Dr Who and Dad’s Army in battle of the scarves

There are, of course, only two scarves that really matter on television. The claret-and-blue one wrapped around “mummy’s boy” Private Frank Pike and the prodigious neckwear sported by Tom Baker in Doctor Who.

But which came first? “I was accused of copying Tom’s scarf, which was upsetting because it wasn’t true,” Ian Lavender, the former Dad’s Army veteran, tells us. “He was Doctor Who after we began so it’s impossible. I think Tom Baker put that story around.”

Indeed, Dad’s Army was commissioned in 1968, while Baker only entered the Tardis in 1974. Pike’s scarf, inspired by Aston Villa’s colours, will be seen in its full luminosity tomorrow when BBC Two broadcasts Dad’s Army In Colour – Room at the Bottom. Boffins have rescued an episode, wiped almost 40 years ago by the farsighted BBC, and painstakingly restored its colour.

“I’ve still got the scarf,” says Lavender, who wishes he hadn’t used the valuable original scripts as phone pad note paper to save money.

Silly boy!

Pop stars are campaigning against the US authorities bombarding suspected terrorists with their work. David Gray, whose hit Babylon was played on an ear-blistering loop to a captive in Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, said: “That is torture. It could be Tchaikovsky or Barney the Dinosaur . . . it’s going to drive you nuts.” But James Hetfield, of Metallica, says: “We’ve been punishing our loved ones with this music for ever. Why should the Iraqis be any different?”

Why is Jobcentre Plus advertising vacancies for “topless seminude bar staff and nude cleaners”?, Theresa May, Shadow Leader of the House, asksafter complaints by two people. An urgent review is to be conducted by James Purnell, the Work and Pensions Secretary, she was told.

Jamie Cullum talked jazz with Clint Eastwood for Q magazine. Clint riffed on the great arranger Quincy Jones, Cullum said he was inspired to play by Les Dawson. Clint asked: “I don’t know his work. Was he like Thelonious Monk?” In a right-notes, wrong-order sort of way, yes.

To Morrissey’s Christmas party at the louche Pigalle Club in the West End of London. “This place is haunted by the ghost of [the music hall favourite] Dorothy Squires,” said Moz between slices of vegetarian quiche. Any presents? “This is my new album. Please God that you like it,” announced the former Smiths frontman before playing the opus, Years of Refusal , at peak volume, sticking his fingers in his ears and scarpering after the first song. Seasons greetings to you, too.

Postscript

Phil Collins is closing his official website owing to lack of interest. “The forum has been in steady decline over the past couple of years. Cheers and goodbye. PC Webmaster,” is the final word. But not all are taking heart from the advice to join the Genesis website instead. “I don’t know why, but I find the Genesis forum really boring, sorry,” posted a bereft Collins fan.

Rejected by Liberal Democrats for party president, Lembit Öpik has found a more effective platform. The asteroid-fearing MP has become the Daily Sport’s political columnist. Quite how this will aid his bid to become the UK’s unofficial go-between in discussions with al-Qaeda is not clear.

Public could crown golden girl

The Face Rebecca Adlington

She has no plans to become a tax exile in Switzerland like some of our sporting heroes, but the public could yet crown the Olympic golden girl Rebecca Adlington the BBC Sports Personality of the Year ahead of her superstar rivals.

The first British swimmer to win two Olympic gold medals since 1908, the Mansfield teenager captured the public’s hearts in Beijing. Her infectious enthusiasm after smashing the longest-standing world swimming record, in the 800 metres, by more than two seconds, showed that she was “one of us”.

Adlington’s love of reality television and Jimmy Choo shoes is undiminished. Now aged 19, she is serious about winning the big prize on Sunday night.

“I always watch it on TV,” she says. “It would be good for a minority sport to win it, not football or motorsport.”

Watch out, Lewis Hamilton.

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