The Londoner: Cowell trampled by Hipporoo critics

Simon Cowell has come under fire for using a crowdsourcing platform to help create his new book. The music mogul, who signed a seven-book deal with Hachette for children’s books to be co-written with his six-year old son, said he “loved the idea of thousands of creative people being part of the development of our idea”.

Cowell and his son are to publish WishFits in Spring 2021, which features “hybrid animals” such as the Hipporoo (hippo/kangaroo) and the Crocopuss (crocodile/cat). But some creatives have raised an eyebrow at their use of Tongal, a company that “connects entertainment companies and brands with up-and-coming talent”, to develop creative content.

Matt Locke, a former BBC executive who runs creative company Story Things, said: “I know ghostwriters are old news, but this feels a bit different.” Another, Nick Campbell, who has a PhD in children’s literature, asked of the Tongal link: “WTF is this all about?” The Londoner has found one past project on Tongal that appeared to resemble the WishFits book.

Entitled “Hybrid Animals Concept Art Project”, the project’s objectives stated: “Our Mystery Sponsor is one of the biggest names in entertainment, and they are currently developing a new children’s series around fun & imaginative creatures that come in the form of hybrid animals.” One of the hybrid animals listed was a “croctopus”. The project closed in October 2019.

The brief on the website,which has now been taken down, explained that the “Mystery Sponsor” wanted “10 unique character designs for specific hybrid animals”. The total money on offer was $3,000. Only winning pitches received money.

The children’s book market has seen an influx of celebrity authors in recent years including Jessica Ennis-Hill, ​Cara Delevingne and David Walliams, the former Little Britain star who is now one of the highest-earning British writers.

Cowell has said he will donate “a portion” of the proceeds to charity.

Cowell’s team did not respond to requests for comment.

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Supremely difficult

Baroness Hale is the most difficult woman in the country (and that’s a good thing), says author Helen Lewis, who also reveals the former Supreme Court president keeps intriguing trinkets dotted around her office.

Speaking at the launch of her book Difficult Women in Mayfair, Lewis tells us: “Standing up to the Prime Minister and saying, ‘You think you can prorogue Parliament, but you can’t,’ is pretty difficult.” Lewis also revealed Hale “has got lots of porcelain frogs around her office”. Why’s that? “She calls her second husband her frog prince.” Is that a compliment?

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The political and advertising world said goodbye yesterday to Tim Bell, once Margaret Thatcher’s consigliere. The attendees read like a Who’s Who of Tory governments past — with the notable exception of Cherie Blair. Lord Grade gave a eulogy, saying if Tim were there “he wouldn’t regard it as a memorial service so much as a golden networking opportunity”.

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George Monbiot was delayed by his own side when released from a Lewisham jail cell to speak at the EU during an Extinction Rebellion uprising. Monbiot, who was being held for an earlier eco protest, nearly missed his Eurostar, he tells Richard Herring’s podcast, because “some a***hole had blocked the train”.

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Meghan takes on 'jointed doll' mantle

Hilary Mantel says Meghan Markle has had the bad luck she feared for Kate Middleton. Author Mantel caused uproar in 2013 by calling Kate a “jointed doll on which rags were hung” but says she was never trying to criticise the princess, only the culture surrounding her. “I felt that something horrible was coming down the path,” she tells The Gentlewoman magazine. “And, actually, it’s come to Meghan, who wasn’t a twinkle in anyone’s eye at that time. And the intrusion and the horrible curiosity has been turned on her.”

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SW1A

At a busy reception at No 10 yesterday to honour St David’s Day, the Prime Minister greeted the crowd with a few words of Welsh before loudly proclaiming that No 10 now had “the randiest occupant since the great Lloyd George…” Cue much alarm. Had the Prime Minister made an unintentional admission? The PM quickly clarified: he meant Dilyn, his Welsh rescue dog.

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Speaking of the PM, Chris Bryant MP, who was at Oxford with Johnson, tells us of his curious obsession. “In any context, he was just always talking about gonads.” Right.

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Jacob Rees-Mogg’s SpAd Hugh Bennett has moved to No 10, but The Londoner remembers him putting in a shift on 2014’s University Challenge. In a documentary about that series of the quiz show, the gawky student is shown displaying his Justin Bieber phone case to the cameras: “He has so many great songs,” he splutters.

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Soho royal India Rose holds Court

The party was taken to The Court last night, as the Soho members’ club threw a bash to celebrate its first birthday. Soho royalty India Rose James, granddaughter of porn publisher Paul Raymond, stopped by along with party promoter Henry Conway. Game of Thrones actor Laura Pradelska also made an appearance, as did model Kelly Osasere and stylist Dee Moran.

The launch of online retailer Annie’s Ibiza x My Wardrobe HQ, meanwhile, drew Annie’s Ibiza founder Annie Doble and actor Clara Paget.

In the West End, another birthday, as the Theatre Royal Haymarket celebrated the first anniversary of the Only Fools and Horses musical. Cast member Oscar Conlon-Morrey recalled to The Londoner how he turned up to his audition wearing a red velvet coat, only to be met by Paul Whitehouse loudly asking: “Oi! Who’s this bloke wearing a curtain?” You plonker…

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Quote of the day

'It just p****s me off that I'm not now 23'

Helen Mirren, 74, says she's angry because "it is a much better world than it was when I was 23".