Scottish Daily Mail

GAME OF HOMES

Madden set to snap up luxury pad in the States... but will he be there alone after love split?

- By Liam Ross

HIS star is on the rise after his Golden Globe win and amid rumours he will be the next 007.

So it seems only right that Scottish actor Richard Madden has set his sights on a multi-million-pound home fit for a Hollywood heavyweigh­t.

The Game of Thrones and Bodyguard heartthrob last week went to view a £4.2million mansion in Hidden Hills, Los Angeles.

The property boasts seven bedrooms, a spa and infinity pool – but there is speculatio­n that Madden, from Elderslie, Renfrewshi­re, will have to live there alone following a reported split from his model girlfriend.

The 32-year-old Scot attended the viewing alone and was said to be ‘struck’ by the California estate, which includes a gym, home cinema, barbecue and fire pit, and overlooks a golf course.

A real estate agent said: ‘He was blown away by the location and also highly impressed with security arrangemen­ts.

‘He was struck by how quiet and peaceful Hidden Hills is, despite only being a half-hour drive from Hollywood.’

It comes after Madden’s reported split from 21-year-old English model and actress Ellie Bamber. She is said to have ended their relationsh­ip last month after their lives ended up ‘worlds apart’.

The pair’s romance came to light in August 2017, when they were pictured kissing while on holiday in Ibiza.

Miss Bamber – currently starring in the BBC’s Les Miserables – did not attend last Sunday’s Golden Globe Awards with Madden, who picked up the prize for best actor in a television drama series for his role as Bodyguard’s hunky war veteran turned protection officer David Budd.

The Scot thanked his co-star Keeley Hawes, Bodyguard writer Jed Mercurio and his friends and family during his speech – but did not mention Miss Bamber.

The pair were believed to have been considerin­g couples’ therapy to try to resolve their issues but later decided it would be best to separate.

Madden’s prospectiv­e new home is a far cry from his upbringing in Elderslie, where he said he was bullied as a schoolboy because he was overweight.

He previously said that while growing up in his ‘rough’ home town he suffered ‘constant humiliatio­n’. The star has also described how he joined a youth theatre school to help improve his confidence after being bullied – but was then picked on for being a performer.

Madden told GQ magazine: ‘It was rough. My high school was really rough. Growing up was just constant humiliatio­n, really.

‘I went to youth theatre to try to get a bit more confidence in myself.’

Madden added: ‘In hindsight, maybe not the best move to try and fit into a rough, very masculine school to say, “Now I do song and dance!”. Yeah, exactly. I got bullied.’

Asked if he was still affected by the experience­s, the actor – who made his name as Robb Stark in Game of Thrones – said the bullying remained ‘a huge hangover around me today’.

Representa­tives for Madden and Miss Bamber were approached for comment.

 ??  ?? Fit for Bond: The Scot viewed this £4.2million mansion in Los Angeles last week All over? Richard Madden with his actress girlfriend Ellie Bamber last June
Fit for Bond: The Scot viewed this £4.2million mansion in Los Angeles last week All over? Richard Madden with his actress girlfriend Ellie Bamber last June

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