WE at the Diary like to think of ourselves as unshockable. Our feathers are ruffle-resistant.

But we have gone to the foot of our stairs after receiving some stunning reality TV news. Jane Cambridge has turned down the chance to appear on Wife Swap.

Because Jane is married to York Elvis impersonator Eddie Vee (real name Graham Cambridge), we assumed she would have jumped at the chance of ten days away from him, all expenses paid. But she declined an offer to appear on the Channel 4 programme.

"It was appealing to get away from him, but it wouldn't have been fair to ask somebody else to put up with him," she explained. "I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy."

At first, the makers of the show, the RDF Media Group, wouldn't take no for an answer. "They have rung us two or three times. Somebody dropped out at the last minute and they tried to persuade me again."

But even the fee of £500 couldn't lure Jane to take part in the series, in which two wives swap hubbies and kids under the beady eye of the cameras.

She felt the money wasn't much compensation for "making a fool of yourself in front of millions of people".

Jane did appear with Eddie - who helped organise this weekend's Elvis Academy at the Tap & Spile - on the ITV show Family Matters two years ago. She said no because Wife Swap would have taken her away from her two daughters for too long.

RDF spokeswoman Alice Robertson said nothing about the company begging Jane and Eddie to take part, only confirming that "yes, they were approached, along with hundreds of other couples, a while ago".

REMEMBER the Diary is seeking your nominations for York eyesores, to pass on to direct protest group the 13th Tribe, who squatted so effectively at the White Swan Hotel, Piccadilly.

Patricia Pearson has already cast her vote. "While I agree Huntington Road isn't in the centre of York, we do pay our rates to City of York Council," she points out.

"I nominate the disused petrol station between 376 and 374 as being a very big eyesore.

"My bungalow is directly behind and each time I arrive home we have that to look at.

"It has been in this sorry state for a number of years, deteriorating daily. The weeds are a nuisance, the place is falling down (helped by youngsters).

"Nothing and nobody wants to take responsibility. Everyone who visits us asks, 'What is going on next door? What a mess'.

"Isn't anyone going to do something with it?"

The Diary has passed this spot regularly and agrees it looks a mess.

Thanks, Patricia. More eyesore nominations welcome.

THESE new parking charges certainly add up.

The Diary rented a chart DVD from Ace Home Entertainment in Heworth at the weekend, for a very reasonable £3.

But now it costs 60p a time to park outside. Total cost, including picking up and returning the movie... £4.20.

No wonder York's independent businesses are worried about the future.

STILL with screen entertainment, what is wrong with city cinemas? This is half-term week yet there is only one film for young children playing in the afternoons: Scooby Doo 2 at Vue, starting at 1.15pm. The only other PG certificate films with a pm time are Harry Potter (too scary for a five-year-old) and... Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo.

What a miserable effort by City Screen, the Odeon and VUE.

Write to: The Diary, Chris Titley, The Evening Press, 76-86 Walmgate, York YO1 9YN

Email diary@ycp.co.uk

Telephone (01904) 653051 ext 337

Updated: 09:03 Tuesday, June 01, 2004