Singer James Blunt, known for his role on Celebrity Traitors and his love of London, has revealed his favourite local Italian restaurant, what he considers a 'frightening experience', and why he enjoys watching clubbers return home from horseback.
A Pub Owner's London
Blunt, who spends time between Ibiza and Verbier in Switzerland, works in London often because he owns the Fox & Pheasant pub in Chelsea. He has recently purchased another pub, the Carpenter's Arms, on the border of Hammersmith and Chiswick.
His first London flat was around 1997 on Fulham Palace Road, above a dry cleaners and opposite a Sainsbury's Local. He noted the convenience of being able to walk across a zebra crossing to buy alcohol and the dry cleaners' usefulness for cleaning up after being sick.
Early Career and Favourite Spots
Blunt joined the army in 1996 and served for about six years. After going to Kosovo in 1999, he worked as the Queen's ceremonial bodyguard, based at Hyde Park Barracks. This role allowed him to perform concerts in tiny bars and clubs in north London in the evenings.
For a first date, he recommends the Fox and Pheasant for its romantic atmosphere, or the London Eye at night for a view across the city. He recalled an amazing charity event on the London Eye where Gordon Ramsay did a dinner and a new course was served each time it went round.
Blunt described walking into a shop where a person asks, "Can I help you?" as the most frightening experience, finding it confrontational. He prefers online shopping or researching online before entering a store.
Restaurants and Nightlife
His favourite restaurants include La Famiglia in Chelsea, an Italian where he says the ragu is incredible. He mentioned that neighbours are trying to close it down, calling it a lovely old restaurant that needs protecting. Other favourites are Il Portico on Kensington High Street and Azteca on the King's Road, a Mexican restaurant he finds rather special.
He expressed sadness at the closure of Boujis nightclub and the Hanover Grand, where he used to go every Thursday night. When he wants to have fun, he calls his wife or Jake Parkinson-Smith, the entrepreneur who used to run Raffles night club.
A cabbie once told him, "You look just like James Blunt, only smaller," a comment he has heard a few times.
Exercise and Inspirations
Blunt loves Hyde Park, where he used to get up at 5.30am to ride around on army horses. He found it amazing to see everyone coming back from night clubs and after parties as the sun came up.
He visits the National Portrait Gallery looking for his own portrait, which he has not found yet. His hero is Sir Elton John, who signed him to his management company when he first started out and gave him his first break, taking him on tour around the UK and South America.
His first concert with a band was to 50 people, and the next night he supported Elton to something like 50,000 people. Some 20 years later, he played in the same venue supporting Ed Sheeran, who was also signed to Elton's management firm.
Blunt appeared on The Traitors, which he called an amazing social experiment proving that an uninformed majority will lose to an informed minority. He has a new album out and starts a world tour in February, playing The O2 as part of his Airplane Mode Tour on April 4.
