Friday, 27 June 2008

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Nelson Mandela bans Naomi Campbell from birthday gig

Former South African leader upset at her air rage arrest

Naomi Campbell was due to be one of the presenters at tonight's concert

Nelson Mandela is said to have barred Naomi Campbell from appearing on stage at his 90th birthday gig tonight.

The supermodel – who calls the former South African president her ‘honorary grandfather’ – was meant to be introducing acts at the charity event at London’s Hyde Park.

But Nelson is said to want to distance himself from the 38-year-old following her air rage assault at Heathrow Airport.

Now Naomi – who was wearing a baseball cap featuring his charity logo when she was arrested – will have to watch the show from the stalls.

'People were disappointed by what happened,' a source tells The Times. 'In the past she had spoken to Mandela about her anger. It's not the behaviour of a charity ambassador.'

However, Naomi did attend a dinner to mark his birthday on Wednesday night.

She joined guests including Will Smith, 39, Katherine Jenkins, 27, Lewis Hamilton, 23, Pierce Brosnan, 55, Oprah Winfrey, 55, Sir Bob Geldof, 56, Sir Elton John, 61, Robert De Niro, 64, Leona Lewis, 23, and Annie Lennox, 53.

Last week she pleaded guilty to assault and disorderly conduct for kicking and spitting at police officers at Terminal 5. She was given 200 hours' community service.