Beatles legend Sir Paul McCartney has told his estranged second wife Heather Mills that he's ready to make a deal - just as their bitter divorce heads for the high court. According to reports, driven by news of Miss Mills' planned "blitzkrieg-style" tactics of representing herself in court next month, 65-year-old Paul has let it be known that he is ready to reconsider the possibility of an out-of-court settlement.
Britain's Daily Mail newspaper claims that Heather, dubbed Mucca by British tabloids due to her porn past, has been contacted by McCartney's lawyers at Paynes Hicks Beach with the message: "Paul's ready to talk."
The former couple are scheduled to battle it out in a five-day hearing next month where Heather is to represent herself after she was dumped by her law firm Mishcon de Reya last year.
But McCartney - who underwent emergency heart surgery last year, has apparently had a sudden attack of anxiety about what might be said about the breakdown of the marriage.
He is also thought to be concerned that their 4-year-old daughter Beatrice might be harmed by further public dissection of their relationship.
McCartney and Mills have spoken "three or four" times in recent days over the phone, said a source close to both.
"One of the chats went on for at least 15 minutes, which is the longest they have spoken to one another in months and months.
"It seems that the mood has definitely changed and they are both now ready to resolve things more sensibly."
The Daily Mail claims that "the main thrust of Miss Mills' case will be that marrying the former Beatle ruined any chance of her living a happy and successful life."
"She is going to say that before they met, people liked her and admired her, she was successful, she had her own career and her own income," the source said.
"She is going to say that when they got together, he stopped her from having a career.
"She is going to say that now that they have split, she is a hate figure and as such unemployable.
"Consequently, she will say, Paul should compensate financially for the rest of her life. For a woman to argue that her future earning capacity has been damaged by her marriage in this way is extremely unusual but the judge may well consider that she has a point."
It has been rumored that Paul - whose first wife, Linda died of cancer in 1998, is eager to do a divorce deal with Mills.
The source added that the irony is that she actually revived Sir Paul's career while she lost her own.
"Heather contends that she got Paul emotionally back on track when they first got together. When they first met, he was emotionally ruined by the death of Linda - he was a lost soul.
"His music was not going anywhere.
"Heather will argue that the stability she gave him got his career back on track. And a financial settlement for her should also reflect her input in his career turning around."
Paul is allegedly worried about the revelations Heather, 40, might make in court about why the marriage broke down. Leaked legal documents alleged he was violent and cruel to his wife.
But legal sources pointed out yesterday that while such revelations, even if they had any truth, might be damaging to his image, they would not actually impact on the settlement size.
Following her bizarre rants on British and American television, Heather has been taking advice from friends on how to soften her tarnished image ahead of the court date.
The source said: "When she appeared recently on GMTV, she didn't come across as vulnerable, sympathetic and fragile - she just came across as a bit unhinged. She knows she has this image problem and she has been trying to do something about it.
"She wants to come across less barmy and money-grabbing and more the wronged wife and mother."
Reps for both Mills and McCartney refused to comment yesterday (Monday.)
By Owen Williams, Jan 22 2008 © Copyright 2008 - Showbiz Spy
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