Ellen DeGeneres in hot water over major change at £15 million Cotswolds
Ellen DeGeneres' trajectory from the bright lights of Hollywood to a cosy cul-de-sac in the Cotswolds is like a real-life scene from The Holiday.
The comedienne, 67, reportedly left Los Angeles in 2024 and vowed to "never come back" following President Donald Trump's second election victory. After selling her Montecito mansion, known as Pompeiian Court for $32 million, the former talk show host snapped up a luxurious £15 million farmhouse in the sleepy countryside village, paying £2.5 million over the asking price - and she has big plans to renovate.
According to Eden Confidential for the Daily Mail, Ellen committed a 'technical breach' when building a single-storey extension to the Cotswolds farmhouse she and her wife, Portia de Rossi, 52, call home.
"Three parish councillors feared that it could disturb Roman remains, which prompted them to contact local planning enforcement officers," the report said.
"The onus is on the owner to report any historic remains uncovered," records a note from the parish council minutes.
It adds: "Concern was expressed by residents that the hedge and wire fence could increase flood risk in the village' if rubbish was swept down and 'caught on the fence', thereby 'limiting flow across the field".
You may also like
Jeremy Clarkson issues update on Diddly Squat after Cotswolds farm left 'battling to survive' in storm
How the Cotswolds became the British Bel-Air
Meghan Markle's neighbour Ellen DeGeneres selling Montecito home after just four months - see inside
Ellen DeGeneres' star-studded neighbourhood
She may have fled her star-studded zip code by walking away from Montecito, home to the likes of Prince Harry and Meghan, Oprah Winfrey and Gwyneth Paltrow, but the Finding Dory actress certainly isn't far from famous faces in the Cotswolds.
Dubbed the 'British Bel-Air', the once sleepy West Oxfordshire pocket of villages has turned into one of the most desirable postcodes in the UK, flooded with the celebrity set.
David and Victoria Beckham have become synonymous with the Cotswolds, splitting their time between London, Miami, and their sprawling £12 million farmhouse that backs onto exclusive member's club, Soho Farmhouse.
Jeremy Clarkson, Elizabeth Hurley, and Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi have also traded their buzzy London lifestyle for a quiet life in the countryside.
Ellen and Portia's first Christmas in the UK
Marking their first festive season in the Cotswolds, Ellen posted a cosy selfie with Portia on Instagram against the backdrop of their idyllic countryside retreat. Although the Finding Nemo star didn't go into detail on why they've waved goodbye to the States, they were quick to share an update on their farmhouse."
Looking forward to our first snowy Christmas, P.S. For those of you concerned, our UK farmhouse did NOT flood," seemingly quashing claims that their sparkly new home had suffered from the perils of British weather. A far cry from sunny California indeed.
