21 4 22

EDWARD ENNINFUL and Kate Moss struck a pose at Dover Street Market at the launch of new book i-D: Wink and Smile: The First Forty Years. They were joined by Yasu Toyota and Chad Curry. In Baker Street, ES Magazine editor Ben Cobb hosted Iris Law, her mum Sadie Frost, Lennon Gallagher, Isobel Richmond and Harris Reed for a screening of the Ben Cobb Show.

SW1A

MICHAEL GOVE and Oliver Dowden invited Piers Morgan on a “secret senior Tory away-day conference to berate them all”, the broadcaster has claimed. Sounds a little kinky, if we’re honest. Morgan, who will debut on Rupert Murdoch’s new Talk TV on Monday, writes in the Spectator that “sadly” he couldn’t make it.

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IT’S the season for announcing a memoir. Matt Hancock, like Pete Doherty (though probably in this respect only), has revealed his memoir is coming out at the end of this year. All eyes on how much the former health secretary’s diaries will feature his relationship with Gina Coladangelo.