Locals blast ‘utterly selfish’ billionaire over fireworks

After getting to know Tony Blair, he spent a fortune – £28 million on his daughter’s wedding, £64 million on Bernie Ecclestone’s London townhouse, and another £5 million donating to the Labour Party.

Last year, billionaire Lakshmi Mittal, 75, reportedly moved from the UK to become a resident of Switzerland. He still plans to spend a lot of time in Dubai, where he recently purchased a lavish £152 million mansion in an exclusive, upscale gated community often compared to Beverly Hills.

Residents near Alderbrook Park, the sprawling 400-acre Surrey estate owned by the billionaire Mittal, were mistaken if they thought they’d heard the last from him and his family. They’ve since been proven wrong in a disturbing way.

Everything was peaceful and quiet until last Saturday night. That’s when, I can share, the calm countryside was suddenly disrupted by loud and powerful fireworks.

One resident described the fireworks as unlike anything they’d ever seen, saying they were massive and resembled military gunships. They had no idea where such powerful fireworks came from, but they lit up the entire Surrey countryside and even rattled houses with the force of the explosions.

Several people have expressed their annoyance publicly. One horse owner near Alderbrook said their horses bolted when the fireworks began, and even those farther away experienced problems.

Residents near Shamley Green reported being disturbed by loud noises, with one person mentioning animals were frightened. These disturbances continued on Sunday night, starting after 10 PM, causing significant upset. One parent expressed concern about the late timing, as children had school the next day, and another described those responsible as inconsiderate.

The noise travelled much further this time. One resident reported hearing it all the way from Albury Heath, and another in Bramley said it was loud enough to be heard even over the television.

Both Albury Heath and Bramley are four miles from Alderbrook.

The Mittals didn’t offer a statement, but a friend shared that they’ve tried to apologize for any inconvenience caused, even if it wasn’t intentional.

Adds the chum: ‘The last thing the family would want would be to upset residents.’

Some locals have a suggestion: maybe Mrs. Mittal could simply celebrate with a cake next year. One resident believes the initial fireworks were for Mrs. Mittal’s wife, Usha’s, birthday, while the second display marked the Hindu festival of Akshaya Tritiya.

Zawe laments fickle fashion

Zawe Ashton is an actress who frequently attends red carpet events, and is also the partner of actor Tom Hiddleston, known for his role in the Avengers movies.

After giving birth to her second child earlier this year, the 41-year-old actress, recently seen at the Olivier Awards in London, says she now identifies as plus-size. She believes this may make it harder to secure brand partnerships and sponsorships.

She reflects on the experience of becoming plus-sized after not having been before, and navigating that change.

For people with larger bodies, it often feels like brands only pretend to be supportive of women and body positivity – it’s all for show. When you’re a plus-size person, opportunities are rarely offered, and it’s difficult to get help or support.

The sensual secret shared by Jude Law and Jorginho…

The actor, who has an 11-year-old daughter with singer Cat Harding (now married to Jorginho), also enjoys wearing the same kind of appealing cologne as the soccer player.

Perfumer Azzi Glasser shared that soccer player Jorginho recently participated in one of her fragrance workshops in London, as a surprise arranged by his wife.

She mentioned he left wearing ‘Mystere Vetivert,’ a £259 perfume that’s known for being rich, charismatic, and seductive. Apparently, it’s been Jude’s favorite scent for ten years.

‘He buys bottles of it,’ adds Azzi.

Walliams’ ex Lara enjoys a laugh with a giraffe

As one of the world’s most famous supermodels, Lara Stone isn’t easily upstaged.

That’s precisely what occurred when the celebrity featured on the cover of Vogue took a safari trip to Kenya not long ago.

David Walliams’s ex-wife recently visited Giraffe Manor, a unique hotel where giraffes often wander close to guests. She was playfully offered a plate of dried grass pellets to encourage the giraffes to come near her.

She was delighted when one popped its head through the window to sample the snack.

Lara, 42, expressed her joy about her trip to Kenya, posting a funny photo online to share the experience.

‘The unforgettable memories and the magic will stay with me forever.’

Hugh and new love have a (glitter) ball

Hugh Bonneville appears to have swapped Downton for the dancefloor.

Hugh Bonneville, 62, known worldwide for his role as the formal Earl of Grantham in the historical drama Downton Abbey, was recently seen on a date with his girlfriend, 58-year-old vegan activist and social media personality Heidi Kadlecova. The couple playfully coordinated their outfits with sparkly, glitterball-themed looks.

Heidi and Hugh began dating in 2024, after Hugh ended his 25-year marriage to Lulu Williams the year before. Heidi recently posted a photo of them together online, calling Hugh her closest companion.

A far cry from Downton Abbey’s drawing-room decorum.

Green light for Becks’ plan

There’s no doubt Sir David Beckham is a country enthusiast – he recently guest-edited Country Life magazine. And it seems he’s putting that enthusiasm into practice at his £12 million estate, where he’s planning to build a new gravel driveway and get his hands dirty with some gardening.

The council has given its approval, provided Becks creates a wildflower meadow and plants additional trees. However, the council doesn’t want small saplings; Becks prefers larger, more mature trees because they create a more immediate visual effect.

Many distinguished naval officers graduated from the school, as did the well-known personality Jeffrey Bernard and the famously unconventional film director Ken Russell.

Pangbourne College, a private school in Berkshire, is facing a major conflict today. After a century, the school is disbanding its alumni organization, the Old Pangbournian Society. Some former students are strongly objecting to the change, calling the new, more inclusive ‘Pangbourne Community’ overly focused on current trends. One alumnus described the situation as a harsh punishment. While the school insists alumni remain important, some feel excluded and unwelcome by the new direction.

Graham Norton is wasting no time installing the essentials at his new London pad.

I’ve heard that the popular 63-year-old radio host, who recently moved with his husband, filmmaker Jonathan McLeod, has installed a hot tub in his garden. He says he finds the summers aren’t very warm, so the hot tub lets him enjoy being outside even when it’s chilly.

The drinker cheerfully says, ‘There’s nothing better than a glass of wine—even a plastic one—bobbing on the water. That’s what I call a life well-lived!’

Fashion icon Alexa Chung wants to change how we view getting older. She says she’s not afraid of ageing and believes it’s time to embrace it instead of fighting it.

It’s hard to feel embarrassed about getting older when you fully embrace it. When I tell people my age, they often react with surprise and then try to reassure me that I don’t look that old. But I’m perfectly fine with looking and feeling my age. I truly feel the weight of my years, and I’m happy about that – I don’t need to worry about appearing younger.

You’re only 42, love!

(Very) modern manners

Bryan Cranston, the well-known actor from Breaking Bad, has had a long and successful career, but he admits he used to be less aware of social boundaries. Early in his career, he didn’t realize it wasn’t appropriate to casually kiss female friends.

You know, it’s funny how life works! I always say, being genuine and true to yourself really pays off. It certainly did for my friend – he actually met his wife, Robin Dearden, while working on a TV show. He tells the story of a kiss they shared during filming, and it’s hilarious! He jokes that a truly platonic kiss should only last about a second – anything more and things get a little complicated, right?

‘If you go over one second it is no longer platonic. Robin and I did just that.

‘We kissed and we just stayed too long. Something was brewing.’

The couple have been married since 1989 and have a daughter, actress Taylor Dearden, 33.

2026-04-25 04:11