TV boss Simon Cowell has sold his £45million villa in Holland Park and left London after living in the capital for most of his life.
Cowell, 63, has told friends he no longer feels safe in central London and is quietly selling his house, with the deal closing a few days ago.
He, his partner Lauren Silverman and their nine-year-old son Eric have already started a new life in the country.
Cowell witnessed a series of alarming events at the imposing cream house he owned for 16 years, including break-ins by two burglars – one of whom stole £1million worth of jewellery.
Last month it was alleged that a criminal gang had sold the very lock on his front door – shocking and appalling him. He had spent £500,000 on security for the house, only to find a security expert had offered to sell a decoder that could open the steel front door “in seconds”.
Moving from London is part of a reorientation in his life.
In 2020, Cowell handed sole control of his record label Syco Music to Sony (which later closed it).
Meanwhile, Syco Entertainment, the television company that produced The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent (BGT), no longer has offices in the UK and has radically downsized its production. Today it is an entertainment assets and licensing company while BGT is manufactured by Thames.
ALISON BOSHOFF: Simon Cowell, 63, (pictured with his wife Lauren Silverman and son Eric) has told friends he no longer feels safe in central London and is quietly selling his home, with the deal finalized a few days ago became
ALISON BOSHOFF: Cowell witnessed a series of alarming events, including burglaries by two intruders, at the imposing cream-colored house he owned for 16 years
ALISON BOSHOFF: Last month it was alleged that a criminal gang had sold the very lock on his front door
This week, Cowell announced a commercial deal for a mobile game, and I understand that other similar lucrative promotional deals are in the pipeline.
After starting out as a record company executive – and finding huge success with singing actors Robson Green and Jerome Flynn – he rose to fame as a judge on the ITV show Pop Idol in 2001.
He then founded the franchises The X Factor and BGT, which are successful worldwide.
He continues to be a judge on America’s Got Talent and Britain’s Got Talent, and last year launched a TikTok songwriting platform, StemDrop, in partnership with Universal Music.
In 2015, a burglar stole jewelry and passports from Cowell’s Holland Park home while he and his family slept. In a damage statement to the court, Cowell said the burglary left him in “constant fear” that it might happen again and “next time might be worse.” In 2012, Cowell had to call security after a woman got into his home’s bathroom with a brick. His spokesman described the incident as “very scary”.
Of the alleged conspiracy to rob him this year, he said: “I was completely shocked.” The fact that it’s possible for a person to get the software code to sell it to someone – so they can rob the house, where my family lives – is abominable. “Even contemplating this is dangerous and reckless.”
Other celebrities residing near Holland Park – where properties cost up to £50million – include David and Victoria Beckham, Ed Sheeran and Robbie Williams.
A friend of Cowell’s says he was concerned about “street gangs” and general safety in the neighborhood alongside the burglaries and the resulting security scandal.
He has a property portfolio around the world, but after spending much of the pandemic in Malibu, he now prefers to live in the UK.
Richmond upon Thames has become a popular destination for fans of hit Apple+ comedy Ted Lasso.
Location scout Tom Bosanquet, who grew up in the London borough, explains why it’s the perfect spot: “It naturally looks like the romantic ideal of England.”
“It’s already been made into a film by Richard Curtis” – referring to the cozy version the filmmaker takes.
Visitors seem to like going to The Prince’s Head — Ted’s eatery, the Crown & Anchor in the series — and taking a seat at his regulars’ table (although the drunkard’s interior was faithfully recreated in a studio to minimize disruption hold). And Ted’s apartment at 9 ½ Paved Court is actually at number 11.
How to float the bear boat
Bear Grylls now has a home among the millionaires on the site of Battersea Power Station. But a few years ago, the TV presenter and former SAS soldier lived with his wife Shara and the children on a houseboat on the Thames and drove to the supermarket in a rubber dinghy.
Grylls said, “One time we were done shopping and Shara was like, ‘Why is everyone looking at me like I’m really weird?'”
“And I’m like, ‘Honey, you still have your life jacket on.’ ‘
ALISON BOSHOFF: Bear Grylls now has a home among the millionaires on the site of Battersea Power Station
“I’ll always look up to Nicole,” says Zoe
Zoe Saldana and Nicole Kidman were in London this week to present their new undercover spy thriller Special Ops: Lioness.
A party hosted by Vanity Fair and Paramount + at Tate Britain on Tuesday night was crowded with celebs – from singer and TV presenter Big Narstie to junior queen Lady Amelia Windsor.
Saldana, who is credited with starring in three of the highest-grossing films of all time (two “Avatars” and “Avengers Endgame”), said it was an honor to work with a “giant” like Kidman – raising a few laughs from the audience as the Aussie actress is a full four inches taller than her petite American co-star.
Kidman, who wore Saint Laurent, countered with compliments, saying it was “an honor to work with this divine woman.”
The show will stream on Paramount+ beginning July 23 and was written by Yellowstone boss Taylor Sheridan.
ALISON BOSHOFF: Zoe Saldana and Nicole Kidman were in London this week to present their new undercover spy thriller Special Ops: Lioness
Mrs. Corbett loved taking a penguin to dinner
Actor, author and comedian Reece Shearsmith recalls spending many enjoyable evenings dining with the late Sir Ronnie Corbett and his wife Anne.
But Shearsmith says Anne had a habit of adding an unusual item to her order when the waiter came. “She ordered this and that, ‘…and linguine, and then we’ll have some side salad and a penguin cookie.’ She would do that – every meal – “…and a penguin cookie.”
ALISON BOSHOFF: Actor, author and comedian Reece Shearsmith recalls spending many enjoyable evenings dining with the late Sir Ronnie Corbett and his wife Anne
ALISON BOSHOFF: Shearsmith says Anne had a habit of adding an unusual item to her order when the waiter came
Emilia dances like in 1989…
Actress Emilia Jones delved deep into 1980s dance culture to play her new role in the film Fairyland.
Jones, daughter of singer Aled, who was nominated for a Bafta for her performance as the only hearing member of a deaf family in Apple Original Films’ coda, spent hours watching YouTube videos to throw some realistic retro shapes into the scene.
She has drawn comparisons to actress Winona Ryder for her performance in the film, which is about a gay widower who raises his daughter alone in San Francisco and is based on the 2013 memoir by Alysia Abbott.
The film premiered in London last week.
ALISON BOSHOFF: Actress Emilia Jones delved deep into 1980s dance culture to play her new role in the film Fairyland
At the height of the storm surrounding Phillip Schofield and his relationship with Person X, there were hints the scandal could spell the end of ITV’s This Morning.
However, it can be revealed that the show will definitely continue after the summer break of the usual hosts. ITV started advertising two positions this week: Features Producer and Digital Producer.
Speculations that Schofield’s one-time “best” and co-host Holly Willoughby might be stepping down also appear to be off the mark. ITV sources and friends of the presenter say she has “no plans” to move on.
In fact, she is expected to start negotiations for a new contract after her return in September. Her current contract runs until December. Rumors about her future on the show began to circulate after Holly reportedly went on summer break “two weeks earlier” than usual. But her summer vacation schedule is no different from last year.
From what I understand, the plan is to have Holly lined up Monday through Thursday with a rotating roster of presenters (like Josie Gibson and Craig Doyle) in the fall. Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond are expected to be back largely as Friday’s team.
Poignant annual vigil for the tragic Lucie Blackman
A moving upcoming Netflix documentary reveals that the two Japanese detectives who found the body of British hostess Lucie Blackman in 2001 make an annual pilgrimage to the cave where she was discovered, burning incense and saying prayers.
Deputy Inspector Yuji Nozoe, who found Lucie, and Superintendent Katsuyoshi Abe speak about the investigation for the first time in Missing: The Lucie Blackman Story, out July 26 on the streaming service.
Abe says, “Since then, we go there every year to soothe her spirit and pray that she may rest in peace.” “We’ve been going for 20 years.” The story of how the police suspected wealthy businessman Joji Obara and subsequently found that he drugged, raped and videotaped around 400 women is extraordinary.
Lucie’s father Tim, who campaigned for a full criminal investigation into her disappearance in July 2000, is also interviewed for the documentary.
The 21-year-old from Sevenoaks, Kent, was a flight attendant for British Airways before moving to Tokyo, where she worked in a bar before disappearing without a trace.
“Sopranos” star Michael Imperioli laments that he is suffering from an unusual twist on the selfie trend thanks to his role as mobster Christopher Moltisanti.
“Some people want to take a picture with me and pretend I have a gun to their head, but I never will,” he says. ‘Sick [pretend] strangle her. . . but I will not put a gun to their heads.’
ALISON BOSHOFF: Sopranos star Michael Imperioli laments he’s suffering from an unusual twist on the selfie craze thanks to his role as mobster Christopher Moltisanti