Hand? Check. Vibrator? Check. Random thought about your boss who you’re not attracted to whatsoever?

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A woman who felt she was being “suffocated” by her cystic fibrosis – and was told she had been just two weeks away from dying – has climbed Snowdon and run a half marathon after receiving two lungs from a transplant donor. Georgie Cooper, 26, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF) – a genetic condition which causes sticky mucus to build up in the lungs and digestive system – when she was two. The complaints and compliance officer, who lives in Essex, took medication and used nebulisers – machines which allow you to breathe in medicine – every day. She managed to maintain a “steady” lung function between 70 and 80 per cent until her health started deteriorating in her late teenage years. Cooper said 2018 was “the worst year” because she could not breathe properly and spent four months in and out of hospital as her lung function had dropped to 30 per cent and then to just 9 per cent. She was prescribed Orkambi, followed by Symkevi, to manage the condition. She was told she needed oxygen therapy 24 hours a day, which meant she had “tubes hanging out (her) nose”, and had to use a wheelchair. “It felt like constant suffocation, like I was being suffocated every minute, every second of every day.” Just two weeks before Christmas 2018, when she was 20, Cooper was told she had “a maximum of two years to live” and should consider a double lung transplant. While she waited for a donor, Cooper was prescribed Kaftrio to treat her CF, which she believes kept her alive. Her mother, Lesley, who she described as her “rock”, became her full-time carer and, after three false alarms, Cooper finally received the call that “we’ve got a set of lungs for you”. The surgery in June 2021, at Harefield Hospital in London, was successful – and came just in time. Cooper was told after the operation that her lungs had looked like “pulled pork” due to the CF damage, and she would have only lived for around two more weeks without the transplant. Before her surgery, Cooper had experienced three false alarms about suitable donors, and had started to believe that “to die would be peace”. During this time, she planned her funeral and created a “dream” bucket list – including going abroad again – to look forward to should she survive. She said she tried to stay positive as she knew she only had “a short time left on this Earth”, but found it extremely difficult knowing she was dying. “I had actually written my goodbye letters to my mum, dad, brother, my nan and pa, in case it didn’t work out, or in case I died before my transplant,” she said. She is incredibly grateful that the fourth call from the transplant service was a success. She describes her donor, who cannot be identified, as her “hero”. In August 2022, and after recovering, Cooper climbed Snowdon – now also known as Yr Wyddf and the highest mountain in Wales. She also completed the Bath Half Marathon in October 2023. “Snowdon, at that point, was my greatest achievement,” she said. “I felt like that’s the closest I’m going to get to my donor for now, which was really emotional. Someone else has selflessly given something of theirs to save another life – it’s incredible. She is the greatest hero that I never knew.” Cooper was born with no health complications, but soon developed a persistent cough, which raised alarm bells for her parents. After being referred to the Royal Brompton Hospital when she was two years old, she received her CF diagnosis and started taking medication and using nebulisers and having physiotherapy. While this was “normal” for Cooper, during secondary school she said she was “outed” as having CF during science lessons and her classmates and teachers discussed symptoms and life expectancy. According to the charity Cystic Fibrosis Trust, the median age of death of someone with CF in 2022 was 33. While Cooper was aware of the statistics, she said her peers at school would regularly say: “Oh you’re going to die soon, you haven’t got long left, have you?” Cooper says she cannot believe what she has overcome and achieved since the surgery, having also secured her first job as well as her running and mountain-climbing exploits. She now plans to climb Ben Nevis in Scotland – the highest mountain in the UK. While she still has to take immunosuppressants and struggles with survivor’s guilt, Georgie says she feels she has been “reborn” and now “lives for two people every day”. She was told her donor’s favourite quote was “your mountain is waiting”, which inspired her Snowdon adventure, and she wants to encourage others to “live every day like it’s your last”. She said: “Life is full of tablets, but I’m not having any physio, no nebulisers, and it’s like being reborn – it’s a life I’ve not known and I’m making up for lost time. I owe my life to my donor. She is my hero, she’s the greatest hero I never knew. It’s a gift of life, and that’s the best gift I’ll ever be given.” For more information and support, visit Cystic Fibrosis Trust’s website at: cysticfibrosis.org.uk. For more lung transplant information, visit: cysticfibrosis.org.uk/what-is-cystic-fibrosis/cystic-fibrosis-care/transplant-information-and-resources.

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Wondering where to hot foot it to for an autumn break? As well as two fresh openings in Margate – bursting-with-colour boutique number, Margate House, and the first seaside opening from boutique hitmakers GuestHouse – there’s a smart family-friendly resort with a cluster of eco-friendly cabins and more activities than you can shake a stick at in Devon, and just-opened city break options in Manchester and London. And the capital’s luxury hotel opening boom continues with the arrival of ultra luxe The Peninsula London in Belgravia and The BoTree in Marylebone. Meanwhile, the Cotswolds ramps up its accommodation roster with historic inns and manor houses sporting fresh new looks. Whatever your preference, this slew of new UK arrivals promises the most stylish of staycations this winter. Read on to discover the best in show. Read more on UK travel: Best holiday cottages in the UK for a rural retreat The best Airbnbs in the Lake District The Swan hotel review Margate House, Margate Following in the footsteps of The Albion Rooms’ gothic glamour, and the artsy revamp of Fort Road Hotel, Margate’s hotel scene continues to bloom. Cutting a dash on Dalby Square in Cliftonville (about a 20-minute walk from Margate station and Dreamland) is adults-only, nine-room boutique hotel Margate House. Originally built in 1820, by then mayor-of-Margate Thomas Dalby, the formerly rundown Victorian townhouse has been renovated by property developer Will Jenkins. Set to be catnip for creative types, decor – dreamt up by Jenkins’ pal, designer Charlee Allan-Quinton – is all-out bold, with skirting boards to ceilings drenched in warm pink, terracotta and burgundy in the downstairs lounge, where casual check-in over a glass of wine takes place. Blush and flushed-cheek colours continue in bedrooms, dressed with scallop-edged La Lumiere Studio raffia pendant lights, fun scarlet-striped cushions and film-inspired artwork (Dumbo through to Mystic Pizza). Snack drawers reveal retro sweets and an involved-with-the-community approach means rainfall showers are stocked with Haeckels toiletries (the shop is two minutes away), much of the bespoke furniture – including the lounge’s bold crimson papier mache bookshelf - has been made by Kristin Vicari, owner of Margate concept store L’Absurde Objet, and artwork from the likes of Kavel Rafferty (who lives round the corner) hangs on the walls. GM Coral is happy to set up the lounge for suppers if guests fancy a stay-in takeaway and hangout at home, and simple coffee, fresh OJ and bake-of-the-day from Staple are delivered to rooms each morning. For something more spoiling, The Good Egg’s challah french toast with blueberry syrup and honeycomb and falafel pittas can be ordered ahead-of-time for breakfast. From £115 B&B; book now Read more on the best Margate hotels No 42. by GuestHouse, Margate Another head-turning Margate opening comes from GuestHouse, who’ve garnered a reputation for breathing artsy hotel appeal into historic buildings. The former Sands Hotel – on the High Street, just over the road from Margate Main Sands – has interiors by Emma Montier that nail grown-up seaside style. Many of the 18 rooms and three suites look straight out to sea and sand, and some have dinky terraces. Design is delicate, creamy tones paired with pale fern wooden floors and herringbone terracotta tiles. A kettle and coffee machine are tucked into a beach hut-shaped minibar, and a free-form line resembling conch-like curves sweeps across the wall, providing the backdrop for a shell-shaped ceiling lamp. As well as a Crosley record player – to spin vinyl curated by local record store Ghost Pepper, including the likes of Uncle Louis’ I Like Funky Music – hammam towels in sorbet peach, white and sky blue, a Thermos flask and Teapigs teabags ensure down-at-the-beach comfort. Staff are full of verve, and drinks and dining outlets capitalise on the plum seaside location; at Pearly Cow there’s fresh seafood, parmesan spelt risotto, and innovative, seasonal desserts. Think white peach and lemon verbena eggless pavlova served in grand surrounds, thanks to original Victorian columns and stained glass windows, while the ocean-facing rooftop bar is the spot for gooseberry G&T sundowners. Handily, if you’re coming by train the hotel offers a by-bike luggage pick up, so guests can make the most of exploring from the get-go. From £130, room-only. The Mole Resort, Devon Another impressive reimagining is taken place in North Devon, where 58 lodges have been added to the former Highbullen Hotel, which sits in 125-acre grounds in the picturesque Mole Valley. As you’d expect from L+R Hotels – who have Chewton Glen and Cliveden House and Spa in their stable – every part of the resort is just-so. The two-to-four bedroom wooden lodges are slicker-than-your-average; built by Evoke Architects, they deliver cabin cool and eco smarts, with living green roofs and solar PV panels. Each is easy to relax into instantly, thanks to comfy slate-coloured sofas, black and copper bowl lighting, tree stump tables, and an open-plan dining and living space meets mod-conned kitchen with induction hob, dishwasher and a washer/dryer. Cosseting bedrooms with whitewashed walls have Hypnos beds and photography of sun-kissed hills, and are stocked with L’Occitane soap, conditioner and shampoo bars. Bifold glass doors open to sweeping outdoor decks with hot tubs for soaks with meadow or Mole Valley views. Order-ahead hampers of locally sourced produce (Devon Pork Chipolata Sausages, Green’s of Glastonbury Twanger Cheese) make group entertaining a breeze. Or there’s Cellars Bar & Restaurant in original Arts and Crafts manor Highbullen House for the likes of rosemary and quince honey-roasted camembert, retro prawn cocktail, and paneer and jackfruit rogan josh. As for what to do, there are activities in abundance, from nest box making to target shooting, led by an effervescent-with-enthusiasm team. It’s impossible for kids – or big kids – to get bored thanks to tennis, golf and pickleball courts, an indoor and outdoor pool, playground, and games room. Plus, live music takes place in the main balconied lodge at night, bringing more than a touch of stateside mountain resort – think Kellerman’s of Dirty Dancing – to Devon. From £206 per lodge, per night (sleeping eight), £45 for eight-person breakfast packs, £50 for four-person BBQ packs; some activities incur an additional cost. Read more on the best Devon hotels Forty-Seven, Manchester Kro Hospitality – behind the sultry Velvet Hotel on Canal Street – has just opened up Forty-Seven inside a former shipping warehouse on Manchester’s Peter Street. Upstairs, 32 richly decorated bedrooms – including some duplexes – channel slick urbanite with Inky blue ceilings, tactile velvet headboards, psychedelic Timorous Beasties wall panels, exposed brick details, and, in larger suites, which have a lounge area, teal couches, mini kitchenettes and ironing boards hidden behind wall mirrors. Luxe touches come in the form of L’Occitane Verveine toiletries, which line egg-shaped bathtubs, and soft dressing gowns to laze in. Set to suit business types looking for a smart place to stay to unwind – it’s close to the Manchester Central Convention Complex – bedrooms have been designed in partnership with pro ‘sleep fixer’ Kerry Davies, with blackout blinds and secondary glazed windows to help ensure a good night’s sleep. Downstairs, there’s well-established Indian restaurant Asha’s for authentic feasts of crispy paluk chaat, creamy paneer makhani and pomegranate and lime Kohinoor cocktails. There’s also touch-of-intrigue The Peterman Bar, where cocktails – such as the delicious Diamond Dan of Didsbury (Didsbury Gin Manchester tart, lemon, raspberries and egg white) – are served in surrounds nodding to the area’s history of safe crackers, including ‘vault’-like bar back design details. From £225, B&B. Read more on the best Manchester hotels Ember Locke, Kensington, London The star of aspirational aparthotel brand Locke Living continues to ascend, and latest to arrive is their sixth London property, with 121 apartments in the heart of Kensington and Chelsea. Locke’s first west London foray sits on Cromwell Road, just moments from The V&A, Science Museum and Natural History Museum. Apartments are designed to suit long and self-catering stays, with a home-away-from-home feel; the largest have full kitchens and space to work. Decor is retro-bohemian with licks of coral and teal paintwork giving a wrapped-in-colour feel, ramped up by geometric patterned bedspreads, curved mirrors and Biba-inspired draped curtains dividing sleeping and working spaces. Leafy communal spaces are similarly appealing, dressed with plenty of potted plants, and there’s a co-working conservatory plus cafe-meets-Mediterranean restaurant EVE, where a menu from Chef Talia Prince (ex-The Fat Duck and Le Gavroche) features fattoush salads and ZFC (zhoug mayo fried cauliflower or chicken). Plus there’s a laundry room and cute garden for when warmer weather hits. From £229 per night, room-only. Read more on the best London hotels Ruby Zoe, Notting Hill, London Another new West London stay, 173-room Ruby Zoe has a brilliant location on Notting Hill Gate, not far from Portobello Road’s indie shops and secondhand stores. Design inspiration nods to west London’s Caribbean community, and the bright colours of Carnival. A cafe meets bar and vinyl shop, with furniture in tutti frutti shades, from rattan, rocking numbers to squishy leather couches. Kooky suspended trumpet chandeliers, and even a forest green retro car, will appeal to co-workers who enjoy laptop tapping in quirky surroundings. While there’s plenty of design flourish, in line with Ruby’s ‘Lean Luxury’ ethos, don’t expect any unnecessary fuss – speedy self-check in is done via a tablet in under a minute, there’s no lunch or dinner offering, and bedrooms, which range from Nest up to Wow, are bright and functional, with wood wall panelling details and glass-fronted rain showers. Much to the delight of musos, as well as regular live performances in the bar, all rooms have a Marshall speaker, and an electric guitar can be hired from reception should creativity strike during a stay. From £225, room-only. The Peninsula London, Belgravia, London Thirty years in the planning and seven in the building, finally, The Peninsula – a hotel icon in Hong Kong for nearly a hundred years – has made its debut in Belgravia. By all accounts, it’s been worth the wait. A discreet, off-street cobbled courtyard lined by a fleet of cars – including Rolls-Royce Phantom IIs – sets the tone to hushed luxury from the off. Inside, afternoon tea is served by a personable team outfitted by Jenny Packham in a high-ceilinged, columned lobby where chandeliers shimmer, a pianist performs and a leafy de Gournay mural reflects the between-Hyde-and-Green-Park setting. As for the 190 bedrooms, designed by Peter Marino, the mood is next-level London pied a terre with silver-birch-bark-like wallpaper, British landscape-inspired art (by alumni of The Royal Drawing School) and honey onyx stone bathrooms stocked with woody toiletries by perfumier Timothy Han. Everything is just so; a valet box so shoes can be shined without disruption, a nail dryer tucked in each mahogany-panelled dressing room, a QR-code giving access to a 24-hour digital concierge, many rooms with views out to Wellington Arch and the parks (with electric curtains for privacy). Attention to detail continues throughout: leave your spectacles in-room during supper, and on return a soft Peninsula lens cloth will have appeared. At lively top-floor Brooklands Bar, Art Deco-style curved banquettes which riff on Bentley carriage seating rubs up against motoring memorabilia from Brooklands museum and cocktails of varying ‘mach levels’ (the orange blossom liqueur-based Aldrin is already earning cult status). Next door, Claude Bosi-helmed Brooklands restaurant is inspired by supersonic icon Concorde, with an aluminium aircraft model swooping above tables topped with cloud-adorned damask. Here, thrilling multi-course modern British culinary romps span creamy celeriac nosotto with black lime and coconut, Racan guinea fowl stuffed with Scottish razor clams, and an apple dessert resembling a gilded orb. There’s also ground floor restaurant Canton Blue, for exquisite dim sum served in booths separated by a rainbow of porcelain teacups, and apothecary-feel cocktail bar Little Blue. Plus, a stonking spa with a 25m swimming pool, and a retail arcade, featuring Asprey London, will open by Christmas. From £1,300, room-only, with flexible check in time. Read more on the best luxury London hotels The BoTree, Marylebone, London Bringing a burst of energy to Marylebone Lane is The BoTree, the 199-room debut from new hotel collection Place III Hotels, the latest venture from hotelier Rishi Sachdev. On arrival, roving staff members in the chalet-feel lobby, which features a 3D-printed tree sculpture made from recycled coffee cups, get guests checked in via tablet over a glass of fizz, before escorting them to their floor where a ‘host’ (essentially a private butler) is on hand to unpack luggage or steam glad rags during a stay. A member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts’ Legend Collection, the hotel’s slick service standard has been set from off with general manager Eva Mount (ex-Firmdale and The Guardsman) bringing heaps of five-star experience to proceedings. Uplifting bedrooms, entered through a hallway and dressing area, nail residential allure, swapping desks for comfy seating areas, with sliding wood panels separating spaces, ikebana-style fresh floral displays by Peckham-based Sage, and vibrant panels patterned with violet, rose and sunshine yellow blooms. A ‘conscious luxury’ ethos is reflected in energy-saving PIR sensors which turn off lights and heating when rooms aren’t occupied, eucalyptus Tencel bedding, and Jo Loves amenities (a mix of large refillables, and smaller bottles made with OceanBound plastic). Downstairs at the first UK outpost of LAVO restaurant (long a celebrity favourite Stateside), it’s all about more-is-more Italian fare, with unashamedly decadent signature dishes including cacio e pepe pizza, Wagyu meatball with whipped ricotta, and a 20-layer peanut butter and chocolate cake. For nightcaps with a going out-out feel, there’s the BoTree Bar, which has a glowing ceiling, teal marble bar and a packs-a-punch cocktail menu, including Bees by The BoTree, which combines honey, saffron and lemon with Seven Tails XO, and Champagne. Next year, a nightclub, gym and wellness centre are set to arrive. From £660, room-only. 1 Hotel Mayfair, London After a mammoth glow up, a former Holiday Inn in swanky Mayfair has been transformed into the first European opening from sustainability focused 1Hotels – a brand already wildly successful in the US. From its greenery-draped living facade and domed entrance chandelier, combining rattan panels and hundreds of cascading air plants, to a reception desk made from naturally felled wood from Sussex, the cappuccino and cream-hued aesthetic here is underpinned by strong eco principles. Eighty percent of the building’s existing structure was repurposed, it is rated BREEAM ‘excellent,’ and succulent-lined corridors lead to bedrooms with flooring made from fallen timber, moss-lined water filtration units to top up refillable aluminium bottles, and rattan artwork. As well as packing earthy allure, luxe touches come in the form of full-sized Bamford toiletries in shower rooms, Dyson hair dryers, and Daylesford Bourbon Old Fashioneds in the minibar. Downstairs, a coffee spot-meets-lounge is hung with poignant artwork ‘Flow’ by marine plastic artist Steve McPherson, and restorative massages take place in smudged-with-sage Bamford Wellness Spa treatment rooms, where therapies are followed by cups of green mate and lemongrass-infused tea. For something stronger to sip, there’s Dover Yard Bar, which has tree-slice tables and flickering fireplaces to hunker down by while sipping Green Park swizzles. Another draw? Dovetale restaurant, from Tom Sellers of Restaurant Story fame, for Cornish crab with chopped egg, capers, lemon and brown crab crumpets from the raw bar, and leeks vinaigrette with black truffle and soft boiled egg, served in a dining room aglow with mushroom-shaped pendant lighting. Best of all are the supersized, build-your-own sundaes from the pink-and-white Knickerbocker Glory trolley, which wows adults with its designed-by-space engineers glass freezing tech, while kids whoop at the tableside theatre of it all. From £500, room-only. Cowley Manor Experimental, Cheltenham For their first UK property outside London, mixology maestros Experimental Group have transformed the much-loved Cotswolds hotel Cowley Manor. While the 17th-century manor house just outside Cheltenham Spa has long been renowned for its design, top-notch spa and sprawling 55-acre grounds (home to lakes, waterfalls, and a secret fernery, said to have inspired Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland), Cowley 2.0 looks better than ever. Designer Dorothée Meilichzon has added her je ne sais quoi interiors flourish, with wallpapers adorned with duck-headed canes, licks of terracotta and cornflower, and 36 sultry suites where statement beds have modern-fairytale canopies or flamboyant headboards. Everything has a touch of magic: showers with cheery stem-patterned tiles are stocked with L:A Bruket toiletries, minibars nod-to-Wonderland with chequerboard fabric-wraps, and look closely and you’ll spot a dinky fairy door detail here and there. A games room, living rooms, bar and lakeside terraces offer nooks-a-plenty for cocktail-sipping (the Horlicks Milk Punch, a blend of Cotswolds single malt, lemon, and clarified Horlicks which pays homage to Cowley’s once-upon-a-time malted milk entrepreneur owners, is an ideal nightcap). While charming staff (most of the original team have stayed) and a lightly refreshed C-Side Spa for unknotting massages and dips in two pools (one 17m indoor with forest views, another 14m outdoor, parasol-fringed number) add appeal, the trump card’s the grand wood-panelled restaurant. Here, Jackson Boxer’s menu is the biz – think pretty plates of courgette slivers dressed in sunflower miso and elderflower champagne, moreish taglioni with smoked butter and black pepper, and coconut sorbet with redcurrant granita. From £250, B&B and spa access. Read more on the best Cotswolds hotels The Bell at Charlbury, Chipping Norton Bringing more of Daylesford’s signature Scandi-meets-British countryside allure to the Cotswolds, joining the likes of The Wild Rabbit and The Fox at Oddington in the newly launched Daylesford Stays collection, is The Bell at Charlbury, a characterful 17th-century pub sporting a fresh new look. Reception, lit by geranium leaf scented candles, sets the tone to calm and convivial. Downstairs are a series of appealing drinking and dining spaces, where tankard-lined fireplaces, exposed Cotswolds stone and crimson and white-striped bistro curtains rub up against wooden settles and Windsor chairs (one particularly lovely snug has wall-to-wall with framed flower pressings). As for food, head chef Nik Scarpellini turns out feel good gastropub fare, packed with Daylesford Organic produce. Think heritage beets with salsa verde, on-point penne with San Marzano tomatoes – reflecting his Italian roots – and roasted plums with lime-ribboned mascarpone and biscotti. Upstairs and in an adjacent barn, 12 bedrooms have woodland-inspired names, and are rich in natural touches, with caramel, burgundy and inky blue accents, bloom-patterned pelmets, and some with four-poster beds with beech branch posters. Bamford bathroom goodies and in-room dreamtime tea give stays a wholesome, touch-of-spa feel. Another restaurant, The Barn, will open soon, and come spring, the orchard garden – which slopes down to a river – will come into its own, with wellness sessions in a bunting-adorned gazebo. From £195 B&B; thebellatcharlbury.com The Bull, Charlbury Adding even more staycation pull to Charlbury is another historic pub-with-rooms relaunched, The Bull. In a real return to their roots, Phil Winser and James Gummer, who both hail from the Cotswolds, have have put their stamp on the pub where Phil had his first pint, a gorgeous inn dating back to the 1500s on the corner of Sheep Street. Behind a facade dressed in swathes of Boston ivy, the bar has been rejigged to allow more space for over-a-pint nattering and regulars – and their pooches – lounge by open fires after walks through the surrounding countryside. Ten bedrooms – in the pub and barn, all of which are dog-friendly – nail serene elegance. Stripped right back, licked in milky tones with natural sisal underfoot, contemporary four posters, warm-glow lighting and dried floral arrangements complement the building’s higgledy-piggledy charm and original beams. There are The Bull-branded OS maps for keen walkers, and some rooms have freestanding bathtubs lined with a spoilt-for-choice Neal’s Yard bubble bath, oil or salts. Another space which has come into its own is the back garden, with cosy snug sections hung with conical shades, and heaps of pretty planting. Food wise, British produce sits front and centre (local suppliers often pop in for a chat to discuss the day’s best produce) and the likes of muntjac meatballs and monkfish with samphire are already pulling in the punters. While small plates of leeks with creamy Lincolnshire Poacher and crispy rosemary potatoes are delicious, a few more veggie options wouldn’t go amiss. Come breakfast, expect face-sized croissants and pains au chocolat, generous cold plates, and a DIY Bloody Mary station. From £175, room-only; thebullcharlbury.com Read more of the best UK hotel reviews Read More Best hotels in Rhodes 2023 The best New Year’s hotel breaks with entertainment The best all-inclusive UK breaks to celebrate the New Year The best New Year’s hotel breaks with entertainment The best all-inclusive UK breaks to celebrate the New Year This hotel has opened the Lake District’s first ‘spa garden’

James Blunt has claimed that he edited his Wikipedia page so it says he is younger than his real age. The pop singer, who is known for his tongue-in-cheek sense of humour, apparently tinkered with the online encyclopedia so it states he is two years younger than he actually is. “If you look at my Wikipedia page, it will say that I’m 47 – I’m actually 49,” Blunt told the Guardian. “That’s because I changed the entry.” At the time of writing, Blunt’s Wikipedia page stated that he is 49. In the same interview, Blunt looked back on the difficulties of balancing work and raising two children. He married Sofia Wellesley, the daughter of Lord and Lady John Henry Wellesley, in 2014. While speaking at the Oxford Union in 2016, Blunt confirmed that they’d welcomed a son, and have since had a second. In the interview with The Guardian, he spoke about how becoming a father had effected his priorities. “Being hands-on with my kids when I can is important,” he said, before going on to note times in his life when he wasn’t able to be as present. “I am away for long periods. With my second child, I left the day after the birth for nine months. Fatherhood changed my priorities. I was selfish. Now these little people are far more important than me.” Elsewhere in the interview, published on Saturday (19 August), the singer-songwriter spoke about his own experiences of having distance from his parents at a young age. Prior to attending Harrow School, a private school founded in the 16th century, Blunt attended Elstree School in Woolhampton, Berkshire. “I boarded at school from the age of seven,” he noted. “My parents dropped me off and walked away. On day three, I asked the matron, ‘When will I see Mum and Dad again?’ I was told Christmas. This was September. “I never really saw them again until I got famous.” Blunt was also close friends with the actor Carrie Fisher, whom he called his “American mother”. Fisher died in December 2016 of sleep apnoea but also had cocaine, morphine and ecstasy in her system at the time of her death. The singer called the Star Wars actor’s passing his “greatest sadness”, adding: “I was with her the day before she died. Knowing how it happened, I wish I’d been able to do something. Have an impact. “It’s taken me a long time to write a song about her. It’s on this album. It’s about what I wish I could’ve said to her when she was alive. What I wish I could say to her now.” James Blunt’s seventh studio album, Who We Used To Be, will be released on 27 October. Read More Stylist comes to bride-to-be’s rescue after hair is ‘destroyed’ just before wedding Britney Spears shares first statement after ‘shock’ Sam Asghari divorce: ‘I couldn’t take the pain anymore’ Man wins lottery after using same numbers every day for seven years Shirlie Kemp says male doctor told her to ‘get over’ endometriosis Chrissy Teigen posts topless photo to remind fans to get mammograms Influencer Caleb Coffee hospitalised after falling off cliff in Hawaii