Latest news with #celebritybusiness
Daily Mail
16-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Vinnie Jones' firm which 'kept him going' following tragic death of beloved wife Tanya and boasted Bradley Cooper and Robbie Williams as customers went bust with £270K debt
A celebrity flooring business Vinnie Jones set up with a childhood pal went bust with £270k worth of debt, it has been revealed. The former footballer and actor, 60, swapped Hollywood for flogging carpets when he started Deacon Jones Fine Flooring Ltd in 2016 with fitter mate Danny Deacon. Vinnie previously shared how the business had 'kept him busy' amid his grief following the tragic death of beloved wife Tanya from cancer in 2019 aged just 53. According to The Sun the company boasted famous customers like of stars Bradley Cooper, Robbie Williams and Ronnie Wood. Vinnie's sporting connections also come in handy since he has also reportedly supplied the likes of cricket star Kevin Pietersen and former Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho with new carpets. But the firm was put into a creditor's voluntary liquidation three years ago after racking up massive losses during Covid. According to its statement of affairs, it owed trade creditors £122,920, the bank £50,000, HMRC £8,121, and the directors £90,182 - including £66,962 which Vinnie put in himself. The firm was finally dissolved on 26 June this year. After paying liquidator fees and other expenses, there was just £19,913 left for creditors - all of which went to the taxman. MailOnline have contacted Vinnie's representatives for comment. Speaking about how the business was vital during the loss of his wife he told Yahoo News in 2023: 'I've got my wooden flooring company, Deacon Jones, which is doing great, so I'm keeping busy. 'I have to go with the flow and accept it will take time to come to terms with my grief. There's no point in fighting it.' When the company was first set up, Vinnie told The Sun about his role as the salesman and to give back to his roots, as he was born in nearby Watford. He told the publication: 'We have super tough carpets and that's where we will use my hard man image'. But the firm was put into a creditor's voluntary liquidation three years ago after racking up massive losses during Covid I'm very proud of my roots and I want to show that. It's important to me to create jobs in the area. I want to give back to the community I came from.' While business partner Danny told Hemel Gazette at the time how Vinnie was very down to earth. 'We were talking about life on the way back to the club and he just said "Let's go into business, 50-50", he explained. 'Vinnie's just as you would expect, hard but fair, absolutely no-nonsense, but very generous.' The former Chelsea star swapped the football pitch for film sets in 1998 when he was cast as a mob enforcer in Guy Ritchie flick Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. He has since graced the silver screen in the likes of Gone in 60 Seconds and X-Men: The Last Stand and most recently's Ritchie's Netflix hit series The Gentleman. Vinnie, who had been married to Tanya for 25 years when she tragically died, Vinnie previously spoke of how he throws himself into work and has sought help from a psychologist to try and not feel like he is ' drowning' in his own despair. '[Grief] is a ghost, it's a blanket. It wraps around you and it pulls you down. You don't know when it's going to happen, why it happens. It just happens,' he told Stuff. 'You've got to try and get your head above water, breathe in as long as you can because you know you're going to be pulled under again. 'You got to give people what they want, or you f*****g drown. It's f*****g exhausting [Sometimes I want to] build a 50 foot wall around to keep everybody out and keep me in... My spirit may be broken inside, but I think I've got enough knowledge and enough experience to cope with it.' The actor previously wrote a book about his experiences, Lost Without You: Loving And Losing Tanya. In 2013, they were both diagnosed with melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer which kills around 2,000 people every year in the UK, and fought it together, getting the all-clear two years later. However, the disease would later return for Tanya. Vinnie has blamed his outdoor lifestyle for the cancer - aggravated by his move to Los Angeles with Tanya to pursue his film career - while he claimed her cancer was triggered by drugs she took since having a heart transplant in her early 20s. The couple met aged 12 before exchanging vows in 1994, with the actor previously admitting on Piers Morgan's Life Stories that he will never remarry. A recovering alcoholic, Vinnie is now a decade sober. He previously described the heartbreaking story of how Tanya learned her cancer had spread to her brain in a phone call at their home in Palm Springs on Christmas Eve while they had 15 or so family members round for Christmas. It was the moment they realised 'it's beat us', he said, but Tanya was determined to have 'the best Christmas ever' so kept it secret from everyone. 'The bravery of her is unfathomable,' Jones added. 'All's she wanted to do was please people.'
Daily Mail
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Boozy whipped cream, mushroom lattes and hot sauce: Can YOU match the celebrity to their random side-hustle?
Awards and acting credits are no longer the priorities for stars who have reached the dizzying heights of A-list celebrity status. In fact once they've conquered the stage or the screen, stars from Brad Pitt to Rihanna have only one goal in mind - to start their own business. The number of A-lister businesses has grown almost exponentially in the last few years with stars putting their names and faces from everything to food, alcohol, haircare brands and clothes. Celebrity endorsements are nothing new but in the past two decades, brands have become big business with stars personally pumping money in to new ventures. Some, including Gwyneth Paltrow 's Goop, Selena Gomez 's Rare Beauty and George Clooney 's tequila have been wildly successful while others have faded in to obscurity. Blake Lively 's lifestyle platform Preserve closed down in 2015 after just one year and Jay Z's plans for a hotel chain in 2008 failed to materialise. And while many celebrities choose to go down the road of lifestyle and beauty, other high-profile celebrities have started up some interesting and bizarre side hustles but can you guess which star started which business? 1. Mushroom lattes A recent convert to wellness and health this star has laughed that their recent business venture - Everystate, selling mushroom powders for lattes 2. Vodka-infused whipped cream 3. Protein popcorn 4. Breakfast cereals 5. Hot sauce The Tingly Ted range came from a love of ketchup and comes in two strengths, Tingly and Xtra Tingly and is billed as the perfect pair for fries, nuggets, falafels and fried chicken 6. Kitchen range 7. Granola bars 8. Rosé Made at a French vineyard, the star described the wine as 'smooth' and it's certainly gone down a treat in the US where it sold out its 50,000 collection in 2020 within 48 hours 9. Wine infused skincare The premium cosmetics, which come with a price tag of up to £75 for 50ml, are gender neutral and made with seeds of Grenache grapes 10. Pasta sauce ANSWERS 1. Ellie Goulding Mushroom lattes? The brainchild of... Ellie Goulding! The British singer has been taking the stage by storm since 2009 and is one of the most successful female singers of the 21st century - even performing at the Prince and Princess of Wales's wedding. As well as working on her latest album, the musician, 38, is now working on Everystate and previously told The Times she was interested in setting up a side hustle because she can't make as much through touring as she once could. As a recent convert to wellness and health, Ellie joked that her venture is 'un-rock'n'roll' but confessed that she's been interested in 'functional mushrooms' for a little while now. She explained she initially took interest in the superfood in lockdown and now credits it with improving her health and helping with her anxiety. Everystate offers online subscriptions for £36 a month or for a one-off month's supply for £45 and officially launched in April. Each delivery includes 20g of powdered mushroom - enough for four weeks and mixed in with some milk, make the perfect mushroom latte. 2. Cardi B Reviews have been generally positive with some praising the novelty as being perfect for parties while others enjoyed the strong vodka element Vodka whipped cream is the pet project of US rapper Cardi B. The alcoholic creamy sweet treat has been a huge success for the US rapper who regularly hosts pop ups and events. Through her company Whip Shots, the rapper has sold more than 6 million cans of the alcohol-infused vegan whipped cream since starting out in 2021. Available in seven different flavours (vanilla, caramel, mocha, peppermint, pumpkin spice, lime and strawberry) and made with premium vodka, the sweet treat-come-cocktail is available in the US for $5.99 for 50ml or $14.99 for 200ml. Reviews have been generally positive with some praising the novelty as being perfect for parties while others enjoyed the strong vodka element. It launched in the UK earlier this year and star was overjoyed to see their desert topper make it across the pond. 3. Khloe Kardashian Never one to shy away from a business opportunity it's Khloe Kardashian, who has hopped on the trend for protein products. Like her sisters, Khloe already has a host of other businesses and brand partnerships with her main side hustle being her Good American jeans. But now the reality star has ventured in to foods too, and her Khloud business and protein popcorn may just be the start. This A-lister recently announced she was expanding her business which already includes a clothing to try their hand at snacks. The Khloud Protein Popcorn comes in three flavours; white Cheddar, olive oil and sea salt, and sweet and salty. Each bag contains 7g of protein made from the popcorn's 'Khloud Dust,' which is a blend of milk proteins. The star revealed she wanted to create a snack that was 'convenient, healthy, and actually tastes good' and was something she could share with her family. 4. Snoop Dogg The rapper's gluten-free cereal promises more corn, more flavour and even more marshmallows and includes a cast of friendly looking, spoon-wielding characters on the box Snoop Dogg's Snoop cereals launched in 2022 as Snoop Loopz but was forced to change its name after Kellogg's claimed it infringed on their Froot Loops. Still, it made waves as the first black-owned cereal brand in the US, with its offshoot companies selling oatmeal and maple syrup products. Less than a year after Kellog's forced the rapper to rethink his brand name, he relaunched the business. The breakfast food comes in three sugary flavours - Frosted Drizzlers, Fruity Hoopz with marshmallows and Cinnamon Toasteez. His gluten-free cereal promises more corn, more flavour and even more marshmallows, packaged up with friendly-looking characters on the box. The parent company also donates a portion of its sales to charities combating homelessness and food insecurity. 5. Ed Sheeran Think red head - think Tingly Ted. This hot sauce brand is owned by singer Ed Sheran who launched it in 2023 - the product of two years worth of development. Rather than launching the brand on his own, Ed teamed up with condiment giant, Heinz, to release his hot sauces. The £3 sauce has recently had a new addition to the collection including the hottest sauce yet which contains bell pepper, jalapeno, ginger, yellow habenero and 0.2 per cent Carolina Reaper, one of the world's hottest peppers. The Tingly Ted range came from Ed's love of ketchup and comes in two strengths, Tingly and Xtra Tingly. It's billed as the perfect pair for fries, nuggets, falafels and fried chicken. The thick sauce has fresh lemon highlights and a smoky flavour that makes the red jalapeno and capsicum chillies stand out and is suitable for vegans. And Ed is such a fan, he even carries it around with him on the road, keeping a bottle stashed in his suitcase at all times. 6. Paris Hilton Paris Hilton has traded in her party-girl aesthetic and moved towards domestic bliss with her husband Carter Reum and two children, son Phoenix and daughter London. Her all-pink kitchen range includes pots, pans, knife blocks, a pancake maker and more and sets can be bought directly from her website. Including a kettle, heart-shaped knife block and cute popcorn machine, the range is billed as both stylish and essential. For just $119.99 you could be the proud owner of a ceramic non-stick pink cookware set complete with five pans and matching utensils. Speaking about her venture, Paris told Eater: 'I wanted to make things that I would actually use in the kitchen. Looking at all the kitchenware available online and in stores, I just noticed it was so boring and not fun.' And she's certainly done that! 7. Kristen Bell This Bar Saves Lives is the work of actress Kristen Bell, 44, who as well as starring in blockbuster hits Nobody Wants This, Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Bad Moms has also taken on charity work. In 2013, Kristen started their granola company This Bar Saves Lives with the aim of fighting food poverty and malnutrition across the globe. The bars are filled with Plumpy'Nut - a peanut paste filled with vitamins and minerals which can help restore severely malnourished children back to a healthy weight. The brand donates their nutritionally rich bars to children in Haiti, South Sudan and Somalia and and has donated more than 30million since it started more than ten years ago. Kirsten previously told Forbes that the business was very personal to her and the brainchild of a trip to Liberia where she witnessed terrible malnutrition. The gluten-free snack bars are only available in the US in stores including Target and Whole Foods. As well as her Plumpy'Nut bars, the A-lister has expanded the range to include kids' snacks, granola and oatmeal. 8. Post Malone You might be forgiven for thinking the rapper and country singer might be in to whiskey, or maybe even rum but it turns out the Rockstar singer, 29, is a massive rosé fan You might be forgiven for thinking rapper and country singer Post Malone's tipple of choice is a classic smoky whisky. But it turns out the Rockstar singer, 29, is a fan of rosé and even travelled out the the vineyards of France to see the wine-making process himself before opting to film his Saint-Tropez music video there. He told Wine Enthusiast that his aim with Maison No.9 was to great an affordable and delicious wine that everyone could enjoy. 'Rosé is for when you want to get a little fancy', is the mission statement of the brand, which Post Malone founded in 2019. When the first collection of 50,000 bottles launched in 2020, it sold out in 48 hours. Since then Maison No.9 has launched in the UK - and it's stocked on some major food distributors. 'This dry, classic Rosé is wonderfully balanced and round with a texture that is mouthwatering and savory. 'Very light, bright and clear with dominant orchard fruits like peaches, peach ring candies and sweet fruit salad,' Ocado's tasting notes read. 9. Brad Pitt The star behind Beau Domaine Skincare is none other than actor, director and producer Brad Pitt. Interestingly, while the ageless star has pumped his time and energy into the brand, he declined to be the face of it. Inspired by his ex-fiancée's Goop wellness empire, The Benjamin Button star will be hoping he can turn back the clock on ageing. He turned to the vineyards of the south of France for inspiration when designing his range of moisturisers and facial serums. The premium cosmetics, which come with a price tag of up to £75 for 50ml, are gender neutral and made with seeds of Grenache grapes and skin of Syrah and Mourvedre grapes. Designed to combat the signs of ageing, Brad has been working on the exclusive range for 15 years. To the surprise of fans, devilishly handsome Pitt admitted he doesn't have a good skin routine himself - but he will no doubt have taken some skincare tips along the way. 10. Jon Bon Jovi Bongiovi pasta is the secret side hustle of... Jon Bon Jovi who started the business with his family, basing the recipe off his great grandmother's cooking more than 180 years ago Bongiovi Pasta is the secret side hustle of Jon Bon Jovi. The 63-year-old started the business with his family, basing the recipe on his great grandmother's cooking. As well as a wholesome family business, the money made from sales go towards Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation which provides help for the homeless and those in poverty. He has even expanded to include a merchandise range with T-shirts, chopping boards and caps to wear while cooking up a storm. The brand has come a long way from its humble origins which the megastar has explained started in 19th century Sicily. More than 13 years later after launching, the brand appears to be flourishing and is still a family business - despite the star status of the multiple famous generations.
