She has a classic, delicate beauty and carries herself with grace and confidence, likely due to her privileged upbringing and education.
Despite her success, actress Lily James, known for her role in Downton Abbey, has faced a string of unsuccessful relationships.
Oh, my gosh, she dated Matt Smith – the Doctor Who, the youngest one ever! I was so invested in those two. It absolutely crushed me when they broke up in 2019, after five whole years together. Seriously, my heart broke with hers. It just felt…wrong. I still think about it, honestly.
She then took a safari trip with a friend and made subtle, critical comments about ‘cheetahs’ online.
In October 2020, photos surfaced of her affectionately close with married actor Dominic West while on a scooter in Rome. They were in the city to see their mutual agent, who had recently welcomed a new baby.
Despite rumors, West and his wife, Catherine, publicly maintained that their marriage was doing well at a photo opportunity held at their home in Wiltshire. Lily remained silent on the matter.
By 2021, Lily had primarily moved to Los Angeles and was in a relationship with Michael Shuman, known as ‘Mikey Shoes,’ the bassist for the rock band Queens Of The Stone Age. He was four years older than her, and the relationship lasted until 2023.
Is Disney’s Cinderella finally linked to a real-life Prince Charming? Many are wondering if handsome stuntman Bobby Holland Hanton, known for his tattoos and impressive physique, could be the one.
He’s worked as a body double for many famous actors, including Daniel Craig and Ryan Reynolds, but he’s best known for his work with Chris Hemsworth.
For the last decade, 41-year-old Bobby has worked as Chris Hemsworth’s main body double and stuntman, and the two have become close friends. Bobby considers Hemsworth his best friend—they even went to Wimbledon together last year.
He likely met Lily, 36, while filming Hemsworth’s new action movie, Subversion, a submarine thriller shot on Australia’s Gold Coast starting last September.
Although Bobby and Lily weren’t photographed together while filming and don’t appear on each other’s social media, they were spotted as a couple at the Red Lion pub in Fareham, Hampshire, last Friday, revealing their relationship.
The pub announced on Facebook that Lily James, known for her role in Downton Abbey, and Bobby Hanton, a stuntman from the Thor movies, stopped by for a visit. They had a drink, played some pool, and even won over the staff’s children, who became instant fans!
A picture showed Lily with Bobby’s arm around her and the pair holding hands and laughing.
Their relationship seemed to become public on Thursday night when he and Lily went to the London premiere of the movie Crime 101, featuring Hemsworth.
Bobby, as usual, was working as Chris Hemsworth’s stunt double, but it’s surprising to note that Lily isn’t part of the movie’s cast.
Both of them shared photos from the event on Instagram. Although they didn’t tag each other in the posts, she’s visibly happy and photographing him in the pictures.
Regarding their night out last week, the pub they visited might not seem glamorous, but it’s actually Bobby’s hometown area. He grew up in nearby Portsmouth and was a talented gymnast before becoming an actor in Hollywood.
Tony Singleton, 70, recently shared with The Mail on Sunday how proud he is of his son. He emphasized that his son’s accomplishments are a direct result of his own dedication and effort, and that he truly deserves all the success he’s achieved.
He mentioned seeing him last week with Lily James, who he believes is his new girlfriend, although he wasn’t certain if their relationship was official. He didn’t get a chance to speak with him this time because he seemed very occupied.
The group visited the Red Lion and Green Dragon pubs in Portsmouth and seemed to enjoy themselves.
When asked about a potential long-term relationship, Mr. Singleton said he hopes things work out with Bobby, noting that Bobby is wonderful with children and is over 40. He emphasized how much Bobby adores and connects with kids.
Lily deeply values family, often saying it’s the most important part of life. Growing up in a loving family has shaped her belief that eventually, sharing life with loved ones is what truly matters.
Bobby’s had relationships in the entertainment industry before. He’s been married privately, but it’s known he’s also dated actress Lucy Benjamin, who is 14 years older than him, and reality star Maura Higgins, who is 35.
I remember when he got engaged to Lucy Benjamin – it was such a surprise! He was only 20, and she was incredibly famous at the time, having just ended things with Steve McFadden, who everyone knew as Phil Mitchell from EastEnders. It was a real whirlwind romance, and everyone was talking about it.
Bobby Hanton and Ms. Benjamin ended their relationship because he decided he didn’t want to get married.
He married Rachel Hunter in 2018. She currently works as an aesthetician in Wimbledon, southwest London.
He and Rachel frequently enjoyed drinks with Chris Hemsworth and Elsa, his wife, when they were all together.
Even though Bobby and his ex-partner separated after four years, he’s still very close to her daughter, Tayla. He even took Tayla, his former stepdaughter, as his date to a movie premiere in 2023.
Maura Higgins and her partner dated for ten months, ending in March 2024. About a year later, Ms. Higgins was seen kissing Danny Jones from the band McFly after the Brit Awards, while both were intoxicated.
Bobby Hanton, born in 1984 to Jane and Tony, is someone Lily James is connected to. He grew up in Fareham, attending Castle Primary School and later Portchester High School.
Bobby wasn’t very interested in schoolwork; his true love was gymnastics. He started training when he was just four years old, and his parents strongly supported him. He progressed quickly, joining the British Gymnastics Association and eventually making it onto the national team. However, he grew very tall – over six feet – which made it difficult to continue competing at the highest level.
I was so interested to read his interview! He shared that he stopped doing gymnastics at 17 and actually started playing semi-professional football. He definitely sees his gymnastics background as what helped him get started and build a foundation for everything else – it really set him up for success.
I developed a strong understanding of my body and how it moves, which has been really helpful in my current work. While studying Sport Science in college, I saw an advertisement for a live acrobatic show with high diving at Legoland and decided to audition.
I successfully auditioned for a performance and worked for a full three-month season. After that, I auditioned and got a role as an acrobat in a Christmas pantomime, which led to consistent work in shows afterwards.
He learned about the British Stunt Register – the main professional organization in the stunt industry – through fellow former gymnasts. To become a member, he needed to get certified in six different areas, so he began training for those qualifications.
As his career as a stunt performer was taking off, he began dating actress Lucy Benjamin. They were frequently seen together at events in London, and reports surfaced in September 2004 that they were planning to get married. However, they ended up breaking up the following year instead.
His father, Tony, explained that the relationship didn’t work out because Bobby wanted to focus on his career. He believed getting married would have distracted him and altered his plans for the future.
Tony’s opportunity finally arrived. He remembers that after working at Thorpe Park and still training in schools, his boss arranged a meeting for him – a casual chat with a man at a pub.
‘That man turned out to be the stunt co-ordinator for the James Bond films.’
Bobby stepped in as Daniel Craig’s stunt double in the 2008 movie, Quantum of Solace.
‘And the rest,’ says Tony, ‘is history.’
His family said Bobby continued to collaborate with Craig on the James Bond films Skyfall and Spectre.
His father recalled a specific stunt for James Bond where the agent had to leap between balconies that were quite far apart. The stuntman hired for the job refused to do it unless safety nets were used.
‘Bobby stepped forward and said: “I can do it.” and he completed the stunt.’
Mr. Hanton once described getting an audition to be James Bond’s stunt double in Quantum of Solace. They were looking for someone around six feet tall with acrobatic abilities, and he thought it was a dream opportunity – the ultimate job for any stunt performer.
I had several tough auditions at Pinewood Studios with the stunt crew, and thankfully, I was hired. Originally, it was meant to be a six-week job, but it ended up lasting six months.
Working with a top-tier stunt team was an incredible learning experience, and I had to adapt and pick things up fast.
It was a challenging first job where I quickly had to learn on the go, with little margin for mistakes. The experience was intense, but I gained a lot of valuable skills that continue to shape my career even now.
Following his work on the Bond films, he quickly found plenty of new opportunities as superhero movies became increasingly popular. He performed stunts for Ryan Reynolds in The Green Lantern, Chris Evans in Captain America, and even stood in for Christian Bale as Batman in The Dark Knight Rises.
The biggest turning point in his life came when he was asked to be Chris Hemsworth’s body double in the 2013 film, Thor: The Dark World.
Bobby explained that getting in shape was incredibly challenging, particularly because his opponent, Chris, was taller and much more muscular than him.
‘Every morning and night I’d be in the gym, and I had to eat eight meals a day.
I used to eat frequently throughout the day, starting with a large breakfast of scrambled eggs, steak, and spinach. Then, about two hours later, I’d have chicken and salad, followed by substantial lunch and dinner meals, and snacks in between.
Training with Chris was definitely demanding, but honestly, it was his fantastic sense of humor that really got me through it. He was always cracking jokes, which was a lifesaver for keeping stress at bay. It made the whole experience so much more enjoyable, even when things got tough!
We connected immediately, and he was so grateful he gave me a watch. He was also incredibly generous and offered to include me in his contract as his stunt double for all his upcoming films, which I was thrilled about.
To stay in the same incredible shape as the Australian actor, he’s committed to a rigorous workout schedule: six days a week, with two sessions each day.
Bobby doesn’t seem to mind sharing the spotlight with Hemsworth, actually calling him his best friend. They even attended Wimbledon together last year, and Bobby was featured in Hemsworth’s Disney+ documentary, Limitless, which focuses on ways to maximize physical health and longevity.
Bobby’s work as a stuntman has led to a glamorous life filled with travel and celebrity encounters. He often shares photos on social media of his luxurious vacations in beautiful hotels all over the globe.
It’s certainly impressive to his family back in Hampshire.
Aunt Pauline Hutton shared with the Mail on Sunday that the family is amazed by his achievements and how much money he’s made. She even suggested he’s earning more than Chris Hemsworth!
Honestly, it’s almost unbelievable, but as his dad, Tony, always points out, Bobby Hanton from Portsmouth has really made something of himself. It’s inspiring to see someone achieve so much, and a testament to hard work and determination!
It’s wonderful when he’s home, though he’s very busy. I’m incredibly proud of everything he’s achieved; he makes the whole family proud.
Currently, this confident, traditionally masculine man appears to be a good match for Lily James, the actress known for her classic beauty and English charm.
Additional reporting Jaya Narain
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2026-02-01 20:27