Hirst's a 'no show' at his show!

Hugh Grant hugging and kissing, endless champagne, and the most anticipated new art of 2003: last night's opening of Damien Hirst's new show had it all, except one vital ingredient - the artist himself.

For reasons unknown, Hirst stayed away from his first exhibition of new work in Britain for eight years.

Some 2,000 people flocked to the White Cube gallery in Hoxton Square for the private view of Romance In The Age Of Uncertainty, among them Sadie Frost, Tracey Emin, Blur's Alex James and sculptor Antony Gormley.

"Damien was supposed to come," said a source close to the artist. "I have no idea why he's decided not to turn up."

At the party at Grosvenor Place were Daphne Guinness, Hugh Grant, Jessica de Rothschild, Neil Tennant and Will Self, as well as White Cube owner Jay Jopling and his artist wife Sam Taylor-Wood.

In the artist's absence the star of Love Actually, Hugh Grant, was the centre of female attention.

But a final question remains - just who was the object of Grant's affection?