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Ken Livingstone to say ‘I zoo’ at newt nuptials
Ross Lydall21.08.09
FOR the man dubbed King Newt by arch rival Boris Johnson, the choice was obvious. When Ken Livingstone and long-term partner Emma Beal marry next month, they will do so in one of the capital's most unlikely locations - London Zoo.
The Evening Standard can reveal that the former mayor and Ms Beal will exchange vows in the zoo's Mappin Pavilion, surrounded by wallabies and emus. This will bring back memories of the couple's first foreign holiday, in Australia in 2002.
As a bonus, the pavilion is located next to the reptile house - Mr Livingstone has a fascination for reptiles and newts dating back to his school days - and the Komodo dragon enclosure.
Guests will be able to explore the zoo's enclosures free of charge after the civil ceremony. Mr Livingstone, who has a pet chameleon called Harry for his two youngest children, confirmed that he had booked the zoo for his nuptials.
Prior to becoming Mayor in 2000 he was a vice-president of the zoo's parent company, the Zoological Society for London, and in his first job application unsuccessfully sought to become a zookeeper.
Mr Livingstone told the Standard: "We are getting married and it will be in London Zoo. It's not a media event - if you try and get in I will set the gorillas on you. We have been looking to get married for years. We decided to do it when we had time, and this seems to be the ideal period."
One of his first acts in office was to offer London schoolchildren free visits to the zoo. He has said that, had he not been a politician, he would have "loved to have been David Attenborough".
Mr Livingstone, 64, was revealed last year to be the father of five children. Previously, only his two children with Ms Beal - Thomas, six, and Mia, five - were known about.
The existence of the three elder children he had with two other women - a son now aged around 17 and two younger teenage girls - emerged during last year's mayoral elections. Mr Livingstone, who was subsequently defeated by Tory Mr Johnson, famously said that Londoners were not shocked by other people's sex lives "as long as it doesn't involve children, animals or vegetables".
Mr Livingstone said: "Given you have lots of young kids running around, a wedding can be quite boring for young kids. But they can go and look at the animals. I know the place - I just like it. "
Mr Livingstone, who hopes to run against Mr Johnson in 2012 and regain the mayoralty in time for the London Olympics, first met Ms Beal in 1996 when he was an Evening Standard restaurant critic and she worked on ES Magazine. Ms Beal, 41, went on to work at City Hall for Mr Livingstone.
The former mayor has been married once before, to teacher Christine Chapman. Prior to meeting Ms Beal he had a long relationship with Kate Allen, of Amnesty International. They split in 2001.
Mr Livingstone's best man will be Simon Fletcher, his former chief of staff at City Hall. Mr Fletcher chose his then boss as best man when he married in 2006.
Francesca Moore, spokeswoman for hitched.co.uk, an online wedding guide, said London Zoo was one of the capital's most unusual places to get married.
She said: "The experience of getting married surrounded by over 5,000 animals would be a memory not to be forgotten."
Reader views (13)
Dhan
Are you sure you are from Basildon and not the middle ages. The fact is most people could not give a hoot if a couple are married or not.
- David, London
Good Luck, Emma and Ken!
Once you've done that, please can you sort out the southwest's buses? It's got to be the most backward in the uk...
Thanks 
- Anil, glos
Who Care's about this odious creature anyway?,he has done more than most in destroying the electorates faith in politicians,horrible nasty man.
- Jacob, Canterbury European wasteland England
Quote: Never Eat Tuna Again, London. Good choice! The London Assembly was quite a zoo when you were there.
Yes he did well, Tuna; after Thatcher and her hyenas got rid of the GLC, leaving London without a Council at all, much like a river without water or fish; and then she sold off County Hall to the Japanese, for their tropical aquarium; he returned and defeated both the Tories and the Labour Party much like a pit-bull terrier against fluffy poodles, to become the Leader of the pack once more, whilst Thatcher never returned again, she was eventually eaten by her friends the vultures.
So the London Zoo is a far more fitting venue for Ken and his bride, than a local register office, or even in the Houses of Parliament etc.
By the way; I stopped eating Tuna 30 years ago, its all full of mercury, which damages your brain, you should have stopped eating it 30 years ago as well.
Soon the only healthy Tuna you will ever see, will be in the London Zoo?
Good luck once again Ken, if everyone liked you; it would mean you were nothing more than a yes man.
And thanks again for the bus pass; it means many old people can at least get out once in a while; many bent politicians with pockets full of cash, want to take that away from us as well as starve us to death.
Lastly, Ken; don't join the Labour Party again; it's full of Tories, in-case you have not noticed....LOL...Mick.
- Mickinlondon, london.
Good choice! The London Assembly was quite a zoo when you were there.
- Never Eat Tuna Again, London
I guess by 2012 everyone will finally realise what a waste of space the current Mayor is. Good luck.
- Didi, London, UK
Good luck Ken, what a great idea for a wedding! With fond memories of a mayor who was full of ideas and determined to change things for the better in London, in contrast to the present incumbent who seems to be intent on sitting on his bum coming out with wise cracks and doing nothing.
- Matt, London
About time Ken made an honest woman of her. The majority of people don't approve of living in sin.
- Dhan Raj, Basildon
Good on him. ZSL is one of London's best assets - something we should be proud of.
- Mike, London
I disagree- what a great place to get married!!! Much more interesting than a town hall.
- Thomas, London
I can't think of a more apt venue.
- Paul, London
What a terrible choice of wedding venue! I mean, you know how bad a zoo smells, don't you?
- Nowan King, London
Good Luck, Ken.
You are one of the few real Socialists left.
Best wishes to you both.....Mick
- Mickinlondon, london.
