SEBASTIAN SHAKESPEARE: Forgiveness from beyond the grave

Late shoe tycoon Lance Clark has written off his daughter’s debt from beyond the grave, after they fell out over his marriage to a Chinese takeaway worker less than half his age.

The pair were at loggerheads when, after the death of his first wife, then 69-year-old Clark married Ying Zhou, 33, whom he had met in a restaurant near his home in the Midlands.

However, I can disclose that the free-spirited Clark — whose family is the majority owner of shoe retailer Clarks — has made it plain that he felt no lingering ill feeling towards daughter Odette, magnanimously writing off the money she owed him.

Late shoe tycoon Lance Clark has written off his daughter’s debt from beyond the grave, after they fell out over his marriage to a Chinese takeaway worker less than half his age

In his will, Clark, who died last year aged 81, stated that he ‘forgave any part’ of his daughter Odette's £20,000 debt to him

In his will, Clark, who died last year aged 81, stated that he ‘forgave any part’ of her £20,000 debt to him.

He also wrote off the £100,000 and £20,000 debts of his youngest son Tony and second son Conrad, respectively. Of his four children by his first wife Helga, only his eldest son Galahad owed him nothing when he drew up the will in 2014.

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Always an unconventional multi-millionaire — he drove a Ford Focus and was briefly barred from his own silver wedding party by a hotel doorman perturbed by his bedraggled appearance –– Clark was left deeply distraught by Helga’s sudden death in 2000.

But, within two years, he was enjoying what he called ‘a very passionate affair’ with Galahad’s Chinese tutor, Xinran Xue.

Alas for Clark, Xinran was also being courted by literary agent Toby Eady, and he was broken-hearted a second time when the pair married.

But then he recalled Ying Zhou, whom he’d befriended after visiting the takeaway where she worked in Dunchurch, Warwickshire. Initially, they were just ‘very good friends’, said Clark. When he moved to London, however, Ying said she would come with him.

They agreed, said Clark, ‘that if we had a baby, we would definitely get married’. Ying Zhou conceived within months. But Odette was infuriated with her father, as she was then preparing her own wedding.

‘I said that I had two bits of news,’ he said. ‘The first was that I was getting married and the second was that I was having a baby.’

‘Obviously, that’s a bit of a shock for a daughter,’ added Clark, who had three daughters with Ying.

Potter star Daniel has Erin under his spell... 

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe knows how to keep the magic alive in his relationship. The 29-year-old enjoyed a romantic stroll in New York’s Hudson River Park this week with his girlfriend of six years, U.S. actress Erin Darke.

The couple, who met filming 2013’s Kill Your Darlings, put on a rare public display of affection as Daniel attempted to keep a low profile by hiding under a baseball cap.

Sporting a printed jumpsuit, Erin, 34, embraced the bearded actor, who has said of their romance: ‘There isn’t a moment that I’m stressed out that Erin can’t make me feel more relaxed or calm. There’s not a moment that I’m sad that she can’t make me laugh.

‘And we have a huge amount of fun together.’ Looks like it!

Daniel Radcliffe, left, and Erin Darke, right, have been an item for the past six years 

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe knows how to keep the magic alive in his relationship. The 29-year-old enjoyed a romantic stroll in New York’s Hudson River Park this week with his girlfriend of six years, U.S. actress Erin Darke

The pair were photographed enjoying each other's company in Hudson River Park, New York

Klass's bump gets a kick out of opera

Myleene Klass took her baby bump to the ball as she attended the English National Opera Gala at the Guildhall

Myleene Klass took her baby bump to the ball as she attended the English National Opera Gala at the Guildhall.

The Classic FM presenter, who has daughters Ava, 11, and eight-year-old Hero with her ex-husband Graham Quinn, is expecting her third child with boyfriend Simon Motson — and says her unborn baby already has an ear for music.

‘Every time there’s classical music playing, the baby starts kicking,’ the 41-year-old tells me.

‘There are so many piano players in our house, so I think the baby will have classical-trained ears as soon as it comes into the world. ’

Ab Fab star Jennifer Saunders is terrified of forgetting her lines because of her age. The comedian, who turns 61 next month, is starring in Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit at the Theatre Royal Bath. ‘It’s a comedy classic — you know, for a woman of a certain age,’ she says. ‘With a live performance, you get a lot of nerves. And just remembering stuff — I’m quite old. You just think: “Will I remember it all? Will they mind?” ’

Helena snaps up UN role

Supermodel Helena Christensen has other talents besides looking great on the catwalk and sporting a lace bustier at the age of 50.

The Danish brunette reveals that, because of her professional photography skills, she has been made a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency. ‘I am incredibly proud,’ she said yesterday. 

‘Working as a photographer to capture and share the stories of refugees and strengthen their voices is a huge privilege. I never imagined that my love and respect for photography would lead me to this moment.’

The former Victoria’s Secret model has been working with the UN Refugee Agency for the past five years, during which time she has highlighted on film the plight of refugees around the world.

 Oh dear! The completion of the first new album in 13 years by rock band The Who has hit a stumbling block, according to Roger Daltrey. 

‘Townshend is on top-notch form, but I just need Pete to get the lyric right to one song,’ the singer tells me, referring to the group’s guitarist and songwriter. ‘At the moment, the song shouts at me. I don’t like songs that do that. I had enough of that at school, thank you very much.’ 

The notoriously fractious Daltrey, 75, also took umbrage when his record company suggested that the new tracks could be released to coincide with The Who’s Wembley Stadium show next month. 

‘You can’t make records to be released on a particular day, you make records to be released when the f***ing record is good! It’s an absolute joke.’ Phew!

Waking the dad! Trevor Eve boy's bid for pop stardom

Waking The Dead star Trevor Eve’s youngest son is breaking family tradition.

While Trevor and his actress wife Sharon Maughan’s other children — Alice, who appeared in Star Trek Into Darkness, and film director Jack — have followed them into drama, George is carving out a different career.

The 25-year-old is launching himself as a solo musician and last night released his debut single, My Girl, a ‘pop love song’. The London-based artist has good reason for rejecting the acting life. He tells me: ‘I’m not good at pretending.’

George Eve, pictured with his parents Sharon, centre and Trevor, right, has decided on a different career to the rest of his family and is releasing his first solo single

Ballet dancer Wayne Sleep has ruled himself out of stepping into former Strictly Come Dancing judge Dame Darcey Bussell’s shoes. ‘I don’t want to go anywhere near it or even push myself forward on to that show,’ he tells me. 

‘They’ve got Bruno [Tonioli] doing all the Italian gestures and they’ve got the evil one on the end,’ he adds, referring to Craig Revel Horwood. ‘Three boys and one girl [Shirley Ballas] won’t work. The new judge should be a female, just for balance.’

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