Michael Barrymore has purchased a £350,000 bungalow in South Devon, abandoning his plans to retire in Spain. The property, described as a wood-clad beach house, features exposed beams, high windows, and a decked garden, and is a short walk from the coast.
The former TV star had announced his move to Barcelona in November but faced hostility from anti-tourism activists. A group called Guiris Go Home superimposed the words 'Expats go home' over a video of Barrymore walking past the Sagrada Familia.
Barrymore documented his struggles on TikTok, admitting he felt 'homesick' and 'insecure' after the Spain U-turn. He drove back to the UK, saying his 'mental health really took a battering' and that he needed 'normality and familiarity'.
Neighbours told the Daily Mail they had met Barrymore and described him as 'a lovely chap'. The property is private, shielded by a stone wall, and Barrymore has been introducing himself to locals.
Barrymore, 73, was a household name in the 1990s but was dropped from television after the 2001 death of Stuart Lubbock in his Essex swimming pool. He has always denied any wrongdoing and was released without charge in 2007.
