Belt tightening

Alan Yentob is back from Cannes and on his way to Liverpool where he's on the judging panel for this year's John Moores Painting Prize.

Cannes was a little fraught for the BBC's Creative Director, who is also chairman of BBC Films. He nearly got bounced from the opening night, for responding to the "black tie" invitation by turning up in a silver tie with hi-top trainers. Things picked up at the after-party for Moonrise Kingdom, with luminaries such as Brett Ratner and Johnny Pigozzi (??). (Left - the rammed VIP area).

Then there was brunch with Robert de Niro. The BBC Films event was downscaled from the traditional party to a buffet lunch. Alan was also spotted on a bicycle around the mean streets and boulevards - presumably hired locally. A brilliant response to Delivering Quality First.

• A valued correspondent draws my attention to another outing for the trainers - from Richard Kay in The Mail: Opening night at Glyndebourne and one figure stands out among the dinner-jacketed guests taking their seats for Janacek’s The Cunning Little Vixen. It is Alan Yentob, highly paid creative director of the BBC, who has eschewed the dress code to arrive in an open-neck shirt and trainers. ‘Alan always like to stand out in a crowd,’ purrs a fellow opera lover.