Vatican officials have denied it, but the media frenzy of speculation offers a forecast of the onslaught awaiting the papal succession.
He said: "The traumatic events of the last few days have, understandably, led to a great deal of angst and uncertainty as well as firestorm of media speculation, much of it ill-formed and some of it downright malicious.
A snapshot of the meeting appeared in official media after days of speculation about the former Cuban president's health, fuelled when he didn't comment publicly on Nelson Mandela's death.
Craig was again the centre of media speculation, with some media likening his arrival to Bradman's first tour of England in 1930.
"The current welter of media speculation and the number of interested parties highlights the attraction of the role of rejuvenating the fortunes of the national team.
The artwork, which depicts a characteristically weepy Cheryl towering above the landscape outside Newcastle in a reimagining of Antony Gormley's sculpture "Angel of the North", will doubtless be forgotten in the coming weeks, drowned beneath waves of media speculation about the future of Cowell and his "chav princess", or about a WAG's suitability for the cover of fashion's most famous magazine.
After an avalanche of media speculation, Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London and self-appointed cheerleader for London's tech startups, declared himself as an 'outer'outer
After weeks of media speculation, Feinstein, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee that will decide whether to advance Kavanaugh's nomination to the full Senate, confirmed the existence of the letter on Thursday.
Until now the New York Times Co has steadfastly refused to admit that it was considering a sale of the Boston Globe, despite months of media speculation about the title.
From 2004 to 2007, Higgins' sexual orientation was the subject of media speculation based partly on interpretations of her lyrics and her interviews.
