Actress Kate Winslet namechecked her local paper, the Reading Evening Post, after picking up the Oscar for best actress last night.
Speaking to the world’s media at a press conference after the ceremony, she said: “I feel like an unlikely hero. I was not the privileged kid things like this could happen to.
“My mum won a pickled onion competition in the local pub just before Christmas and the Reading Evening Post sent me a picture of her holding her jar.
“Well, Reading Evening Post, here’s your next Winslet picture.”
Evening Post staff faxed a cutting showing Winslet Senior’s pickling triumph along with a good luck message on Friday.
It said: “Let’s hope you follow in your mum’s onion-winning footsteps.”
Post deputy editor Hilary Scott said: “We wanted to send Kate a good luck message from the town.
“And as we always cover her mum Sally’s efforts in The Retreat pub’s pickling onion contest we thought we’d send a picture of Sally and her winning onions this year with the message that the whole town was rooting for her.
“Kate’s mum Sally told me they were all staying at the Bel Air Hotel and so we faxed the message over to there on Friday and we’re actually very grateful to the staff for getting the fax to Kate.
“Kate’s the first Reading actor to win an Oscar and we are probably the first local paper to get a name check at the Oscars – we’re just as chuffed as Kate to be honest.”
Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog
