SEBASTIAN SHAKESPEARE: How her holiday romance made novelist Victoria Hislop a Greek heroine

She likes to celebrate the publication of each of her books with ‘a cold glass of champagne —with lots of bubbles’. But best-selling novelist Victoria Hislop may feel in the mood for a bottle of retsina this morning — if not a magnum.

For I can disclose that she has just been awarded honorary Greek citizenship by the country’s president, Katerina Sakellaropoulou.

Such recognition is granted only to people who have provided ‘exceptional services to the country, or whose naturalisation serves the public interest’.

‘It’s a rare and well deserved honour There is no greater lover of Greece, its people, its history and its culture than Victoria,’ her agent told me. ‘She speaks Greek, has a house in Greece and now she is Greek.’

In Hislop’s case, the honour has been conferred for promoting modern Greek history and culture — including, of course, the history of the tiny island of Spinalonga, off the north-east coast of Crete.

It was on Spinalonga, the last leper colony in Europe, that Hislop set her debut novel, The Island — despite the scepticism of the literary world. ‘Leprosy,’ reflected Hislop, ‘wasn’t considered a particularly commercial idea.’

By then, The Island had become an international bestseller. It went on to sell over three million copies, was translated into more than 30 languages and inspired a 26-part television series — the most expensive in Greece’s history.

Its success was no flash in the pan. Hislop followed up with a string of other bestsellers, including The Thread, also set in Greece, as well as The Last Dance, ten tales of Greek life. She first visited Greece as a teenager in the late Seventies and was instantly bewitched.

‘It was,’ she said, ‘love at first sight.’ The passion has never wilted. Not only has she returned every year since then, but she also takes regular Greek lessons from ‘a fantastic teacher’ from her local grammar school, while she also has a house on Crete.

But though finding the Greeks ‘intensely friendly and hospitable’, Hislop stops short of ‘doing a Shirley Valentine’ by taking a local lover — opting, instead, to share her island home with her husband, Have I Got News For You team captain Ian.

 Sir Mick Jagger has splashed out an undisclosed sum to protect our seas. ‘I adopted my own unique ocean coordinate to get our biggest weapon in the climate crisis back in shape,’ says Mick, whose coordinates are in the Celtic Sea off the southern Irish coast. He and bandmate Keith Richards have done it as part of the Project Zero initiative, co-founded by Ronnie Wood’s son, Tyrone.

Sadie joins the hot dog trend – with a pupouse 

Carrying your dog in a sling is fast becoming a trend this summer — and Sadie Frost is the latest to jump on the bandwagon.

After Helena Bonham Carter and model Kelly Brook were spotted carting their furry friends about, Sadie, who has four children between her ex-husbands, Jude Law and Gary Kemp, ran errands in London this week with her new sausage-dog pup, Cherry, in a grey carrier.

Lady Mary’s £541 gladiator style…

Socialite Lady Mary Charteris knows how to make a fashion statement even in her bikini. Eschewing normal swimwear, the 33-year-old, who married musician Robbie Furze eight years ago in a see-through dress, opted for a £541 silver studded two-piece.

Posting this picture from her holiday in Ibiza, the Earl of Wemyss’ daughter refers to herself playfully as a ‘stud muffin’.

Oscar-winning lyricist Don Black had his work cut out collaborating with Robbie Williams. ‘He played me two songs that I don’t think Stephen Hawking could have figured out what they were about,’ says Diamonds Are Forever writer Black. ‘I tried to explain that anyone listening to this song [Morning Sun] would not have a clue what it was about.’ Fans seemed to share Black’s confusion. Morning Sun peaked at a woeful No 45 in the chart.

Matt’s boys’ night is a tall order for Noel

The boys are back in town! The Crown star Matt Smith is certainly not wallowing in self-pity following his split from Mamma Mia 2 star Lily James. The 37-year-old, who played Prince Philip in the drama, has been enjoying a busy social life since their break-up earlier this year. He was joined at The Ivy in the West End by his male chums aviation boss James Cook — husband of model Poppy Delevingne — and rocker Noel Gallagher, with whom Matt would regularly drink before lockdown.

TV presenter Julia Bradbury claims having children later in life has kept her youthful. Mother of three Julia, who turns 50 tomorrow, says: ‘Someone said to me, “You’re getting old”, and I said that’s good as the alternative is a lot worse.

‘I came to motherhood late in life — I had my first child when I was 40. Perhaps it’s my children that have given me a renewed energy and vigour for life but I very much have something to live for.

‘I think being a mum saved my life. It might seem dramatic but, in an emotional way, becoming a mum realigned me.’

Christensen gets cheeky with a statue

Going back to work has made supermodel Helena Christensen feel rather frisky.

Shooting in her home country, Denmark, this week, the 51-year-old gave everyone on set a good laugh when she jovially planted a kiss on a statue’s derriere.

Sporting a pink floral dressing gown and white slippers, and with rollers in her hair, she posed for a picture that she then shared online.

‘A beautiful day today being back at work with a small group of talented and inspiring people,’ she captioned it.