TALK OF THE TOWN: A sight for sore eyes… Sharon Stone loses her shiner

Sharon Stone must be a strong person, because the shiner she was wearing last week is gone.

The Basic Instinct star left fans worried when she was spotted with an ugly black eye during her trip to Europe, which saw her visit Cannes, Rome and Turkey.

Sharon, 66, shared a photo of the bruises on July 31, saying she fell and hit her face on a marble floor while searching for a toilet at night.

But on Friday in Bodrum, Turkey, she was presented with the International Icon Award and there was no trace of the bruise – perhaps in part thanks to her clever use of makeup.

But on Friday, in Bodrum, Turkey, she was presented with the International Icon Award and there was no trace of the bruises – perhaps partly thanks to her clever use of makeup.

She said of her injury: ‘I’ve been to so many hotels and so many countries. I woke up in the middle of the night to pee and didn’t know where I was. Then I hit my face on the marble.

“It’s getting better, but it’s a real nice shiner. You should see what I did to that marble floor.”

Bluebloods See Red! Why Being a Lord in the Air Isn’t an Advantage

You would think that being a member of the nobility comes with a lot of perks, but that’s not the case when it comes to getting a cheap flight.

Some see this as a first world problem: people with a title such as Lord, Lady or Viscount in their passport cannot check in online with Ryanair and easyJet.

Unlike the national carrier British Airways, the no-frills airlines only list Mr., Mrs., Ms. and Miss on their menu options.

This means that those lucky enough to have a title on their official travel document will have to get to the airport much earlier than mere mortals, as they can only check in for their flight in person.

People with a title such as Lord, Lady or Viscount cannot use online check-in with budget airlines such as Ryanair (archive photo)

At the check-in counter, ground staff must manually enter their title on the boarding pass to ensure it matches the name on the passport.

A female aristo, who wishes to remain anonymous, tells me: ‘When we travel with an airline like British Airways, it’s no problem, even if we’re not travelling first class or business class. We can easily check in online. But with Ryanair and easyJet, it’s a different story.

‘Our passports say Lord and Lady, but there is no option for that in the menu.

‘I once sat at the computer for almost an hour and got angrier and angrier and angrier and there just seemed to be nothing I could do to solve the problem.

‘We finally had to go to the airport to check in. There we were told that there was no other option than to keep it that way.

‘I was told that if I entered our names as Mr. and Mrs. it would not match our passports and therefore we would not be able to fly.’

She adds: ‘I understand that they don’t fly with gentlemen and ladies on a daily basis, but you would think that it wouldn’t be such a difficult task to adjust the options in the drop-down menu and add noble titles.

Full-service airlines such as British Airways allow aristocrats to enter their titles into their online check-in facility so that their names match their passport (file photo)

‘And at least it would mean that we wouldn’t have to go to the airport hours earlier than the rest of the population.

‘This must be the only time I’ve felt like a title is a hindrance.

‘If airlines like British Airways can add titles to their online check-in facility, then I don’t understand why Ryanair and easyJet can’t seem to follow suit.

‘It also feels extra painful when we come back from vacation, because we have to be at the airport ridiculously early again and always have to spend the last few hours of our trip indoors. That makes no sense at all.

‘Sometimes we all have to take a budget flight, because that is often the only way to reach our desired destination, but the whole process is unnecessarily burdensome in my opinion.’

Jack’s murderous new role

There’s nothing funny about Jack Whitehall’s latest role: the comedian has been cast as a psychopath.

Jack, 36, from Marlborough, is set to star alongside X-Files actor David Duchovny in Amazon Prime thriller Malice, described as a modern take on Alfred Hitchcock’s classic horror film Psycho.

A source told me: ‘Jack plays a character exactly like motel owner Norman Bates: he starts off nice and charming, but soon worms his way into other people’s lives before a killing spree breaks out.

“This is the character that Jack has been desperate to play for years. He wants to play darker roles.”

Comedian Jack Whitehall has been cast as a psychopath in an Amazon Prime thriller called Malice

Tennis player Emma remains realistic

She won the US Open and reached the last 16 at Wimbledon last month, but now Emma Raducanu really wants to play tennis.

Emma, ​​21, is learning at the Queen’s Club in west London. Fans of the medieval indoor game, played with crooked wooden rackets, include Prince Edward, 60, who is passionate about his “late-night Realers” at Hampton Court Palace.

One of the professionals is Ben Ronaldson, son of former world champion Chris Ronaldson, who teaches members of the royal family.

The one thing that drives Zendaya crazy

Zendaya shot to fame in a Disney film called Zapped – exactly what the American star could face in real life if she were to consider driving on British roads.

She finds it difficult to get behind the wheel here, as she grew up in California, where of course they drive on the right.

When Zendaya, 27, stays with her Spider-Man star boyfriend Tom Holland, 28, in London, she admits she often tries to get on the wrong side of the car, becoming desperate on the capital’s “narrow” streets.

Zendaya, whose latest film is called Challengers, reveals: “It’s very confusing. I’ve been able to drive, but on the other side of the road. I’m working on it, though.

“The first step is to get on the right side of the car – and then also to be on the right side of the road. Streets are also a concern. I’m so used to these huge streets and highways.”

Actress Zendaya (pictured) is really freaked out by the narrow roads in Britain while staying with her boyfriend Tom Holland in London

Great David – and the little donkey

If you’re 6’2″ and weigh 210 pounds, the best way to lose fans among animal lovers is to be seen riding a donkey.

But that’s exactly what comedian David Walliams did during filming in Malta, drawing the ire of fans and animal rights groups.

He told Abbey Clancy and Peter Crouch’s podcast: ‘I felt so sorry for the donkey. My feet were nearly touching the ground.’ Elisa Allen, from animal welfare organisation PETA, said: ‘Donkeys are being worked to death in tourist areas in Malta. We’re writing to David.’

Liz loves it in London

Liz Hurley and her son Damian are very close, but they do have some secrets from each other. Only their London apartment can they use for a romantic affair, because they don’t want to bump into each other’s lovers.

Liz, 59, says she and Damian, 22, keep their Cotswolds country home for close friends and family only.

She reveals: ‘We go to London for our social life – not together, separately. I don’t take people to the country. The country is sacred. No strangers allowed.’

Liz Hurley and her son Damian (pictured together) only use their London apartment for romantic relationships, as they don’t want to bump into each other’s loved ones.

Is Victoria Beckham Britain’s answer to Martha Stewart? The fashion designer, right, has applied to register her ‘B Frame’ logo with Britain’s intellectual property authorities.

She was able to use the colours for her clothing, jewellery and accessories, as well as for branded products such as household items like tablecloths, towels and bed linen.

Jennifer Saunders’ new Absolutely Fabulous scripts are being delayed – by her lazy alter ego.

A life coach has told her that this other side of her personality – which she calls ‘Susan’ – is preventing her from fulfilling her promise to write more BBC comedy.

“I just can’t write,” says Jennifer, 66. “The coach says that on one hand I think, ‘That sounds like a lot of hard work and failure.’

“He says give that other side of you a name. So I jokingly said, ‘I’ll call her Susan.’

“It’s amazing how much in your life you realize that Susan is operating and say, ‘Wouldn’t you rather sit here and have a cake?’

Birds Of A Feather star Linda Robson says Queen Camilla is a fan and wants the sitcom to return.

‘When she joined ITV she said she wanted to meet the cast of Birds Of A Feather and she did,’ says Linda, 66.

When asked if Camilla loved the man-eating Dorien, played by Lesley Joseph, the most, Linda told me at the National Reality Awards: ‘She did, yes. She’s naughty.’

The series ended in 2020, but Linda says Camilla ‘wants it back’. She and Lesley would return. But Linda says she won’t do it without best friend Pauline Quirke. ‘I don’t think Pauline would agree,’ she adds.