Sir Norman was set to appear in the British film These Foolish Things, starring Lauren Bacall, Anjelica Huston and Terence Stamp, but it was announced on Monday that he had pulled out.

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He admits these "mad things" have been "irresponsible, foolish" given his importance to the Virgin empire, and to his second wife, Joan, and their two children.

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But the most compelling reason to think the release is risky, perhaps even foolish, is that it is almost impossible to get the timing of these things right.

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