EDEN CONFIDENTIAL: Breeding ‘eck! Ben Goldsmith risks local anger with his amorous swine
Neighbours of multi-millionaire Ben Goldsmith have long suspected he was responsible for the sudden appearance of wild boar in his fashionable corner of the West Country.
Goldsmith has shaken things up since deciding to ‘rewild’ his £3.8 million estate in deepest Somerset, attracting beavers, boar and deer to the sleepy, rolling countryside — and as I revealed earlier this year, he recently bought a pair of wildcats.
Though the nature campaigner and financier strenuously denies ever releasing boar, insisting they are content to trample around his grounds, I can reveal that he has bred some feral pigs.
He plans to give them out to his friends who are ‘rewilding’ their estates.
Ben Goldsmith has shaken things up since deciding to ‘rewild’ his £3.8 million estate in deepest Somerset and has bred some feral pigs
Neighbours of multi-millionaire Ben Goldsmith have long suspected he was responsible for the sudden appearance of wild boar in his fashionable corner of the West Country
Goldsmith, 40, admits that he has recently welcomed a litter of ‘suspiciously stripy’ piglets to his menagerie.
‘I use Tamworth pigs on my grounds to root up the soil and promote the growth of wild plants.
‘It appears a rogue wild boar sneaked into the pen where I keep my Tamworths and knocked up the sow!’
The family seems rather happy, however. ‘I am not sure her mate knows he has been cuckolded!’ Goldsmith jokes.
He says the ‘illicit liaison’ was a ‘happy accident’ and hopes to give the piglets to his friends with estates, adding: ‘I can give these to people wanting to do the same sort of thing with their land as I am. They are very sweet.’
Goldsmith, 40, admits that he has recently welcomed a litter of ‘suspiciously stripy’ piglets to his menagerie and plans to give them to his friends who are ‘rewilding’ their estates
His ‘rewilded’ estate has attracted beavers, boar and deer (pictured: escaped deer) but the nature campaigner denies ever releasing boar
This newspaper recently revealed that the son of late billionaire James Goldsmith was accused of setting boar loose after he sent a text recalling an incident when ‘some of my wild boar got loose and try as I might I was unable to retrieve them’.
However, he explained he would never release these animals — a crime that carries a prison sentence of up to two years — and says he typed the words ‘wild boar’ in error when he really meant to type ‘pigs’ because ‘I must have been typing on my phone while driving’.
While Goldsmith may be as happy as a pig in muck about the new additions to his farm, I wonder what his neighbours will think?
WHY MAMMA MIA MAESTRO IS NOW THE NEW QUEEN OF POP
Mamma Mia! Judy Craymer, the creator of the hit musical, has become the most powerful woman in pop, in charge of artists such as Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber.
I can reveal she has been crowned a director of Universal Music Group — whose catalogue includes The Beatles and of course ABBA.
It’s been a whirlwind for Craymer, 64, who in the space of 20 years has gone from a relatively unknown theatre producer to running the careers of the world’s most famous pop musicians.
Judy Craymer (pictured in 2018), the creator of hit musical Mamma Mia, has become the most powerful woman in pop, in charge of artists such as Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber
She was on the Queen’s Birthday Honours list of 2007 and was honoured with an MBE for her contribution to the music industry. What a super trouper!
It’s a dog’s life for Sir Edward Leigh, who has been asked to keep his spirited foxhound under control after it caused havoc in Hyde Park.
The Tory grandee, 71, goes for a bracing dip in the icy-cold waters of the Serpentine each morning — and lets Monty run amok as he does so.
‘Sir Edward has been reminded by the swimming club to keep his dog under control,’ says my man with a snorkel.
‘He glides around the pond serenely while his hound tears about frightening the geese!’
SPOTTED: GEORGIA MAY’S A PRINTS FAN FOR JADE’S 50TH
While Sir Mick Jagger is tirelessly touring the U.S. with the Rolling Stones, his sun-seeking daughter Georgia May is having a far more relaxing time in the Caribbean.
The Chanel model, 29, whose mother is Texan bombshell Jerry Hall, is in Mustique where Mick, 78, owns a luxurious compound that rents for £21,500 a week.
While Sir Mick Jagger is tirelessly touring the U.S. with the Rolling Stones, his sun-seeking daughter Georgia May (pictured) is having a far more relaxing time in the Caribbean
Georgia is there to celebrate the 50th birthday of her half-sister Jade (pictured in October 2017), whose mother is Mick’s first wife, activist Bianca Jagger
It is, however, by no means your run-of-the-mill island getaway: she’s there to celebrate the 50th birthday of her half-sister Jade, whose mother is Mick’s first wife, activist Bianca Jagger.
‘A week in paradise to celebrate Jade,’ gushes Georgia, who was not afraid to turn friends green with envy as she shared a picture of herself on the beach in matching leopard-print bikini bottoms with Ally Hilfiger, daughter of designer Tommy.
Lady Antonia Fraser believes future historians will judge the treatment of Margaret Thatcher ‘sexist’. The 89-year-old author has faced sexism herself.
She tells me: ‘A prominent male historian once asked why ‘a nice middle-class lady’ had written a book about Oliver Cromwell. I responded: ‘I’m not nice, and I’m not middle class — but I am a Lady!”
First he opened a champagne bar in London, now Luther actor Idris Elba appears to be moving into clothing.
I can reveal the smartly-dressed entrepreneur, 49, has applied for a trademark for the word ‘Coupledom’, the name of a podcast he hosts with wife Sabrina. The trademark covers all clothing types.
Perhaps one day I will be able to sip Idris champagne while sporting an Elba blazer…
LADY LIZA SNAPS AT SELFIE SET
If Lady Liza Campbell follows you on Instagram — don’t post a selfie!
The celebrated artist, 62, says she has had to delete some of her famous friends off social media because of the ‘narcissistic’ trend.
Lady Liza Campbell, 62, (pictured with Bill Nighy) says she has had to delete some of her famous friends off social media because of the ‘narcissistic’ trend to post selfies
‘I love sharing photos but it really brings out the narcissists doesn’t it? I’ve had to delete a few!’ Lady Liza tells me at the opening of her Life’s Too Short To Live In Black And White exhibition at Fitzrovia Gallery, attended by actor Bill Nighy, left.
‘You realise how many people just want to use it to showcase photos of themselves.’
Princess Diana trusted her royal dressmaker perhaps more than anyone else when it came to creating her iconic gowns.
Now, I can reveal that Chelsea-based Catherine Walker & Co has enlisted Timothy Gordon to value their stash of her famous frocks.
Timothy, who valued Diana’s dress collection at Kensington Palace in 2009, says: ‘I have been engaged to appraise a magical collection of the Princess’s gowns’, adding that he was ‘thrilled’ to do so.
Perhaps the collection will be put up for sale? In 2019, a dress Diana wore to dance with John Travolta at the White House sold for £264,000.
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