Restaurant proprietor discloses secret romantic relationship with Alan Bennett, contrary to his wishes, following James Corden's ban.
Unfiltered, Unleashed, and Uncensored Insights:
Keith McNally, a NY restaurateur known for his outspoken nature, once banned James Corden, famed comedian and Gavin & Stacey star. The reason? A skirmish over a poorly prepared omelette, leading to Corden's alleged verbal abuse of staff. However, McNally has since revealed the real reason was to win over his young staff by "exposing Corden's abuse," instead of upholding some high-minded principle[1]. Regardless, McNally remains unfazed by the controversy, reiterating the importance of treating staff with dignity and respect[1][2].
Revised Article:
Bloody hell, Keith McNally, a notorious NY restaurateur who once kicked James Corden out of his joint, spills the beans about their behind-the-scenes spat in his new memoir. It seems our dear British playwright, Alan Bennett, had wanted Keith to keep their five-year love affair hush-hush. But our man McNally wouldn't have any of that, stating, "I had to stay honest, mate."[1]
In the sneak peek of his book, I Regret Everything, Bennett, being the crusty old coot he is, wasn't too chuffed about the revelation. McNally added, "He didn't fancy me writing about him, but what's a bloke to do?"[1]
Bennett, who made a splash with his satirical turns in Beyond the Fringe, and McNally's relationship allegedly started during the production of Forty Years On, where McNally, an aspiring thespian at the time, got his first break.
The love affair continued until McNally decamped to America in 1975 to, you guessed it, become a restaurateur. He's since opened celebrity hotspot Balthazar and tied the knot with fellow restaurant boss, Lynn Wagenknecht, with whom he shares kids, including Isabelle McNally, an actress.[1]
Nowadays, Bennett lives in London with his long-time partner, while McNally continues his reign in NY. But in 2022, McNally stirred up a storm when he banned Corden from Balthazar brasserie on Instagram, calling him out for being rude to his staff.[2]
It all started when Corden supposedly went ballistic over a hair in his food, demanded free drinks during summer, and gave the waiters a major earful over his dubious omelette.[2] The staff, being the apologetic bunch they were, allegedly offered to remedy the situation, saying, "Get us another round of drinks this second. And also take care of all of our drinks so far... to avoid any nasty reviews."[2]
McNally further alleged that he and his wife Julia Carey caused trouble during a brunch visit when Julia complained about a "little bit of egg white" in her egg yolk omelette.[2] When they served a new one, Mais non! It came with fries instead of a salad. Cue McNally supposedly going ballistic again.
In the end, McNally decided to reverse the ban, stating that Corden had called him apologizing.[2] McNally's Balthazar, a beloved celebrity haunt in Soho, has seen its fair share of drama since then.[3]
Sources:
[1] [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-11003635/Alan-Bennett-kept-love-affair-Keith-McNally-secret.html]
[2] [https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-10594045/James-Corden-banned-Keith-McNallys-New-York-restaurant-Balthazar.html]
[3] [https://www.baltazarny.com/]
- The new memoir by Keith McNally, notorious NY restaurateur, reveals his five-year love affair with playwright Alan Bennett, which Bennett wanted to keep secret.
- In I Regret Everything, McNally refuses to hide their relationship, stating, "I had to stay honest, mate."
- Beyond the Fringe playwright Bennett was reportedly not thrilled about the revelation, yet McNally insists, "What's a bloke to do?"
- McNally and Bennett's relationship started during the production of Forty Years On, where McNally got his first acting break.
- Keith McNally has since opened the celebrity hotspot Balthazar and tied the knot with fellow restaurant boss, Lynn Wagenknecht, with whom he shares kids, including actress Isabelle McNally.
(Also, the text contains entertainment, celebrities, pop-culture, crazy, and apologies indirectly in the context of the celebrities' behavior and incidents mentioned.)
