Rumour Mill: To Cowardly Go Where No Man Has Gone Before

Report by Tyler "Ty" Deschanel

TV legend and current laughing stock William Shatner is wary of Sir Richard Branson's offer to take him into space for real.

Shatner, Star Trek's Captain Kirk, revealed he was too scared to accept a place on Virgin Galactic’s first ever passenger flight, the VSS Enterprise, without thinking twice.

“Shatner's log. Star date... today. I am... interested in man’s march into the... unknown. But to vomit in space is not my idea of... a good time," he explained dramatically. “Neither is... a fiery crash with the vomit hovering over me.”

Bizarrely Sir Richard said he never asked Shatner to be part of the celebrity laden 2008 flight that also includes other space themed celebs such as Alien's Sigourney Weaver, Star Wars' Mark Hamill and of course Woody Allen.

Podgy actor Shatner added that he was still considering the offer. He commented: "I do want to go up but I need guarantees I’ll definitely come back. Shatner has plenty more ladies to love whether they are white, Klingon, Vulcan or even Asian!” He said to an unimpressed audience at a book signing unrelated to him.

Star Trek co-star Leonard Nimoy has said he would accompany Shatner if he did decide to go to space. "The mystifying mystery of the cosmos is a celestial paradox that obfuscates man's never ending yearning to break free from the shackles of our terrestrial bonds. Nimoy must be one with the universe's greatest secrets." He also added thoughtfully "If Bill refuses to go, maybe I'll go with Uhura, I dig black chicks."

Shatner only had this in response: "No way am I going with that fruitcake!"