Wife's a bitch

What do you get when you cross five pretty actresses with five big egos and a swimming pool shoot for Vanity Fair?

You guessed it - an almighty bustup sparked, on this occasion, by a red swimsuit.

The stars of Desperate Housewives were branded 'the bitches from hell' by TV execs after some decidedly diva-style behaviour.

Actress Marcia Cross apparently became 'apoplectic' when co-star Teri Hatcher chose a red swimsuit for the cover shoot.

Angry that Hatcher had first choice over what to wear, Cross is said to have screamed at an assistant: 'Get your f****** a*** over here now and do your f****** job.' When told that the assistant was not allowed on the closed set, she allegedly shouted: 'I don't care if it's a f****** closed set. Get him.'

Things went from bad to worse when Nicollette Sheridan (Edie) allegedly chose to sit on a certain chair.

'This terrible, deadly action naturally upset everyone,' wrote columnist Cindy Adams. 'We are talking tears and tantrums. Eva Longoria, very busy asking how she looked, was told by one senior executive "This is not just about you. He told me he calls them "the bitches from hell".'

'Trust me, it's the very last group shot that will ever be taken of these very Desperate Housewives,' she added.