Hair to dye for

Suddenly, from the darkness of the Dress Circle, there came a shout, cutting across big Ace's big entry line. "Where did you get that hair?," the booming voice entreated.

Not to be knocked out of his stride, Ace, alias Warren Furman, allowed himself a little smile but didn't respond to the cheeky heckle.

However, I can reveal the reason behind Ace's alarming change from his programme picture's "curtain fringe" - the style jettisoned so spectacularly by David Beckham in March - in favour of the blond-rinsed crop last seen atop Gazza's delirious head in the 1996 European Championships.

The blame lies with fellow Gladiators combatant Hunter, alias York beefcake James Crossley, as newly-blond Adonis Ace explains: "I hold Hunter entirely responsible! We were out in South Africa doing a UK versus South Africa Gladiators, and my hair was a bit dark at the time, and he said it would look good with blond highlights to go with the tan."

The perma-blond Hunter duly assisted Ace to make his choice from the L'Oreal range of hair bleach, and Ace set about doing a 20-minute DIY bleaching job. The result? "My hair turned completely ginger!" he recalls.

"So now I had to choose between dyeing my eyebrows or finding a hair colour technician in Johannesburg." Ace settled for the latter, and a blond dye. "But she left it on too long, so I ended up looking like Billy Idol!"

The result: Ace's hair is still suffering at the hands of this double whammy. "At last the roots are starting to come through again, but I don't know what look I'll go for next!" he says.

For certain, he will not be consulting Hunter.

Gladiator Ace stars in Cinderella, Grand Opera House, York, until January 7.

u COMIC, singer, writer, actress, and all-round genius Victoria Wood will always remember her Christmas lunch in York, 20 years ago.

In an interview published in the Christmas edition of The Radio Times she is asked: "What was your worst culinary experience at Christmas?"

To which she replies: "Having a Christmas dinner of ham salad in the staff canteen at a dire hotel in York, where Geoff Durham, her magician husband was doing the Christmas-night cabaret. That was about 1980. The Christmas pudding was so disgusting that we threw it out of the window into the river. In fact, I'm worried that it may have swollen and caused the recent floods!"

Now which hotel could that be, I wonder?

Nearly 20 years ago I interviewed Victoria in a Newcastle hotel around Christmas time. She was just as miserable, she must have been having a bad day because getting her to say anything was like pulling teeth

In fact, compared to the Victoria Wood the sphinx was a blabbermouth, that day.

I still think she's brilliant, though.

u LAST week my great giveaway competitions worth a total of £390 featuring personalised Groovy Chocolate bars and super-clear headphones attracted sackfuls of entries.

First here are the 15 winners of chocolate, who correctly said the bars can be made from milk, dark or white chocolate:

I Howden, Heather Croft, Huntington, York; Mrs E Lowther, Danesfort Avenue, Acomb, York; Mrs J Rambridge, West End Close, Strensall, York; Mrs V Coultan, Broadway West, York; Fiona Sands, Barisca, Naburn Lane, Fulford, York; C Tate, Powell Street, Selby; Mrs D Hammond, Cedar Vale, Kirkbymoorside; Mrs S Wreglesworth, Scarcroft Hill, York; Pat Ward, Fordlands Crescent, Fulford, York; J Rogers, Northfield, Barlby, Selby; Mrs B Green, Carr Farm Bungalow, Bielby Lane, Pocklington; Mrs H Boag, George Street, Walmgate, York; Mrs K E Fallow, Nether Way, Upper Poppleton, York; John Moore, The Village, Osbaldwick, York.

Now listen up for the headphone winners who correctly identified them as being made by Sony:

Mrs Lesley Jefferis, Lynwood View, Copmanthorpe, York; Mrs Christine Barker, Stratford Way, Huntington, York; Nick Fletcher, Longton Road, Norton, Malton; Mr M Dickinson, Moorcroft Road, Woodthorpe, York.

All prizes will to sent out after the Christmas holidays.

u AT first, the huge eyes of the cute little lad at the Asda checkout queue with his mum were startled when the cashier suddenly nabbed his toy and hid it behind the cash register.

Then the eyes grew desperate: was he ever going to get his mouse back? Finally they narrowed and turned mean.

"I'll tell Father Christmas on you," he growled, menacingly.

"Go on then, have your mouse back, you little snitch," laughed the checkout woman.

"I'm not risking that," he said, obviously not wanting to miss out on the big day by having Santa thinking of him as a 'snitch'.

u I am reliably informed that the average Christmas dinner contains 1,600 calories. To work them all off you would need to jog for three hours or make love for eight. Pass the brandy sauce, love.

u 'I noticed that someone had spray-painted War On The Council on a hoarding at the top of Ousegate. Could whoever did it please, please come back and add details of where I can enlist?'... writes Richard Greaves of Morehall Close, York.