Celebrity caught by hotel with white substance (6)

I believe the answer is:

starch

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'white substance' is the definition.
'starch' can be an answer for 'substance' (starch is a kind of substance). I'm not certain of the 'white' bit.

'celebrity caught by hotel' is the wordplay.
'celebrity' becomes 'star' (I've seen this before).
'caught by' becomes 'c' (cricket abbreviation. I am not sure about the 'by' bit.).
'hotel' becomes 'h' (phonetic alphabet: alpha, bravo, charlie etc.).
'star'+'c'+'h'='STARCH'

'with' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for starch that I've seen before include "Carbohydrate that occurs in all green plants" , "Stiffening preparation used in laundering" , "Stiffness; carbohydrate" , "Potato, rice constituent; a stiffener" , "Stiffener in the laundry" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

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