Pandora: No more silent treatment: Fergie speaks to the BBC

(GETTY IMAGES)

Ever since the BBC implied that his son Jason, a football agent, was exploiting his father's connections to further his own ends, Sir Alex Ferguson has maintained a level of (variably) dignified silence towards the Corporation, promising "never again" to speak to the "arrogant beyond belief" organisation.

And, true to his word, he hasn't. Instead, Fergie has developed a reliable post-match routine of deploying one of his minions to address the waiting BBC cameras. Any interview deemed significant has been directed towards Manchester United's in-house MUTV or Sky Sports. But it seems that, this weekend, things are about to change.

We're told that Sir Alex – who won't be attending the ceremony due to "prior commitments" – has recorded a video interview specifically to be used at Sunday's BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards, for which the legendary United player Ryan Giggs is nominated.

"He's done it already," says our source. Of course, it will be far from Ferguson's first appearance at the event. In 1999 – long before the feud kicked off – he picked up the ceremony's gongs for both best coach and best team and, two years later, was honoured with a "lifetime achievement" award. Still, this year's move marks the end of one of sport's most impassioned and amusing détentes. Drinks on him, then?

Short summons up Christmas spirit

Last week, we wondered whether Clare Short had lost her bottle after we discovered that the famously belligerent independent MP hardly bothered to vote in the Commons any more. Happily, it appears our concerns were premature. Short has, we are told, been spiritedly revisiting her old convictions via the Christmas party circuit. First, there was a press shindig at the Irish embassy; the next night saw her downing a drink and rubbing shoulders with old friends and foes from the Catholic world. Next stop Chablis chez Chilcot? Possibly.

June prepares to slip into a corset

Note to the BBC costume department: it might be time to start stitching a June Whitfield-shaped corset.

The enduring actress tells us she hopes to star in a costume drama in the near future. "I'd love to do a costume drama – that would be fun," she said at The Oldie literary lunch. "I would do any one, rustling about in a long skirt. I've never done a series like that before."

Whitfield has a knack for getting what she wants. When she complained to the press that the BBC was ageist for considering giving long-running comedy The Last of the Summer Wine the axe, the corporation responded pretty sharpish with an offer of an extended run.

"I am just delighted to do anything," giggles a mischievous Whitfield.

Miliband's man jets off to new post

David Miliband may not be fleeing the Government for a high-flying diplomatic post just yet, but the same can't be said of his right-hand man Matthew Gould. The Foreign Secretary's trusted adviser – a former speech writer to Robin Cook, who has held posts in Nato, Tehran and Washington – has secured his future by taking up a new appointment as the British ambassador to Israel. He will start work following next year's general election. Which is more than can be said for some.

Murray clears out tennis wardrobe

Andy Murray must be feeling charitable in the wake of his whopping £10m sponsorship deal with German sportswear maker Adidas.

The Scottish tennis player, hitherto only ever seen on court wearing the genteel sports label Fred Perry, is due to auction off more than 100 of his famous polo shirts in aid of the charity Malaria No More UK, telling supporters they need to donate at least £15 to the cause.

It's just as well – under the terms of his new contract, he'll have little use for the old garments.

pandora@independent.co.uk