Whitney, Bobby Trailed By Brits

By Don O'Briant

Local media types weren't the only ones trolling Grady Memorial Hospital and the DeKalb County Jail on Wednesday, hoping for a glimpse of Bobby Brown and/or wife Whitney Houston. A five-member British Broadcasting Corp. film crew was in town shooting footage for an upcoming documentary, called "Liquid Assets."

The British cameramen were spotted shooting at Centennial Olympic Park downtown, Grady and the musical couple's favorite hangout, the Palm restaurant at the Swissotel in Buckhead.

"At the moment, there's a great deal of interest in Whitney and Bobby in the UK," producer Nigel Bellis explained to Buzz. "Their story has had so many fascinating twists and turns."

Series host Simon Sharman braved the chilly weather to file a segment in front of the hospital, where Brown was treated for an undisclosed ailment while serving a jail term for DUI, which he completed Wednesday. Later, the crew found a warmer and friendlier reception at the Palm's bar, where general manager Willy Cellucci served Sharman a mound of the eatery's french-fried onion twists and a steak roughly the size of Montana.

"They love hanging out at the bar with the other customers," spilled Cellucci. "They weren't much for the tables hidden away." While Houston favors white Russians made with Bailey's, he said, Brown would vary his drink of choice, going from beer to tequila to vodka to $850 bottles of bubbly.

"They were always incredibly nice to everyone," said Cellucci. "Later, I would turn on the TV and think, 'Who is this monster they're talking about?' "

The BBC crew jetted off to New York on Wednesday night and will also film segments in Miami. The Whitney/Bobby episode of "Liquid Assets" is set to air April 28 in Britain. No word yet on whether the series will be scheduled for U.S. viewing via BBC America.

NEWSFILE: 24 JANUARY 2003