Painful memories for Di’s mom

New York — The mother of Princess Diana said in a new book that the royal family refused to let her hug her daughter’s body after Diana was killed in a car crash in 1997.

Frances Shand Kydd also said Buckingham Palace did not allow her to travel to Paris to accompany Diana’s body back to Britain.

For Kydd, the episode brought back painful memories of the birth of Diana’s brother John, who died just hours after he was delivered.

“I did not see or touch or hold either of them when they were dead,” she said. “I do ache about it.”

Kydd’s assertions are in “Frances: The Remarkable Story of Princess Diana’s Mother,” by authors Max Riddington and Gavan Naden.

’24’ leaves room for all surprises

Radnor, Pa. — Kiefer Sutherland thinks killing off his character in “24” wouldn’t be a bad idea.

“I feel really strongly that if you want to jar the audience, take Jack out,” Sutherland tells TV Guide for Saturday’s upcoming issue. “As much as it would break my heart not to do this show, I think it’s important the audience believe that at any given moment, any cast member can go.”

Sutherland reprises his role as Jack Bauer beginning Oct. 28 on Fox.

The show’s executive producer, Howard Gordon, said there are no plans to kill the lead character, “at least not yet.”

The show’s creators, Robert Cochran and Joel Surnow, promise a big surprise early in the season — “It’s not Jack dying, but it’s big,” Cochran said.

Maybe on again, maybe just taking in Red Sox game

Boston — Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck put their differences aside Saturday night for the Red Sox-Yankees playoff game.

Affleck, of Cambridge, is a rabid Red Sox fan. Lopez is a native New Yorker and prefers the Yankees.

The couple watched the game from the front row at Fenway Park, next to Boston’s dugout. A plasma television installed in front of the seats allowed them good looks at replays — and of themselves, as the Fox cameras were trained on them repeatedly.

Affleck and Lopez also got a front-row view of Yankees bench coach Don Zimmer charging Boston pitcher Pedro Martinez, and Martinez tossing Zimmer to the ground.

A lucky break

Los Angeles — Jon Cryer is thrilled to be starring in the new sitcom “Two and a Half Men,” with Charlie Sheen, but isn’t letting himself be too optimistic.

The CBS sitcom is the actor’s sixth since 1989, and he’s had high hopes crushed before.

“I get into a nice delusional state where I kind of think that this was all just one long show where I just have big two-year hiatuses and for some reason they just keep changing the name of my character,” said the actor, who first gained fame playing Phil “Duckie” Dale in the film “Pretty in Pink.”

Cryer might have better luck with his current show than he’s had in the past. “Two and a Half Men” was No. 12 in the Nielsen ratings last week.