Marbella's Celeb Couples

Hot Marbella snuggles down with the celebrity couples that have enjoyed a little quality time, Marbella style


Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith

Without doubt the Golden Couple on the coast and easily Malaga’s favourite son, Antonio can do no wrong when it comes to his hometown. Melanie also quickly became a favourite of the Spanish press, even learning a little of the language and appearing on the balcony to watch the Easter processions with their daughter Stella, which Antonio takes part in. Although they spend summers in their villa in Los Monteros, they tend not to get involved in Marbella’s hectic summer social scene, with Antonio prefering to sail his yacht out of Marina Benalmadena. They normally give the press a day at home at the start of the summer, on the condition that they are then left alone. All is not well however, with Melanie recently being treated for her addictions in the US and Antonio reportedly delivering an ultimatum to her.


David and Victoria Beckham

When “El Becks” signed for Real Madrid in 2003 for £24.5m, there was widespread anticipation amongst real estate agents that the couple might base themselves in Marbella. So when David and Victoria were spotted in both Mijas and Puerto Banus, luxury developers whipped themselves into frenzy. After all, they reasoned, David could always commute up to Madrid by private jet from the airport or helicopter from the luxury mansion they were bound to buy in the hills above Marbella. And given Victoria’s love of designer shopping (and the fact that the town has the highest proportion of Essex boys and girls this side of Romford), Puerto Banus would be a perfect destination for her. Alas, David decided that he needed to move to the capital, and the rest (including Rebecca Loos) is history.



Ashley and Cheryl Cole

Cheryl and “Cashley” have long had an affinity with Puerto Banus, and the Ocean Club in particular. I once bumped into most of the England football team around the pool in 2006, the weekend after they had been knocked out of the World Cup by Portugal. I asked one defender what they were doing here and he replied that they were on Ashley’s Stag weekend. “Hang on” I said, “You must have planned this because you only got beaten on Wednesday. Are you telling me that England got knocked out of the World Cup so that you could go to Ashley Cole’s Stag?”

“F… Off” he replied

This was all before the X Factor and Cheryl achieving “National Treasure” status. So when the kiss and tell allegations of Ashley’s drunken night with a blonde hit the headlines it was only natural that he chose to bring here to Puerto Banus for a little retail therapy for his alleged indiscretions. And afterwards they discreetly retired to a lounger at Ocean Club. Just Ashley, Cheryl, a posse of bodyguards and several thousand paparazzi trying to snap them in the VIP area. ..



Dolph and Anette Lundgren

Dolph and Anette first came to Marbella on their honeymoon, although she had been a frequent visitor as a child. What was supposed to be a wine trip and visit to Marrakech turned into a three week stay, and they finally brought a house in 1997. Dolph now splits his time between London, Marbella and LA – where he has just finished shooting “The Expendables” with an all star cast including Sylvester Stallone, Mickey Rourke, Jet Li, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis and the late Britney Murphy.

Dolph was also recently made an “Ambassador for Marbella” by the Town Hall, where he commented “Marbella is a very special place for my family. It’s a marvellous city where we can enjoy life to the full”. The actor also praised the “warmth and hospitality of the people who know how to enjoy life” and we’ve often spotted Dolph and Anette out on the town, doing a little enjoyment of their own!




Noel Gallagher and Meg Matthews

In 1997 Oasis were the biggest band in the world and the media frenzy about the release of their eagerly awaited third album “Be There Now” reached fever pitch before the launch on August 21. To escape the spotlight Noel Gallagher and Meg Mathews, who had married in Vegas earlier that year, fled London to a secret location. While the press spent August combing the south of France and the Caribbean for the couple, they were, in fact, enjoying the sunshine in a villa in the hills above Marbella, with their own personal chef and an “executive concierge” . Noel and Meg had a great time, being visited by an incognito Liam, as well as Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell, and threw several all night dinner parties, while laughing at the Sky TV coverage that wondered where they were. But even though Noel had written the classic “Wonderwall” for Meg, the couple split in 2001.


Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz

OK so “Spain’s most beautiful couple” haven’t been spotted snuggling at Sinatra’s, boogieing down at Buddha Beach or getting up close and personal at the Puente Romano, but it can only be a matter of time surely? And with marriage and or pregnancy rumours a staple of the Spanish Press, you can be sure to hear plenty about Javier and “Pene” over Valentine’s!

I may not be right, but I´m never wrong - James Brown

Here at Hot Marbella we pride ourselves on our tireless dedication to leaving no stone unturned in our quest for justice and the truth etc.

Sometimes in the heat of battle, however, things get a little blurred (especially if we are running low on Red Bull) and mistakes do happen.

So we were delighted to hear from John Flemming who pointed out that


a)Alex Reid´s film is called ¨Killer Babe¨ not ¨Killer Bitch¨

and

b) it´s not a porn film.

Thanks to John for pointing this out, we´ve chained the offending journalist to the wall as punishment and we´ll be eagerly awaiting a DVD for review!

Zero to Hero – and back again?

After winning Celebrity Big Brother and getting back with Katie Price, Alex Reid seemed to have won over the public’s affection. But will it all turn sour again?

It’s one of the most amazing tabloid turnarounds ever. In the run up to Christmas Alex Reid was widely regarded as the biggest plonker in Britain. But having emerged from the Celebrity Big Brother house as this year's unlikely winner, the cross-dressing cage fighter has somehow managed to win back the public.

Back in summer this didn’t seem possible. Alex was very much the “other man” and when he and Katie Price visited Marbella twice last summer and while they were photographed getting personal in the pool, Peter Andre stayed in the UK with the kids. The “Team Pete” crowd grew louder and louder in their condemnation of Alex and when it was revealed that Alex was a professional cage fighter who had also appeared a porn film called “Killer Bitch, the public zeroed in on him and Katie as the most hated couple in Britain. To rub salt into the wounds, Peter turned up in Marbella a few weeks later with the kids and was the perfect father in front of an adoring paparazzi.

Back in the UK Alex was the subject of further humiliation when he turned up to Katie’s Halloween party in a transvestite outfit complete with lipstick and stockings, and when she dumped him live on air after leaving the “I'm A Celebrity” jungle in December, his days in the limelight looked over
So it wasn’t entirely surprising that when Alex entered the Big Brother house in January, the crowd booed him. "This is why I'm here," he told Davina. "To change these boos to hopefully cheers."

His first test was coming face-to-face with Katie's ex Dane Bowers, who to Alex's surprise was about to be his roommate for the next three weeks. Dane had a black eye after a fight at New Year's Eve party at Katie's house, which both men had attended. Initial reports suggested that Alex was behind the attack, but he and Dane denied the claim in a joint statement. Nonetheless, discovering the ex-boyband star in the Big Brother house must have been a shock for 'The Reidernater'. But rather than arguing with Dane - which Channel 4 producers must have hoped for - Alex gave him a big hug and the pair immediately started cracking jokes.

And rather than being the first voted out of the house, Alex was soon being offered advice and home truths from Vinnie Jones, Stephanie Beacham and Stephen Baldwin which he seemed to be taking on board. Vinnie even criticised his bid for movie stardom. "No one would want to be in a movie with you at the moment - no one would want to be associated with you," Vinnie said. "If you offered me five million dollars to be in a movie with you, I wouldn't take it."

Alex also showed a willingness to make fun of himself (the all over fake body tan springs to mind),surprisingly went on to win Celebrity Big Brother with a whopping 60% of the final vote, which apparently had Vinnie “gutted’.

There's little doubt Alex's time on the Channel 4 show mellowed him. During one of his last meals in the house, Alex described the experience as an "emotional rollercoaster". "I can act like a plonker sometimes," he told housemates. "But maybe I have grown up."

Maybe he has, but within a week of emerging from the BB House, Alex was back with Katie and they were both telling OK magazine of their wedding plans I wish I’d met Alex six years ago. He’s perfect in every way. He’s a proper gentleman” she gushed while Alex said “I need Katie. I don’t need her for fame but I need her. It has been a fantastic start to the New Year and it’s going to be even more fantastic now this is happening”

The couple then headed out to Las Vegas, world capital of the quickie wedding, and were married within hours of arriving in a private ceremony at the luxurious Wynn Hotel, and a multi million pound deal for photos of their wedding was rumoured to be in discussion. And just to add more drama the couple’s trip reportedly enraged Peter, who thought that Katie would be looking after the kids this week. 'It's absolutely outrageous the way she behaves with the kids sometimes,' a source told The Sun. 'They are an afterthought. Kate was meant to pick them up after school yesterday but word filtered back that she was on her way to Heathrow for a flight and the nannies would be looking after the kids all week. Pete hit the roof.” Later though, he had calmed down and told Radio One “I’ve thought about this, all of this morning, and I thought as long as they’re a positive influence on my kids that’s all I care about. If they’re happy great, it’s none of my business.”

Alex may have gone from zero to hero, but watch this space. He could be back to zero by the end of the month!