A new age of excitement has dawned. Jessica Simpson is the latest investor in and face of… a beer.

The Texan-made Stampede Light Plus (the 'plus' refers to a bunch of vitamins and stuff they're putting in their booze) joins Simpson's other great projects, such as her line of hair extensions, as well as her clothing range and perfume.

"As an entrepreneur, I am always looking for ways to diversify my portfolio with good ideas and good people. Yes, I work out and take care of myself, but I also like a cold beer once in a while," Jessica informs us in an entirely unscripted, off-the-cuff remark.

From that exciting news, we plunge straight into the terrible talk that Italy's major broadcaster has been urged by a variety of professional medical bodies to axe all hospital TV shows!

"These programs are teaching viewers inaccurate views on medicine. They are spreading misinformation," laments the president of the National Federation of Medical Colleges.

No more 'E.R.' or 'Grey's Anatomy', and they even want to do away with 'Scrubs' — not to mention my beloved 'House'. Hmm, to be honest, I do have to admit that roughly 90 percent of my medical knowledge comes from 'House'. But the show is pure genius! How could the Italian people be deprived of it?

'E.R.', though, ceased to be any good (if it ever was) years ago — so no great loss there. It would seem a pity to lose 'Grey's', especially since you'd have to be quite extraordinarily dim to take medical advice from what is really just a glorified, but super-addictive, soap opera.

But if you find that proposed ban hard to believe, how about this? There's actually someone married to a movie star who kind of has a soft-spot for the paparazzi!

Welcome, snappers, says Cate Blanchett's hubby, playwright Andrew Upton: "I quite enjoy it, actually. I'm never followed but Cate is. Her public identity is very associated with her work, which I think is good, right and proper because she's bloody good at it."

"When her work is coming into focus, people want to see a photo of her carrying shopping bags. I can understand it — people are interested and I'm glad they're interested otherwise they wouldn't come to see it [her work]." Bring on the shopping pics!

Sienna Miller's recently-ex fiancé, 'Notting Hill' actor and musician Rhys Ifans, is known as decidedly not a lover of the tabloids and their minions. Nor, it seems, is he harbouring any great degree of goodwill towards Sienna.

Ifans sings in Welsh group The Peth, and there was some speculation that one of the songs on their new album was about Miller. Is the talk true, then, Rhys?

"Jesus Christ, no," rants Ifans. "She doesn't deserve a f..king song, that one." That clears that up, then.