Become a Member
Life

Joan Collins: 'My father warned me not to trust showbiz men'

Veteran actress Dame Joan Collins meets Francine White and tells all about her men, #MeToo and her only secret weakness

January 2, 2019 17:19
Dame Joan Collins
6 min read

Dame Joan Collins. The name is synonymous with glamour and in the flesh, she doesn’t disappoint. She’s taller than I imagined, enveloped in a pink Max Mara coat, her eye make up and lippy are perfect. For 85, she looks amazing. Actually, for any age she looks amazing.

Then there’s the voice, clear as a bell and cut-glass sharp. When I arrive at The Langham where Dame Joan and I are to meet, the restaurant hostess asks me discreetly how one should address a Dame. Now, in her presence I wonder whether I should curtsey.

My husband and her husband, Percy Gibson, hover in the background but soon head off the bar, leaving me alone with her Dameship. A kerfuffle with the waiting staff takes place. Dame Joan only wants scrambled egg and smoked salmon, a dish seemingly beyond the range of the posh Langham restaurant at lunchtime. Eventually all is sorted out, and we begin to chat.

There is an instant warmth from her and my fears that she will be unapproachable or frosty soon dispel. In fact, she’s very funny, candid and happy to discuss anything. And there’s plenty to discuss. Her career has spanned six decades and she’s starred in more than 70 British and Hollywood movies, hit TV shows and countless theatre tours.