Hugh Grant gets chocolate cake smeared down his shirt after major falling out in nightclub with former PR Matthew Freud

By Daily Mail Reporter

Still smiling: Elizabeth Hurley, Heather Kerzner and Hugh Grant at Kerzner's 41st birthday party


When two grown men want to settle their differences, it sometimes comes to blows.
Matthew Freud apparently prefers a big slice of chocolate of cake.

Which is how Hugh Grant ended up with chocolate and crumbs smeared all over his impeccable white shirt at a society party.

The disagreement didn't stop there. Grant, 49, is alleged to have responded by punching Freud's cheek, leaving the PR guru wearing sunglasses the next day.

But Freud, in turn, got his own revenge, somehow tracking down a picture of Grant's stained shirt and emailing it to friends.

The extraordinary spat happened at socialite Heather Kerzner's 41st birthday party at Annabel's nightclub in London on Wednesday night.


Not amused: Hugh Grant looks serious as he chats to former girlfriend Elizabeth Hurley at a birthday party in Annabel's members club in London last night


Birthday girl and boy: Matthew Freud (left) cosies up to Heather Kerzner and Sir Philip Green at their bash


The evidence: Freud emailed friends a photo of Grant's cake-smeared shirt


The wife of casino billionaire Sol Kerzner was holding a joint celebration with Topshop owner Sir Philip Green, Sir Michael Caine, shoe designer Patrick Cox and Tracey Emin's boyfriend Scott Douglas.

According to a fellow guest, the flareup took place after a female guest asked Grant if he would like to meet Freud.

Grant ended up changing out of his shirt and was given another one to wear by nightclub staff.

In fact, the two men have known eachother for more than 20 years.

Freud, 46, represented Grant way back in the days when he found stardom in Four Weddings and a Funeral and during the scandal over his visit to a prostitute in the U.S. in 1995.

But they appear to have fallen out in the intervening years.


Mass celebration: Kerzner and Green blow out their candles on their chocolate cakes (before the incident) with Sir Michael Caine (centre), Meg Mathews (2nd right) and Scott Douglas (far right)


Pout: Hurley puckers up for a photo with Grant
Grant apparently replied that he had no desire to speak to Freud and allegedly used an expletive to describe him.


Freud, who was standing nearby and heard the alleged insult, then smeared chocolate cake down Grant's shirt.

'I saw a lot of white shirt and before I could stop myself it was all brown,' he told friends afterwards.



'I'm a pacifist': Freud checks out his betting slips at Cheltenham Festival today


There was a brief lull before Grant allegedly threw a punch.

In the subsequent melee, a glass of wine was also thrown - which ended up over London nightclub owner Johnny Gold.

As guests watched the pair in astonishment, Freud, who had attended the party with wife Elisabeth Murdoch, decided to make a dignified exit. Grant, though, was not quite ready to call it a night.

He changed into a clean shirt supplied by the nightclub and chatted to guests, including his former girlfriend Elizabeth Hurley.

He told Mrs Kerzner he hoped his disagreement had not ruined her evening. One guest said: 'He was a total gentleman, a 21st century David Niven.' Ever the PR man though, Freud was not to be outdone. In the aftermath, he secured a photograph of Grant's stained shirt and then emailed it to friends.


Feeling blue: Hurley showed off her curves in a figure-hugging blue dress


Putting the drama behind him: Grant was seen at the Fulham V Juventus match at Craven Cottage on Thursday night


Referring to Miss Hurley's famous appearance in a Versace 'safety pin' dress at the Four Weddings premiere, he added the message: 'That dress becomes that shirt.'

Yesterday afternoon Freud, said with his wife to be worth £ 148million, seemed to be trying to hide a bruised eye as he attended Cheltenham races. He was the only member of his party to wear sunglasses despite the overcast day - suggesting Grant may have left his mark.

Freud told friends: 'I'm a pacifist, I only throw cakes, he's a scrapper. There were no heroes last night.'

According to a friend of the PR man, the pair fell out some years ago over a male friend of Freud's.

'Matthew knew Grant when all his friends called him "Hughie", no one calls Hugh that these days,' the friend said.

Freud represented Grant up until his relationship with heiress Jemima Khan ended. 'Then came the bust-up over the friend and that was the end of their relationship.'


source: dailymail