Guardian:
Is nothing sacred? No, it seems, for James Nesbitt, the celebrity Manchester United fan who not so very long ago was generously donating £10,000 to Shareholders United and its fashionable fight against the evil Malcolm Glazer's takeover bid. Nowadays, we hear, he is to be seen on Sky television enthusiastically promoting the erstwhile evil one's brand-new executive boxes. This is, we are confident, wholly unrelated to the fact that the actor takes top billing in Danny Boyle's latest film Millions, "a children's story about what money does to both inspire and corrupt".
Indie:
Manchester United fans were spitting blood last summer when the American billionaire Malcolm Glazer took control of the football club.
Among the voices of dissent was the Cold Feet star James Nesbitt, a lifelong fan, who threw his weight behind Shareholders for United, a trust which battled to avoid a total buyout by the tycoon.
Interesting to note then that Nesbitt, left, who even gave £10,000 to the anti-Glazer cause, now appears decidedly more comfortable with the corporate direction of the club, and can be heard voicing adverts promoting its new executive boxes.
"Considering the stance he took against Glazer, it does seem a bit rich to now find him doing advertising for them," I'm told. "Jimmy should understand how this looks to many of his fellow fans."
A Shareholders for United spokesman is in diplomatic mood when I call. "We don't have a problem with him doing these adverts," he insists. "It's his business really."