Liam Neeson and Jessica Biel form a top team

While the prospect of working alongside Jessica Biel would put a smile on the face of most actors, Liam Neeson seems to have had a mixed experience filming the big-screen adaptation of The A-Team.

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"I don't speak up," Neeson told Mandrake, enigmatically, at the film's premiere in Leicester Square, London. "I don't like confrontation, so there are times when I should have said something, but I didn't."

Asked to elaborate, the 58-year-old star of Schindler's List declined, saying: "We would be here all night."

Biel, 28, for her part, was more interested in British cuisine. "I have been eating my favourite thing you guys have here – crumpets," she said. "I love them with butter and jam. I had them this morning with poached egg."

MacDougall's suffers embarrassing loss

No London auction house has benefited more from the boom in Russian art than MacDougall's, but it has now suffered an embarrassing loss. Irina Shalina has resigned from her post as its expert on icons, a highly lucrative part of its business.

Her loss to the firm, which is one of the three biggest dealers in Russian art, has been heightened by an explosive interview that she has given to Alexander von Hahn, of Russian Art Media.

William MacDougall, the firm's director, claims that Shalina offered to continue, as a consultant, but adds: "We did not want to work with her again in light of the interview."