EDEN CONFIDENTIAL: F1 heiress Petra Ecclestone's bullion dealer ex faces losing company over unpaid bills

Daily Mail​

2 days ago

James Stunt told a Crown Court jury earlier this year that he had insisted on a prenuptial agreement which would limit his share to £16 million in the event of divorce.
But does the bullion dealer, whose marriage to Formula 1 heiress Petra Ecclestone ended in 2017, now wish that he had sought rather more?
I ask because the 43-year-old godson of convicted crime baron Terry Adams seems dogged by financial woe.
Declared bankrupt in 2019, he is now, I can disclose, perhaps destined for another legal tussle, this time in the High Court, rather than Leeds Crown Court, where he was cleared three months ago of all charges relating to a £266 million money-laundering operation – unlike his four fellow co-defendants, three of whom remain on the run.
His company, Stunt Acquisitions Ltd, is the subject of a winding-up petition – a legal means of forcing a company into compulsory liquidation due to unpaid debts – issued by Westminster City Council.
'I can confirm we have served a winding-up petition relating to non-payment of business rates,' a council spokesman tells me.
There is no comment from Stunt, who owns at least 75 per cent of the company, but I'm told that one of his fellow directors believes the petition contains 'a number of factual errors' and is seeking to have the petition withdrawn.
That may prove rather optimistic, as I understand that the company owes more than £170,000 in unpaid business rates relating to its occupation of offices in Leconfield House, Mayfair – once the London HQ of MI5 but now owned by flamboyant entrepreneur Robert Tchenguiz.
In the glory days of his marriage to Petra, Stunt routinely asserted that he, like his then father-in-law, Formula 1 tycoon Bernie Ecclestone, was a billionaire. But observers were – and have remained – sceptical, especially after The Mail on Sunday revealed the existence of a bogus email sent from Stunt Acquisitions.
It purported to be from Nicolas Descharnes, the world's pre-eminent authority on the works of Salvador Dali – and was crafted so that it appeared to have been sent from Descharnes's home address in France. Its contents were still more disquieting, seemingly showing that Descharnes had authenticated a painting as an 'original Dali' and declared it, and a preparatory sketch, to be 'beautiful work and a great discovery'.
The bogus 'authentication' was, in fact, for a painting which Descharnes had examined in the offices of Stunt Acquisitions – and had declared a fake within minutes.
Despite this, the 'Dali' – entitled Corpus Hypercubus 1953 – was lent by Stunt to Dumfries House, the magnificent Palladian pile in
Ayrshire saved for the nation by King Charles.
Perhaps further details will emerge on July 30 – the date on which Westminster's winding-up petition will be heard.
Diane's sheer bravado at the 'Italian Hollywood'
She was 'the face that launched a thousand ships' as Helen in the 2004 film Troy, and Diane Kruger is clearly determined to leave a lasting impression.
The German actress, 48, wore a £363 transparent red dress by Norma Kamali to a fashion event at Rome's Cinecitta Studios, which are known as the 'Italian Hollywood'. Her £685 Soave heels were by Aquazzura, which hosted the event with fashion retailer MyTheresa.
Diane, who has a six-year-old daughter with American actor Norman Reedus, has modelled for brands including Chanel and Prada.
Misogyny 'rife' in fashion industry, blasts Savannah
Wedding dress designer Savannah Miller has made a name for herself decorating society brides in ethereal gowns – including Boris Johnson's wife Carrie and model Lady Clara Paget – but she admits her journey through the fashion world has been far from smooth.
'Despite everyone's best efforts, misogyny is rife,' says the older sister of Hollywood star Sienna. 'I would love to see women and men treated equally in all respects. I don't see why it is still such a problem.'
The Gloucestershire-based designer, 46, has three children with her ex-husband Nick Skinner. She is now married to James Whewell, heir to the Wyresdale Park estate.
'We are still a long way away from achieving equality in the workplace,' she adds. 'I resent the narrative around women returning to work after having children and wish that women's careers were given the same weight and importance as men's.
'In my experience, women who have had children and returned to work have so much more empathy and focus and are a much bigger asset to the working environment.'
Jesse Wood steps out with new love
Fearne Cotton has had 'new beginnings' inked on her right hip since splitting up with Jesse Wood. For her estranged husband, actions speak louder than words.
The son of Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood has made his first red-carpet appearance with former Made In Chelsea star Gemma Gregory.
Jesse, 48, and Gemma, 39, attended the VIP screening of Twiggy at The Cinema at Selfridges, hosted by the documentary's director, Sadie Frost.
I disclosed in March that the couple had been enjoying a passionate romance for some time.
Becoming a manager or a pub landlord used to be the most former footballers could hope for. Today, they're making millions from podcasts.
First, Gary Lineker created the company behind hits such as The Rest Is History.
Now, fellow ex-England striker Peter Crouch has made a million from his own podcast company. The 6ft 7in star's firm, Tall Or Nothing Ltd, leapt in value from £1.68 million to £2.68 million in 2024, according to newly published accounts.
That Peter Crouch Podcast is one of the most popular audio sports shows and had a reported 60 million listens on the BBC before he quit the Corporation in 2022.
Tall Or Nothing also produces The Therapy Crouch Podcast which he makes with his wife of 14 years, the model Abbey Clancy.
Figures show the business holds cash reserves of £1 million, investments of £400,000 and is owed £1.7 million by debtors.
(Very) modern manners
There's 'glamping' – and then there's aristo-style alfresco.
Lady Sophia Topley, daughter of the 11th Duke of Devonshire and his wife Deborah Mitford, has revealed that she and her husband, William Topley, have hauled their marital bed outdoors at their Wiltshire home to escape the summer heat.
'It's so hot, so we're sleeping in the garden,' explains Sophia, sharing a photo online of herself ready for bed.
Their floral borders and ancient brick walls make for an unusual backdrop to what Sophia – aunt of the late model Stella Tennant – calls 'sleeping under the stars'.
Neighbours see the dark side of rocker's shed
He sold his house in London's Maida Vale to Earl Spencer – and donated the £3.6 million proceeds to Crisis, a charity for the homeless.
More than two decades later, might the antics of neighbours at his current London residence in leafy Hampstead persuade Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour to repeat the trick?
I ask because a shed – newly installed in his garden and painted green so as 'to minimise its visual impact' – has inspired a fearful reaction from the Hampstead Hill Gardens Residents' Association.
Deriding it as 'overbearing, and significantly more visually and physically intrusive than what was approved', the association is calling on the local council to order its removal.
Gilmour declines to comment.
The One Show host Alex Jones, who's from Carmarthenshire, suggests that the Welsh are an unforgiving bunch.
The former Strictly contestant, 48, is grateful that young 'people are forced into performing' in her native Wales.
'It's really good for confidence and it puts everyone on an even playing field,' she tells the Spooning With Mark Wogan podcast.
'It's something England can learn from.' Referring to the Severn crossing, she warns, however: 'If you put a foot wrong, they won't let you put a foot back over that bridge.'
The smart set's talking about...the man with a golden loo
When a golden lavatory worth £4.75 million was stolen from Blenheim Palace, the Oxfordshire birthplace of Winston Churchill, in 2019, it was thought to have been broken up and melted down soon afterwards, as no part of it has ever been recovered.
Now, however, society jeweller Stephen Webster says he has been accused of harbouring stolen goods because of the golden loo installed in his new shop in Mayfair's Burlington Arcade.
'People keep asking me if it's the one that was stolen from Blenheim,' he tells me at the launch party. 'I promise it's not.'
Webster, whose avant garde creations are worn by Kate Moss, Dame Joanna Lumley and Madonna, explains: 'My toilet is the only thing that's left in the space from when it was a James Bond pop-up shop, and it was a celebration of Goldfinger's 60 years and everything in it was gold.'
Bond girl, 47, reveals battle for her baby
She was Daniel Craig's Bond girl during his first outing as 007 in Casino Royale, and now Caterina Murino is embarking on a long-awaited mission of her own.
The Italian actress has revealed that she is expecting her first child. The boy is due to be born in September, the month she turns 48.
Caterina – who has been with her boyfriend, the French lawyer Edouard Rigaud, for eight years – says she suffered two miscarriages and had been undergoing IVF treatment, which she describes as 'trying'.
'At my age, I had to ask medicine to help nature,' she says. Speaking about becoming a mother in her late 40s, she says: 'You don't always decide when the right time to become a mother comes.'
Caterina received a death threat after canoodling with Craig in Casino Royale .
'When he kissed me in the film, maybe it was because it was the first and only time I've ever been kissed by an Englishman, but it was so sexy, so real,' she said.
'It must have looked very real, because among the many fan letters I got was a death threat from someone who was jealous.'