Prince to take up cudgels for the young

The Prince of Wales already intends to become “defender of faith”. Now he is rushing to the defence of Britain’s much-maligned, knife-crime-afflicted youth. The Prince’s Trust is leading a public relations campaign to counter the recent barrage of negative headlines about young people. The BBC and YouTube will support the youth “makeover” campaign, when it is launched in November. The trust wants to highlight the positive contributions that young people make to their communities in an attempt to change public perceptions of youth. The BBC will screen “editorially relevant” messages in programmes, while YouTube is to host “positive” clips of young people. But the BBC has promised it will not bury bad news if the spate of teenage murders continues. A concert for Q magazine by the Zutons became an ordeal when 14 fans were trapped in a lift for 90 minutes at the fashionable Hospital Club in London. The Valerie hitmakers talked to the captives and handed them drinks through a crack in the door. Sadly, the call of nature became too much for one concertgoer, who had to press a bucket into service.

Life must be exciting for Steven Tyler, the Aerosmith wailer, who is writing his second memoir in five years. Hopefully we will learn more about his May visit to a rehab facility to recuperate after surgery for painful feet.

Craig David’s penchant for the beanie as headgear nearly killed it off. But it’s back and David Tennant’s Hamlet sports one on stage. Fashion types now predict that it will feature heavily in autumn trends. Shame on you, Tennant.

Postscript

Nick Hornby’s blog draws parallels between Arsenal and new Labour. “My big fear is that Spurs might have found their David Cameron in [their newish manager] Juande Ramos.” A 68-year-old woman leapt on stage at Tom Jones’s Atlantic City gig . . . and tapped his shoulder. How times have changed.

High opener

The Face: Sarah Brightman

The eyes of the world will be on Sarah Brightman today when the soprano performs the official Olympic theme with the Chinese singer Liu Huan at the opening ceremony. The former wife of Andrew Lloyd Webber – best known here as a performer of classical “crossover” material - has sold 26 million albums.

Her ethereal image masks a steely ambition evident from her breakthrough in the Hot Gossip dance troupe. Her six-year marriage to Lord Lloyd-Webber boosted her profile as a singer-actress but, with her own career fully established, Brightman, 47, offered to hand back the £6 million divorce settlement. After two miscarriages she has accepted she will not have children and has thrown herself into touring – her last US jaunt grossed £30 million.

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