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What price a Double Denied Warhol?

According to Joe Simon- Whelan, an American filmmaker living in London,the foundation which controls Andy Warhol's legacy has been engaged ina 'deeply corrupt' 20-year conspiracy to inflate prices forthe late artist's work.

How? By claiming Warhol artworks owned by people like himself are fakes.

Now Simon-Whelan has filed a $20m lawsuit against the Andy Warhol Foundation and the Warhol Art Authentication Board.

Simon-Whelan bought a self-portrait of Andy Warhol for $195,000 in 1989, two years after the artist died. According to his lawsuit, it was authenticated by Fred Hughes, the executor of the Warhol estate, who wrote on its edge: "I certify this is an original by Andy Warhol completed by him in 1964."

But when Simon-Whelan wanted to sell the painting in 2001, for $2m, he sent it to the Warhol Authentication Board. It was returned to him stamped 'DENIED' on its reverse; even worse, he claims the stamp bled through the back of the canvas and is now visible from the front.

In 2003 Simon-Whelan submitted the painting again. Again it was denied. Simon-Whelan calls the painting 'Double Denied'.

Has Padma found a sugar daddy?

WHY HAS THE beautiful, multi-talented Padma Lakshmi, recently estranged from husband Salman Rushdie, been seeing so much of US billionaire Ted Forstmann, New Yorkers have been wondering.

Their representatives claim it's just business. They say the 67-year-old tycoon, who has never married, and the 36-year-old model, chef and TV host have been spending time together because she's a client of his International Management Group.

But another Manhattan society watcher suggested that it was "a little odd that Teddy is taking such an interest in Padma's career. It's not the side of the business he usually focuses on." Perhaps he enjoyed reading her book: Tangy, Tart, Hot and Sweet.

July 18: Barbara Streisand plays the O2 Arena, London

July 18: Katie Melua, Isaac Hayes and Lauren Hill play at the Nice Jazz Festival, France

July 20: Gavin Turk, Pearl Lowe (above), Hari Kunzru and Angela Hartnett take part in the Port Eliot Literary Festival, Cornwall

Gisele top of the model bunch

Kate Moss is Britain's best-paid model, earning around $9m last year - but that's a pittance compared to Gisele Bundchen, the world's top-earning model. The leggy Brazilian made $33m, according to the annual (Continued below ad)

(Continued from above ad) survey by Forbes magazine. Heidi Klum, married to rock star Seal, came third with $8m.

Forbes calls Bundchen, who used to date Leonardo DiCaprio, a "workhorse. While most models on the list have one major contract, in addition to three or four seasonal campaigns, Bundchen juggles almost 20 campaigns. She also brings in at least $6m a year by licensing her name to a Brazilian shoe company, Grendene."

But Forbes says Bundchen's earnings will decline in December when her $5m-a year-contract with lingerie company Victoria's Secret ends.

Forbes notes that Russian and eastern European supermodels like Natalia Vodianova and Karolina Kurkova are now in the top earners' league - but warns that some may have shorter careers than they expect. "Already the editorials of American Vogue are turning away from the scary skinny models of Eastern Europe towards a healthier-looking and more Americanised standard."

Hunter pledges his fortune away

Sir Tom Hunter is set to become Britain's biggest philanthropist, after committing to give £1bn to charity. The 46-year-old Scottish grocer's son (left), who built up a chain of sports shops which he sold to JJB Sports in 1998, and now runs a private equity business, was inspired by reading The Gospel of Wealth by fellow Scottish philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie.

"With great wealth comes great responsibility," says Hunter, Scotland's richest man. "My wife Marion and myself are going to leave this world pretty much as we came into it - pretty much with nothing. I don't want to take £1bn to my grave."

Of his own three children, Hunter says: "They will not be destitute. Warren Buffet said he'd leave his kids enough that they can do something, but not too much that they will do nothing."

Blanchett does Bob for Todd Haynes

Cate Blanchett raised eyebrows when she first announced - at Cannes last year - that she was to play Bob Dylan in a new movie. Especially when it turned out the film was by the experimental director Todd Haynes, best known for using Barbie dolls to tell the life story of Karen Carpenter - much to the fury of the dead singer's brother Richard.

Now an advance clip of Haynes's Dylan film shows that with a curly wig and a pair of RayBans, Blanchett makes a pretty good if oddly smooth-cheeked Dylan. Other actors depicting various Dylan 'personas' in the film, due out in the US in September, include Christian Bale, Richard Gere and Heath Ledger.

Judge for yourself

Kate to attend Camilla’s 60th

Prince William has invited Kate Middleton to join him at the Duchess of Cornwall's 60th birthday party, in Highgrove this Saturday, in what will be their first royal gathering together since his Sandhurst passing-out parade in December. The couple, who split up in April, have now worked things through: Kate has told friends that she is 'very happy' to be seeing Wills again.

Two hundred guests have been invited to Camilla's black-tie bash, including Stephen Fry and Joanna Lumley, where there will be a three-course organic dinner and dancing with a band. William has also extended a more private invitation; he has promised Kate (pictured above with 'sizzler' sister Pippa) a 'just the two of us' break at the simple three-bedroom house he owns at Birkhall on the edge of The Queen's Balmoral estate.

Badly behaved Tuki Brando, Marlon's grandson, has been named the new male face of Versace... The Arctic Monkeys (below) have become the first act to be nominated for the Mercury Music Prize two years running... Sting and his wife Trudie Styler have been ordered to pay their former chef Jane Martin £24,000 compensation after she won her sex discrimination case... Boris Johnson supporters have been signing up at the rate of 100 an hour after the Tory MP announced his candidacy for London Mayor... Fiona Millar (above) says the pressure of working for the Blairs nearly destroyed her relationship with Alastair Campbell...