It’s Downton 2021! Beau of F1 heiress Petra revs up reality show

HAVING brought out a new solo album at the age of 78, Sir Paul McCartney sighs that critics have been hailing the end of his career for almost 30 years. ‘Everything I do is always supposed to be my last. When I was 50 — “That’s his last tour.” And I was like: “Oh, is it? I don’t think so.” It’s the rumour mill, but that’s OK.’

FORMULA 1’s former boss Bernie Ecclestone, who is worth £ 2.5 billion, once warned his daughter, Tamara, against the perils of reality television before she starred in a series about her life called Billion $$ Girl.

But it fell on deaf ears then, and his future son-in-law, Sam Palmer, who is engaged to Ecclestone’s youngest daughter, Petra, obviously has no reservations about the concept either because he is taking the plunge so he can lift the lid on the ‘demanding’ lives of the rich and famous.

I can reveal the 37-year-old from Essex will star in a new docu-series dubbed ‘the modern-day Downton Abbey’ which will shed light on the lifestyles of the wealthy by following the concierge service he launched earlier this year, called Staffing Properties.

‘I don’t want this to be another “look at the glamorous life” of everything,’ Sam tells me.

‘It will show the glitz and glamour, but it will also show all the hardworking people involved and the very high demands of the people who live in these homes.’

Former recruitment consultant Sam has an eight- month- old daughter with Petra, 32, to whom he became engaged in 2018 following her divorce from businessman James Stunt, who is the father of her three elder children.

The family recently moved to

Monaco after selling their 123-room mega-mansion, The Manor, in Los Angeles for £97 million.

‘There are a lot of shows out there, like Million Dollar Listing and Selling Sunset, that show you when a house sells, but they don’t show you how to run it,’ adds Sam.

‘ There are problems with running such a large home. Obviously we live this life — I have first-hand experience.’

Petra, however, has declined to take part in her partner’s venture.

‘We’re not bringing the cameras into our home,’ he explains. ‘They wanted to, but we said no. Petra doesn’t want to show our home life. I obviously do run a business that deals with people’s personal lives, so I will be on it.’

The show is being developed by London-based production company, Renowned Films, and Sam has been given creative control.

They will pitch it to broadcasters and digital platforms in the New Year. ‘ We hope to roll out many seasons,’ he adds.