Fallen star Michael Barrymore is selling up in the UK as he is hoping to put his troubles behind him and start a new life in the sun.
The former TV host and comedian has put his £600,000 London flat on the market as he prepares to move to Spain.
Once the king of Saturday night TV, the former Strike it Lucky presenter was one of Britain’s highest paid stars earning a reported £2 million-a-year from ITV.
But his life went into freefall after a man was found dead in his swimming pool leading to Barrymore being quizzed by murder squad detectives.
For the past 15 years, Barrymore, 72, has lived a modest existence in a ground floor flat in a building that was formerly used to process benefits claims.
According to estate agents, the property is likely to appeal to anyone looking for ‘stylish living and entertainment space’.
Fallen star Michael Barrymore is selling up in the UK as he is hoping to put his troubles behind him and start a new life in the sun
Images marketing the property (pictured) show Barrymore’s huge leather L-shaped corner sofa and art works which include a giant French art deco poster of a man leisurely smoking a cigarette while reading a newspaper
The former TV host and comedian has put his £600k flat on the market as he prepares to move to Spain. Pictured, the property’s open plan kitchen
The 967 sq ft apartment in Acton, west London has its own private entrance and two private patios (pictured)
The 967 sq ft apartment in Acton, west London has its own private entrance and two private patios.
There are also two ‘generous’ bedrooms both with en-suite bathrooms that each have access to a second patio.
The flat comes complete with secure underground parking and a concierge service.
The sixth floor building was built in the 1920’s for the then Ministry of Work and Pensions before going on to be used by the Department of Social Security.
It was later converted into 600 flats with Mr Barrymore’s – which has been reduced in price since it first went on the market earlier this year – at the top end of those on offer.
Other flats in the building on higher floors with little outside space are on offer for between £300,000 to £490,000.
Images marketing the property show Barrymore’s huge leather L-shaped corner sofa and art works which include a giant French art deco poster of a man leisurely smoking a cigarette while reading a newspaper.
There are also two ‘generous’ bedrooms both with en-suite bathrooms that each have access to a second patio
The estate agent listing the property described the flat as ‘fabulous two-bedroom two-bathroom apartment that offers stylish living and entertaining space’. Pictured, its lounge
Pictured, one of the property’s bedrooms that opens up onto a private patio area
Barrymore, 72, revealed on TikTok that he’s moving to Barcelona, Spain ‘to change his life for the better’
An estate agent’s description of the property says: ‘Set within an imposing gated development, this fabulous two-bedroom two-bathroom apartment offers stylish living and entertaining space with two private patios and underground parking.
‘Acton Park and the shops, cafes and restaurants of Acton and Shepherds Bush are all on the doorstep.’
The property’s sale will help fund Barrymore’s move to Barcelona in a bid to ‘change his life for the better’.
In May he announced he was making the move and had already been touring idyllic coastal towns on the Costa Brava looking for his ‘dream villa’.
He posted a video on TikTok with the caption: ‘Never be afraid to change your life for the better’.
Barrymore – who was holding up a blue and red FC Barcelona scarf – told his three million followers: ‘Hey guys, yes I am moving to Barcelona.
‘I’m 72 now and I realise that quality of life is more important to me than anything, so I’m going to Spain.
Pictured, each of the two bedrooms have access to their own en-suite bathrooms
Pictured, the west London property’s stylish patio area complete with garden furniture
The sixth floor building (pictured) was built in the 1920’s for the then Ministry of Work and Pensions before going on to be used by the Department of Social Security
‘I love the place. It’s amazing.
‘The culture there and the people and just the art and everything.
‘I started looking around Girona and the Catalonia area for houses back in March.’
Barrymore said he was looking for a home around the resort of Lloret de Mar adding: ‘Until I find the villa of my dreams, I’m going to find out as much as I can about it, download Duolingo, learn the language. I can’t wait.’
Barrymore is looking for a fresh start as controversy continues to rage around the death of Stuart Lubbock in March 2001.
In response to his post Mr Lubbock’s oldest daughter Paige told MailOnline: ‘Barrymore is living the high life while we are the ones who have suffered. It’s disgusting the way he’s boasting about moving to Spain and he should be ashamed of himself.
‘We’ve never known the truth about how my dad died and never had justice. But Barrymore doesn’t care, he never has. He’s never shown any interest in our family, only himself. It’s cruel. I don’t want to talk about him that much because it’s quite sickening the way he is behaving.’
She added: ‘I was very young when my dad died and don’t have any memories of him. It’s not been easy growing up without a father.
‘We would like to see the investigation reopened and for Barrymore to tell us all that he knows. But I don’t think that will ever happen.’
The flat comes complete with secure underground parking and a concierge service. Pictured, its private patio
Barrymore’s flat which has been reduced in price since it first went on the market earlier this year Pictured, the decking area of the property’s patio
Stuart Lubbock (pictured) was found dead in Michael Barrymore’s swimming pool on March 31 2001 after a party
Pictured, Barrymore’s former £2m mansion in Roydon, Essex just after Mr Lubbock’s death in 2001
Father-of-two Mr Lubbock, was aged 31 when he was found face down in the swimming pool after a booze and drug fuelled party at Barrymore’s £2 million mansion in Roydon, Essex.
A post-mortem revealed he had suffered severe internal injuries which suggested he had been sexually assaulted.
A police investigation led to no charges and an inquest recorded an open verdict but by 2003 Barrymore had been axed by ITV and his career never recovered.
In May 2004 he filed for bankruptcy after receiving a tax bill in the region of £1.4million and the star virtually disappeared from public life.
He was rarely seen again until he appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in January 2006 and Barrymore spent three years living in New Zealand with his then partner Shaun Davis before the pair split up and he moved back to the UK in 2009.
A series of career revival attempts were often overshadowed by the ongoing investigation.
Barrymore and others were arrested and questioned on multiple occasions over the tragedy, but no charges were ever brought.
He went on to sue Essex Police for wrongful arrest, although he dropped his compensation claim of £2.4m after a court ruled he was due nominal damages that could be as little as £1.
Four years ago Channel 4’s Body in the Pool examined the death in detail and police – who admitted making ‘crime scene mistakes’ – relaunched their probe and began pursuing several leads.
Sadly, Stuart’s dad Terry, who campaigned for justice for 20 years, died aged 76 in 2021 without ever finding out the truth of what happened to his son.
Further documentaries are said to be planned about the affair and Barrymore reacted angrily after the screening of Michael Barrymore: The Rise and Fall of Mr Saturday Night on Channel 5 three weeks ago.
He claimed it was ’embarrassing’ that information he passed to programme makers had been ‘completely missed out’ branding the documentary ‘b*******’.
Barrymore went on to claim he had been contacted by ‘multiple people’ including ‘medical professionals, former police and witnesses’ with new information adding: ‘It has been a fascinating yet deeply disturbing few days.’
Barrymore has backed calls for an independent investigation into Essex Police and insisted he wants to help the Lubbock family ‘find peace’ and ‘receive the justice they deserve’.
