Celebrity moves- August 2017

The old saying goes that only death and taxes are certain and that all the rest is down to choices. Career decisions can be made more complicated when affairs of the heart take centre stage and celebrities aren’t immune to such difficulties. Indeed, major career breakthroughs can occur at a time when their personal lives are undergoing major changes. To put things in perspective: rock legends, Fleetwood Mac somehow managed to record their enduring masterpiece, “Rumours” while band members where going through multiple break ups, affairs and rehab. Creativity out of chaos, maybe?

That’s the way love goes

It seemed when soul superstar, Janet Jackson settled down in London with Qatari mogul, Wissam Al Mana, that she was ready to adjust to life outside the celebrity fame bubble. The arrival of their son seemed to confirm this and sightings of Michael Jackson’s kid sister dwindled accordingly. News of the couple’s split has, therefore, caught many celeb watchers completely by surprise and now it seems that Jackson is set for a return to touring as well as the single life.

Removal men were seen moving the “Control” singer’s possessions out of the family home and as she plans to maintain a base in London, property must be high on Janet’s list of priorities. With a combined fortune of over £1 billion, there won’t be any need for a budget as such, so luxury townhouses in Belgravia or Knightsbridge would probably suffice. Al Mana, like many Qataris has strong links with London and although Jackson may want to base some of her music operations in Los Angeles, she will want to be able to fly in and out of Heathrow with minimum fuss. Properties like this, right next to Harrods, put you right in the epicentre of the lifestyles of the rich and famous.

Blue heaven

Premiership champions, Chelsea, were always going to need a world class striker, no matter how the situation with the temperamental Diego Costa panned out. However, all the European glamour clubs are on the prowl and manager Antonio Conte has had to act decisively. As a result, Spanish international Alvaro Morata has joined the Blues from Real Madrid for £58 million. A deal that was made all the more satisfying because it was completed right under the noses of Manchester United who were actually willing to pay substantially more.

Expect plenty of psychological warfare from United’s Jose Mourinho as Morata settles in at his new Stamford Bridge home. The striker will probably want to live near Chelsea’s Surrey training ground but may also consider properties in and around the trendy SW3 and SW6 districts where he has rented a family home before. Larger apartments in Imperial Wharf have proved to be handy stop gaps for transient footballing millionaires in the past, so don’t be surprised if you see Alvaro enjoying a meal or two with friends in the vicinity.

Two to tango

Apart from providing excitement for TV audiences across Britain, Strictly Come Dancing has been a hotbed of romance as couples tend to spend intense weeks in each other’s pockets while perfecting their steps. Aljaz Skorjanec and Janette Manrara are the latest couple to have fallen in love while filming the series and they tied the knot in July. The wedding was a paparazzi’s dream with Pixie Lott, Louise Redknapp and Frankie Bridge all adding extra glamour to proceedings.

Aljaz and Janette are both professional dancers with busy schedules that include workshops, theatre work and promotional duties, as well as TV appearances. Their North London home serves as a handy base, but Janette is determined to start a family soon which means that more space will be required. This Highgate home would be ideal. There’s plenty of room for a nursery as well as for dancing. They’ll also enjoy lovely outside space and a charming village location that are guaranteed to inspire them while they perfect their intricate routines.

Acting up

There’s nothing more deflating than rocking up to your favourite bar/restaurant/hangout, only to discover that it’s no longer trading there. It’s doubly infuriating when the new location is located in some bland precinct half way across town, leaving the old place to be developed into a gym or worst still, a nail bar. Joe Allen is a Covent Garden institution that luckily escaped this fate. Faced with relocation, the owners were lucky enough to bag a spot just 40 yards around the corner.

As a result, the old venue was stripped of all its distinctive features and reassembled in the new location, keeping all the old character and atmosphere intact. The owners are hopeful that the many members of the acting fraternity that regularly use Joe Allen as a post-theatre watering hole might not even know the difference. Property wise, the West End is full of hidden gems that are ideal bases for forays into Theatreland.

If you’re looking for a new property to rent in London, we’ve got lots of property in areas where you could be rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous. Call us on 020 7435 9681 or to find out what’s available, search our property listings.