Star Amanda ‘devastated’ after Duchy rule break
BRITAIN’S Got Talent TV star Amanda Holden has been left “devastated” after angry neighbours reported her to the police after she drove over 200 miles from London to the West Country in lockdown.
The Britain’s Got Talent judge drove more than 200 miles to Cornwall in order to visit her parents after receiving a “distressing” phone call from her stepfather Leslie, 75.
National newspapers reported that the 49-year-old drove from her home in Richmond upon Thames to Cornwall to see both Leslie and her mum Judith, 71, on Friday.
It came after Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez urged celebrities to avoid visiting the region during the third national lockdown last month.
Following the incident, Amanda said that she’s devastated that she had to do what she did, however her representative explained that it had been an emergency and that the star takes Covid-19 rules very seriously.
He told the Mirror: “Amanda is aware that all families are going through difficulty during these turbulent times but received a distressing telephone call from her elderly father on Friday afternoon.
“On balance Amanda felt the roundtrip to Cornwall was necessary to contain the matter at her family home.
“The very personal situation has now been aided and Amanda is back in London.”
He added: “Amanda did not act on a whim and has adhered to Covid rules every step of the way in all three lockdowns. Amanda is aware of the travel rules and is devastated she had to break them on this one occasion.
“Her parents are vaccinated and with Amanda testing for Covid weekly (and is negative), she felt she was not putting her parents at risk. She did not come in contact with any member of the public.”
According to The Sun, furious neighbours have reported the star to the police, accusing her of endangering key workers and vulnerable people in the area.
She had been spotted being dropped off at her parents’ home in a black Mercedes, and locals were enraged to realise she’d travelled 215 miles during lockdown to visit them.
It’s understood that Amanda had not seen her mum and stepdad for a year.