Suffolk isn’t known for its glitz and glamour and A-list celebrities but there is an ‘A-Team’ of stars linked to the county, as Connor McLoone discovered.
Ed Sheeran
Possibly the most famous Suffolk export of the moment, the multi award winning singer/songwriter was raised in Framlingham.
The A Team singer has gone on to sell millions of album and has won aclutch of Brit Awards and Grammies. Last year he was awarded an honorary degree from University Campus Suffolk.
In early 2011, after securing recording and publishing deals, Sheeran purchased a farm near Framlingham and had it renovated. He has said that he hopes to raise a family there one day.
Bill Turnbull
The Songs of Praise host spent 15 years getting up at 3.35am to prepare for the morning breakfast show, but as he says farewell to the BBC, he welcomes the Suffolk countryside.
He has moved from Cheshire to Suffolk to spend more time with family and friends and spend more time indulging in his slightly unusual hobby. Bee keeping.
Griff Rhys Jones
Clearly not Suffolk-born, the comedian, TV presenter and actor spent his early childhood in Wales but, he remembers more of his time in Suffolk than his native Wales.
The family retired to Woodbridge 30 year ago, but Jones has now ventured a little further down the road and resides in Sutton.
The comedy actor is best known for his leading role in the sit com Smith & Jones.
Laura Wright
It seems that there’s something in the water in Framlingham because award winning Laura Wright also resides from the area.
The 25-year-old singer is best known for her debut folk album The Last Rose, released in 2011.
The album received a Brit nomination and topped the UK classical chart for five weeks. In 2013 Wright went on to sell out her first ever headline show at The Royal Albert Hall’s ‘Elgar Rooms’.
Anthony Horowitz
The author and scriptwriter has swapped the fast paced, suspense filled murders of his fictional writing for a more calm and sedate setting in Suffolk.
Horowitz praises Orford for its pristine walks and sunny Suffolk skyline, having visited the area regularly for the last 20 years.
In an interview with The Daily Mail, he described his perfect day: “I’d start with scrambled eggs at Orford with Jill and our sons Nicholas, 24, and Cassian, 22. I’d write until midday then walk along the coast, ending at Orford Castle.”
June Brown
The Eastenders veteran played the role of Dot Cotton for 27 years but despitethe actress didn’t start her life as a London local.
She was born in Needham Market in 1927. She attended St John’s Church of England school in Ipswich and then won a scholarship to Ipswich High School. In 2005, June won Best Actress at the British Soap Awards and also received the Lifetime Achievement award at the same ceremony.
Simon Mayo
Having worked for the BBC since 1981, Mayo knows a thing or two about radio.
And he also knows a thing or two about Suffolk, considering he’s been visiting the coast here regularly for the last 12 years.
Taking influence from local Suffolk churches for his book characters, Mayo bought a house in Walberswick back in 2013, cementing his love for the area.
Ralph Fiennes
The diverse, multi award-winning actor has played a whole host of characters during his 31 year acting career.
From Lord Voldemort to ‘M’ in James Bond, Fiennes has worked alongside the likes of Michael Gambon, Liam Neeson and Colin Firth.
But this film icon didn’t begin his life in Hollywood. He was born in Ipswich in 1962 and was brought up in the area with five siblings.
Bill Nighy
Away from the flashing lights and film cameras, British film legend Bill Nighy prefers the quieter serenity of Suffolk to the hustle and bustle of London.
Moving to Aldeburgh, The Golden Globe nominee is best known for his roles in Love Actually, Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead.
Nighy spoke to The Telegraph about his Suffolk retreat. “I generally go to the Suffolk coast. We used to spend all our summers there, particularly when our daughter was small. I love the area with all my heart: Dunwich for dramatic cliffs; Aldeburgh for tea and world-class fish ‘n’ chips and Walberswick for sandy beaches and crabbing.”
Delia Smith
Superstar celebrity chef (and Norwich City joint majority share holder, but we won’t mention that) Delia Smith married journalist Michael Wynn Jones (former editor of Sainsbury’s magazine and the Daily Mirror magazine) in Stowmarket in 1971.
They still live in the area.
She is the UK’s best-selling cookery author, with more than 21 million copies sold worldwide.
Twiggy
We now know why Southwold has a special place in Twiggy’s heart. The globally recognisable model was at the peak of her career during the mid 60s. However, it was in Southwold 12 years ago that her modelling career was relaunched, after a chance encounter in a pub with the executive marketing director of Marks & Spencer.
She now shares a home there with her husband Leigh Lawson. Twiggy says she loves shopping – especially for food – at a number of Suffolk markets.
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