Hayden Panettiere debuted a dramatic new short cut and colour in Los Angeles this week. The 20-year-old showed off the haircut as she attended the Global Home Tree Earth Day reception hosted by Avatar director James Cameron at the Nokia Theatre. In a vast change to her usual long locks, Panettiere sported a cropped hairdo, slicked back with a quiff and sideburns. And she’d dyed her hair a dark blonde colour, just a couple of weeks after she returned to her original blonde colouring following a foray into dark auburn that lasted several months.

Hayden’s blonde locks helped make her a typical all-American girl pin-up; however, the new hairstyle marks quite a departure in her appearance. In fact, it accentuates her impish looks to maximum effect and certainly goes against the cute, girl-next-door image that launched her to fame. And it seems Miss Panettiere dislikes the image that she became famous for, earlier this year revealing that she doesn’t like being referred to as cute. When Panettiere dyed her hair red in January, she told Us Magazine: ‘I’m typically a very fiery person anyway, but I just feel like cute and blonde and little is just so one-category and one-thing and changing my hair colour I feel like I don’t have to overcompensate so much for the fact that I don’t like being called cute or anything like that – especially being all 5ft 2 of me.’ Wearing an LBD with a sheer section across the breastplate and arms, the actress attended the event, which celebrated the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, with her 6ft 6 boyfriend since late last year, boxer Wladimir Klitschko. Previously speaking about her partner, who has a Ph.D in Sport Science and speaks four languages, she said: ‘I’ve never had an athlete as a boyfriend before, and it’s an exciting experience. ‘I think it’s awesome that he’s so athletic, but I’m most fascinated with his intelligence. He’s unbelievably clever. Even though I’m small, I can dish it out too. But I have to admit, I feel really protected with such a strong man by my side. Now, whenever someone’s bugging me, I say: “Look out, my boyfriend is a boxer!”‘

–Daily Mail

Fergie is sued by lawyers over her £200,000 debts

The Duchess of York faces financial ruin after being taken to the High Court for debts of more than £200,000 by a leading legal firm. This is despite an offer by the firm of a ‘repayment plan’ to help stump up the money. Prince Andrew’s former wife is being sued by Mayfair solicitors Davenport Lyons for work on a deal to turn her children’s books into an animated television series, which has since hit the buffers.

The firm also helped to create and protect a trademark under which the Duchess planned to market a range of ‘lifestyle’ goods on satellite shopping channel QVC – which included biscuit tins and household furniture – called ‘From the Heart With…’. It is understood that she plans to contest the case but if she loses she could be declared bankrupt. Although she was once married to the Queen’s son, the Duchess is understood to have few assets of her own. She received just £300,000 from her divorce, does not have a property in this country and even her car is lent to her by an on-off boyfriend. According to the writ, obtained exclusively by the Daily Mail, eight invoices ranging from £12,000 to £65,000 were sent to ‘the defendant’ between April and July last year.

She is listed under her maiden name of Sarah Ferguson but gives her ex-husband’s 30-bedroomed official residence, Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, as her address. Although the couple divorced 14 years ago, they remain close and for the last few years Sarah has lodged with Andrew and their two daughters. Several reminders chasing the invoices were subsequently sent in the form of letters and emails but were all ignored, as was a request to discuss a ‘credible payment plan’. It wasn’t until October that she finally agreed to an initial payment of £30,000, with a further £50,000 to come.

The cheque never materialised, however, and the following month Sarah admitted that she could only afford to hand over £10,000 because she said she had been short-changed by her business partners. But she also attempted to smooth over the situation, claiming that that she was ‘close to other ventures so we can keep to our word of getting some more money to you’. Davenport Lyons heard nothing more until February this year, however, when it threatened legal action and received a further £10,000.

As no other payment was made, the solicitors issued proceedings against the Duchess for £193,218.53 in outstanding invoices plus a further £10,266.68 interest (at a rate of eight per cent per annum). The debts continue to accrue interest at a rate of £42.36 a day. Now that papers have been lodged with the Queen’s Bench division of the High Court, the Duchess has a month to formally serve her defence. After that, both sides will see if they can come to an arrangement. If not, the claimant can apply for a summary judgment to be made against her or the case will go to a full hearing.

–Daily Mail

Kelly Osbourne shows off her trim figure in a little black dress

Smiling Kelly was on fine form as she showed off her trim figure in the dress at last night’s Us Weekly Hot Hollywood party in Los Angeles.

Kelly has been experimenting with her hair in recent months and showed off yet another new colour. After trying bleached blonde, a blue rinse, and bright violet, she debuted a darker look.The shade suited her complexion and kept a hint of the violet colouring she has made her own. The 25-year-old was accompanied by her fiancé Luke Worrall, who wore a smart dinner jacket and bow tie.

He even got out the straightening irons to tend to his bleached hair.

Earlier Kelly had tweeted: ‘Looking forward to the Us Weekly party tonight!’ But Kelly, who has recently been named the face of St Tropez fake tan, found the preparations a little trying: ‘Getting in a mad mood because I am all sticky from my spray tan and it’s driving me nuts…’

–Daily Mail