Pandora: Owen plots a return to the West End

(PA)

Get ready for a rush to the box office. Clive Owen is on the hunt for a new play to star in.

The rugged actor – currently promoting the big-screen adaptation of our very own Simon Carr's book The Boys Are Back In Town – hopes to find a previously unseen work for his West End return.

"I have been looking at some options," he told Pandora at a screening of the film on Monday.

"I haven't been on stage for quite a while so it's really about finding a role I have a huge appetite to play.

"It is a big commitment taking on a theatre play, and I've just started to look at the idea. I have to find something I am really interested in."

The news will no doubt thrill London's theatreland; last time the classically trained Owen was seen treading the boards it was in Patrick Marber's phenomenally successful romantic drama, Closer.

"It would be good if it was a new play," explains Owen. "It is always exciting to do new writing."

Come fly with me, Opik begs Clegg

Alas, Lembit Opik's attempt to curry favour with his party leader has come to naught. The Lib Dem's very own Space Cadet recently used these pages to offer to fly Nick Clegg around during the election campaign. As well as boasting a certain way with the ladies Opik is, in fact, a trained pilot, and regularly flew former boss Charles Kennedy. Tragically, though, his offer has fallen on deaf ears. "He hasn't got back in touch," Opik sighs. "It might be health and safety. If we ended up crashing, the party would lose its two greatest stars."

Not another Welsh no-show, William?

Just as Prince William earns his stripes in the Antipodes, we hear of a fresh diplomatic challenge awaiting him in the less glamorous surrounds of Twickenham Rugby ground. Appointed vice patron of the Welsh Rugby Union, William has long been haunted by claims from Welsh fans his loyalties are divided between them and the England squad, whose kit he has repeatedly been seen sporting. Now our mole at the WRU tells us he'll be conveniently skipping the upcoming Twickenham game between the teams, though a spokesperson insists it's "too early to say." Time to extend that trip?

No such thing as bad publicity?

Ping! Ping! And Ping! Pandora – and much of Fleet Street – has spent the past 24 hours peering through a fugg of group emails. The fault lies with a hapless publicist from PHA Media, who sent an email extolling the virtues of James Max, the one-time Apprentice contestant, without hiding the contact details of those included. Before long, the "reply all" button was pressed, and Max became the most emailed subject in media. Not everyone saw the funny side: Sky's Jon Bennet was unimpressed, as was ITV's Jessica Gray. Tsk!

Over to Livia, on the red carpet

Hats off to Livia Firth, who is following in the stilettoed footsteps of Chloe Madeley and Peaches Geldof into the treacherous realm of "red carpet reporting". Firth's appointment, however, looks a tad different from that of her celebrity colleagues: the wife of actor Colin Firth, Livia, is a well-known for her work as a director at the environmental consultancy Eco Age. Now she has been appointed by Vogue magazine to report on the carbon footprint of the dresses chosen for the award season. Trudie Styler, watch out!

pandora@independent.co.uk