Yesterday would've been Freddie Mercury's 65th birthday, had he not passed away 20 years ago. To mark the occaision, the remaining members of Queen, some fine celebrities, drag artists, rogue moustaches and Tara Palmer-Tompkinson's wandering paws all took to London's Savoy hotel for a rambunctious soiree. I'm just assuming it was rambunctious given the state of TPT leaving the joint.

Anyway, Brian Maymade a lovely speech at the party. This is what he had to say:

"I was first introduced to Freddie Mercury - a paradoxically shy yet flamboyant young man - at the side of the stage at one of our early gigs as the group SMILE. He told me he was excited by how we played, he had some ideas - and he could sing! I'm not sure we took him very seriously, but he did have the air of someone who knew he was right. He was a frail but energised dandy, with seemingly impossible dreams and a wicked twinkle in his eye... Freddie was fully focused, never allowing anything or anyone to get in the way of his vision for the future. He was truly a free spirit. Some people imagine Freddie as the fiery, difficult diva who required everyone around him to compromise. No. In our world, as four artists attempting to paint on the same canvas, Freddie was always the one who could find the compromise - the way to pull it through. To create with Freddie was always stimulating to the max. He was daring, always sensing a way to get outside the box. Sometimes he was too far out... and he'd usually be the first to realise it... Freddie would have been 65 this year, and even though physically he is not here, his presence seems more potent than ever. He gave people proof that a man could achieve his dreams - made them feel that through him they were overcoming their own shyness, and becoming the powerful figure of their ambitions. And he lived life to the full. He devoured life. He celebrated every minute. And, like a great comet, he left a luminous trail which will sparkle for many a generation to come."

What a beautiful tribute, didn't you think so, Tara? Sorry, didn't mean to startle you there. As you were...

Those who managed to leave the bash with some dignity included Fearne Cotton, Chris Evans, Freddie Mercury's mother,  Matt Lucas, Nicola Roberts, Stephen Fry (who went to the bother of cultivating his own 'tache), and somebody stealing a carboard cut out.