Tory peer turfed out of gentlemen’s club over ‘foul behaviour’

His downfall has been swift and dramatic. He’s lost a remarkable amount in a short time, including what many considered Ireland’s most stunning home, a multi-million pound townhouse in London, a large estate in England, and a valuable collection of classic paintings worth over thirty million pounds.

Lord Magan, a wealthy former Conservative Party treasurer once worth around £200 million, wasn’t at his lowest point when he went bankrupt in 2020. Things would actually get even harder for him after that.

The situation came to a head this week in an embarrassing incident at the London Turf Club. Magan, age 79, has been a long-time member, alongside prominent figures like the Dukes of Beaufort and Rutland, the Marquess of Bristol, several earls, and Lord Hesketh, who also previously served as treasurer for the Conservative Party.

I heard he was removed from the club. The decision was made during a committee meeting. Magan, who attended the meeting, said they gave him two weeks to resign, or he would be kicked out.

This is a remarkably unusual situation. As one racing insider put it, expelling a member is incredibly rare – typically, a quiet conversation is enough to encourage them to resign, particularly if they haven’t been paying their dues.

Magan, who initially became wealthy through the private equity firm Hambro Magan – which he started with banker Rupert Hambro – appears to be different from others. One person told me he treated an employee very badly. This might surprise his wife, Wendy, whom he married in 1972. They later lived at Castletown Cox in County Kilkenny, Ireland, in a lavish lifestyle, according to a guest, with a large staff including butlers and other helpers.

Magan’s wealth decreased over time. In 2018, after owning Castletown for 19 years, he sold it for £18 million but continued to live there as a renter. Unfortunately, he fell behind on his rent by £500,000 just a year later.

Wendy believed her £6 million Kensington home was financially safe, but she discovered her husband, Magan, had secretly taken out a huge mortgage on it. This led to their bankruptcy. She then moved into a flat owned by a family trust, only to be evicted just before Christmas, as I previously reported.

Magan appears strongly committed to remaining at the Turf, expressing surprise and disappointment regarding the accusations against him, which he believes are completely unfounded.

He also mentioned having many close, long-standing friends, including several members of staff. He believes it’s highly probable that a special meeting will be held to discuss possible alternative plans.

As a longtime observer of relationships, I’ve seen my share of post-divorce drama, and the recent claims surrounding Sir Salman Rushdie and Padma Lakshmi are certainly grabbing headlines. Apparently, Padma alleged that Salman ended their marriage because of a health issue impacting intimacy, calling her a ‘bad investment.’ Well, Salman has come out swinging, calling those claims ‘total bull.’ He admits it’s affected how he feels about her, but interestingly, they’re currently on better terms, though he doesn’t see a social future with her. It just goes to show, even after years, breakups can leave lasting impressions – and sometimes, a bit of lingering awkwardness!

Myleene’s meals go cold

Myleene Klass, the TV presenter, started a meal-kit company to offer tasty, restaurant-style meals at home. It launched during the pandemic when people were eating more convenience food, and featured options like duck cassoulet and roasted sea bream.

The company initially looked very promising, even receiving support from Ed Woodward, who was a vice chairman at Manchester United at the time. However, it’s now facing financial difficulties. I can reveal that My Supper Hero has entered liquidation, with total debts of £348,000, including over £15,000 owed to its staff.

Myleene, 47, founded the firm with restaurant entrepreneur Jamie Barber.

(Very) modern manners

Penny Mordaunt’s new book, ‘Pomp & Circumstance,’ explores the importance of British traditions, but it won’t be available in the United States until next year.

Dame Penny shared that at least one American has already gotten a copy of the book – the President of the United States himself.

The former defence secretary, known for playfully brandishing swords during King Charles’s coronation, said she sent copies of photos to both Donald Trump and the King, explaining that they ‘brighten people’s day’.

Penny Mordaunt, age 52, also noted that President Trump seemed to enjoy traditional displays of British pageantry, so she believes he would appreciate the coronation ceremony.

Donald Trump, now 79, often talks about how his Scottish mother admired the British monarchy and its customs. He’s said, ‘She really loved the Queen… she appreciated the pageantry and elegance of it all.’

Whitehall’s fiancee ‘just can’t wait’ to marry comedian

Comedian Jack Whitehall and his partner Roxy Horner are getting ready to get married soon!

At the opening of the new Box Piccadilly sports bar in London, Roxy shared that wedding planning is going smoothly and she’s managing to stay calm throughout the process.

The 34-year-old model shared that wedding plans are progressing nicely and she’s really looking forward to it. She joked that she definitely won’t be a ‘bridezilla’ and is keeping things relaxed. The mother to one-year-old Elsie, born in 2023, added that she’s not stressing over small details.

‘I just can’t wait to get married. As long as I’ve got a dress, a venue, and my man, I’m good.’

Roxy, 37, is eager to officially become Jack’s partner, and she already feels like she belongs with his family.

‘They’ve always been [family] to me – now we’re just making it official.’

Banksy, the famously anonymous graffiti artist, has long avoided public attention – some reports in 2008 even suggested he was a privately educated man named Robin Gunningham from Bristol. However, fellow street artist Lee Quinones recently shared a surprising encounter. At an event at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Quinones saw Banksy with his team around 3 a.m. and witnessed Banksy’s frustration when something went wrong with the project. According to Quinones, Banksy was shocked that his team had let him down.

Adventurer’s next test? Finding love

Ladies, please line up! Hugo Turner, one half of the popular Turner Twins known from TV for their incredible adventures – like rowing across the Atlantic, reaching the North Pole, and climbing Himalayan mountains – is now searching for his biggest challenge yet: finding love.

Hugo, 37, revealed he’s currently single and using the dating app Raya while at a party hosted by Crafted By True at Drake’s in Mayfair.

Hugo isn’t focused on romance right now, but he’s open to finding someone he connects with on a deep level, regardless of their interests. While his brother Ross is starting a family with his partner, Rosie Tapner, who is pregnant, Hugo is excited about becoming an uncle and experiencing family life in a different way.

Thirty years after recording “Where the Wild Roses Grow” together, Kylie Minogue and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds seem to have a fond history, as Cave has expressed missing their collaboration. Both are Australian artists.

You know, people are always asking me about inspiration, and honestly, it comes from the most unexpected places! I was chatting at the London Literature Festival recently, and I shared a rather… unusual dream I had. It involved Kylie Minogue’s hot pants – yes, you heard that right! And, believe it or not, I’ve actually touched them. It’s a funny little story, and it just goes to show you never know where your creative sparks will come from!

He described seeing Kylie Minogue’s golden pants from her ‘Spinning Around’ music video at a museum in Melbourne. Visitors are even allowed to touch them, but must wear white gloves.

Director took me for Bollywood star

They say to never meet your heroes.

Jameela Jamil, known for her role in The Good Place, recently shared a story about a mix-up with a very famous director. He apparently confused her with actress Priyanka Chopra.

Oh my god, you will NOT believe this! Jameela was sixteen, working at a video store, when she met him. And years later, she was at lunch and he just… recognized her! Well, not her, exactly. He yelled ‘Hey!’ and she was completely shocked he’d remember her after all this time. Then he asks about ‘Quantico’ – Priyanka Chopra’s show! Can you imagine? He totally mistook her for Priyanka! She was mortified, but honestly, it’s amazing he remembered her at all, even if it was the wrong person. I’m obsessed with this story!

She tells comic Romesh Ranganathan that she impersonated Priyanka’s Indian accent for five minutes.

She explains that it’s not necessarily racist, despite their different appearances. He simply enjoyed spending time with her.

Sam Heughan, the 45-year-old star of Outlander, is famous for his muscular physique, which he’s worked hard to maintain for years. However, a large meal he ate in Argentina caused him some trouble while performing in a touring production of Batman. He revealed that he battled food poisoning while having to fight off a crowd of 200 villains as Batman, making the scene particularly challenging.

The smart set’s talking about… the costly coronet of Lords’ last Craigavon

He was one of the original members of the motorcycle group for Parliament members. While some, like Viscount Falkland, preferred a Moto Guzzi California and the Earl of Denbigh chose a Harley Davidson, he opted for a compact, foldable Honda Motocompo. As Viscount Craigavon explained, it was ‘small enough to fit under the security barriers at the House of Lords’.

When Lord Craigavon died in March at the age of 80, it marked the end of both his motorcycle riding and his hereditary title. The title had been originally given to his grandfather, James Craig, who was the first prime minister of Northern Ireland.

Despite having two sisters, a nephew, and four nieces, the 3rd Viscount didn’t have any sons. This meant the title couldn’t be inherited.

The tiara came from a female ancestor, so it’s not surprising it sold for a high price at a Duke’s auction in Dorset last week. It fetched £5,400, much more than the expected £1,000 to £2,000.

I wonder what Lord Craigavon’s crash helmet would fetch?

2025-11-01 04:35