Stars shine for Saatchi

Nigella makes a theatrical entrance
13 April 2012

Domestic goddess Nigella Lawson stole the show at the party to mark the first anniversary of the opening of her husband's art gallery.

She was one of hundreds of guests to attend the glittering party at Charles Saatchi's gallery last night.

Singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor, actor Bill Nighy, boxer Audley Harrison and fashion designer Alexander McQueen were some of the names who came to see Damien Hirst's latest creation - a molasses of dead flies - and new artist Matt Calderwood's 30-ft rope made from a mile of toilet paper at the Saatchi Gallery.

The domestic goddess, who married Saatchi in September last year, would not comment on which of the pieces she liked most in her husband's New Blood exhibition, which opens to the public today.

Dressed in a Vivienne Westwood black corset dress and multi-coloured Pucci heels, she said: "A collector has to follow his own taste.

"He does ask for my opinion and takes it on board if he agrees with it."
Actor Bill Nighy, who has just been nominated for a TV Bafta, said he favoured the paintings in the new exhibition - the result of Saatchi scouring the length and breadth of Britain for works by new artists - over the installations.

"I like paint. I'm a bit of a sucker for it and I would buy a Patrick Caulfield if I could afford to.

Grayson Perry, the transvestite potter who won the last Turner Prize, was carrying around a baby doll, which he has named Clara, to match his baby doll dress.

He said he liked the "magical carriage" built by one of the new artists whose work is being shown in the gallery, saying: "It reminds me of being a kid".

Film critic Barry Norman said of the works: "What it tells us about Charles Saatchi I don't know. There is nothing here I would want to own."

Singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor, who is six months pregnant, said: "I'm really enjoying this. I came here last year and think it is a really great gallery."

Other celebrities attending last night's event included TV presenter Jayne Middlemiss, actress Lesley Ash, EastEnders star Charlie Brooks, TV host Denise Van Outen, TV presenter Alice Beer, author Kathy Lette, the Royle Family's Ralf Little and impersonator Ronni Ancona.

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