Epstein's Post-Prison Focus on Actress Donna Air Detailed in Released Correspondence
Convicted paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein developed a significant fixation with former Byker Grove actress Donna Air following his release from prison, according to newly disclosed email exchanges. The US Department of Justice has released a substantial collection of documents that reveal multiple communications between Epstein and the television personality after his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
Initial Contact Through Mutual Acquaintance
The correspondence began when Italian hedge-fund manager Tancredi Marchiolo contacted Epstein to inform him he would be traveling to New York with his "good friend" Donna Air. Marchiolo explicitly asked the disgraced financier whether he wished to meet the actress, prompting Epstein to inquire which woman was the actress among several mentioned.
Marchiolo responded by describing Air as "more institutional than these 3" and noted she could be found online. Epstein's immediate reply was simply: "Yes to Donna." This exchange initiated what would become numerous communications between the convicted sex offender and the British actress.
Multiple Planned Meetings Across Continents
The released emails indicate Epstein and Air discussed potential meetings in both New York and Paris throughout their correspondence. Epstein's assistant received reminders to contact the actress, with a specific diary entry marked for July 21, 2011, though no evidence confirms they met on that particular date.
However, subsequent messages suggest two encounters occurred on April 18, 2012. Epstein sent an early morning message apologizing that "time was too short," to which Air responded: "No worries. Good to meet, have a great week!" Later that same day, when Epstein claimed to have become unexpectedly free, Air offered to stop by for "a cuppa" on her way to a dinner she had invited him to attend.
Continued Communication Through Various Channels
The correspondence extended beyond email, with evidence suggesting the pair communicated via Skype in the same month. Epstein extended an invitation to Air for a party at the "US ambassador's house" in Paris, though it remains unclear whether she attended this event.
In a June 30 message, Air wrote to Epstein: "Thought of u Just this morning!" The final documented exchange occurred on August 18, 2012, when the actress informed Epstein she was traveling to Ibiza. Throughout these communications, the name "Donna Air" appears 224 times within the three million pages of released Epstein documents.
Context of Air's Personal and Professional Life
During this period, Donna Air was in a long-term relationship with James Middleton, younger brother of Princess Catherine, though she had not yet been introduced to him by Princess Eugenie. The actress shares a daughter with millionaire conservationist Damian Aspinall, with whom she had a relationship from 2000 to 2007.
Air rose to prominence portraying Charlie Charlton on the popular television series Byker Grove for three years, working alongside presenters Ant and Dec. She was also part of the influential 1990s Primrose Hill Set that included figures like Kate Moss and Gallagher brothers Noel and Liam.
Aftermath and Denials
Sources close to the actress have asserted that Air never agreed to meet with Epstein voluntarily and that the financier would appear at locations where she was present, subsequently contacting her after these encounters. There is no suggestion that Donna Air was involved in any wrongdoing related to Jeffrey Epstein's criminal activities.
Following her relationship with James Middleton, which lasted until 2018 and included attendance at his sister Pippa's wedding, Air reportedly had a romantic involvement with property developer Ben Carrington. She has since appeared on BBC drama The Split and ITV's Dancing on Ice.
The actress was previously acquitted of fraud charges related to a parking permit after her lawyer told the court there was not "a great deal going on" in her head. Representatives for Donna Air have been approached for comment regarding the newly released email correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein.
