LONDON succumbed to Taylor Swift fever after the superstar’s arrival in the capital.
Mayor Sadiq Khan finally did something decent by transforming the Tube into a Swiftie paradise, co-ordinating the Tube lines in tribute to her Eras tour.
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Each line has been named after a different album, and every station takes on the name of a song.
I got the train home last night from I Can Do It With A Broken Heart (which is usually London Bridge station).
But rather than kicking back in the city following her gigs in Cardiff and Liverpool over the past week, I can reveal Taylor has been holed up in an exclusive £15,0000-a-week Cotwolds holiday home.
Insiders tell me the Shake It Off singer has had access to an exclusive farmhouse estate in the countryside, a stone’s throw from celebrities including Posh and Becks, Simon Cowell and Amanda Holden.
The pad comes with its own swimming pool and a tennis court. A source said: “Off stage, Taylor is very low key and likes her home comforts.
“She has rented a lovely place in the Cotswolds for some downtime.
Travis Kelce, her boyfriend, was in London for the first gig last night and their pad near Chipping Norton is the perfect place for them to kick back and relax.
Taylor has a place in the capital too but with her family on tour with her, it’s nice for them to have some space.
“She has been blown away by the reception from her British fans and is loving her time on tour here.
“To be back in the UK and to spend some time here has been a real treat.”
Taylor’s parents Scott and Andrea touched down on Taylor’s private jet earlier in the week — the one Just Stop Oil comically missed.
Travis’ brother, fellow NFL footballer Jason, has joined Travis, who was making friendship bracelets on the flight over.
Friends of mine spotted Jason in Soho yesterday afternoon and said he was going in and out of London pubs to try out local beers.
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Elsewhere, Bizarre’s Jack Hardwick, who was at the gig last night, headed to the Black Dog in Vauxhall — a South London pub that inspired Taylor’s song of the same name.
He said it was crammed to the rafters with Swifties.
The landlord has cashed in and had themed glasses and a picture of Taylor mocked up as Jesus behind the bar.
I think they’ll need more than holy water to cure the hangovers, though.
I’m off to the second of eight Wembley Stadium dates tonight and have already packed my earplugs to drown out some of the screaming.
Just like Taylor, who spent almost £500 on chicken doner kebabs from the Kentish Delight takeaway in North West London to fuel her team’s performance, I’ll be stopping off for a lamb shish before heading down.
Wish me luck. My ears will need it.
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Cara worse off
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CARA DELEVINGNE has revealed that after giving up the booze, she actually ended up feeling worse following big nights out.
Launching her new alcohol-free wine Della Vite, the supermodel told me: “Nearly two years ago when I got sober, I thought, ‘I probably won’t go out as much, my life’s probably going to change’.
“And to be honest I went out way more than before, which is great, apart from when you go out you and drink a hell of a lot of sugar. I’d wake up in the morning with a terrible headache, and I was like, ‘What?’. ”
Cara decided to create the brand to fend off the headaches, adding: “I’m sober to be healthy and to be happy. Instead, I feel left with pain.
“We wanted to make something that was beautiful tasting, great quality but low sugar and low calories.
“I just like having something in my hand. For me, it was never about the alcohol.
“Whether it’s a wedding or someone has broken up with someone, you reunite over a glass of something. It’s about that ritual and being invested in that, so this is for everyone.
“It’s not about being sober, it’s about being yourself. When I want to go out to have fun, I want to celebrate.”
I’ll raise a glass to that.
A plucky number for Gaga
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IT’S normally blokes who spend their time peacocking – but Lady Gaga has given it a go too by wearing this feathered headpiece during a gig in Las Vegas.
She kicked off the latest leg of her Lady Gaga Enigma: Jazz & Piano residency in Sin City this week and had a laugh with fans about her return to pop.
There have been recent rumours Gaga will drop new music imminently, as a follow-up to her 2020 album Chromatica.
But she shut down speculation about her making an announcement on stage, when fans started shouting “LG7” as a code for a seventh Lady Gaga album.
Laughing, she replied: “Not tonight.”
THE United Kingdom will not take part in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest this year.
We rejoined the contest in 2022 and came fifth, then finished fourth last year with a trio called STAND UNIQU3.
However, the BBC has now confirmed we have pulled out of the event, which will next take place in Madrid in November.
Bjorn again
BJORN ULVAEUS reckons ABBA might have reunited for the final time after coming together to get an honour from Sweden’s royal family.
He was joined by Agnetha Faltskog, Benny Andersson and Frida Lyngstad at last month’s event in Stockholm.
On the podcast Rosebud With Gyles Brandreth, Bjorn said: “We stood there quietly, accepting it out of the king’s hand and him saying a few words. It was a very quiet and very elegant ceremony.
“All four of us of course were there. In public we see each other very rarely, and Frida said to me afterwards, ‘This might be the last occasion’.
“Very sad, and I thought about that afterwards, but we’re not getting any younger.”
Caught Live
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“THOSE of you who have seen the Foo Fighters before know we don’t f*** around,” bellowed Dave Grohl at the first of two nights at the London Stadium.
And f*** about they did not, with All My Life, No Son Of Mine and The Pretender sounding absolutely electric.
The band last toured the UK properly six years ago, and more than half of the packed stadium had never seen them live – much to Dave’s glee.
Laughing, he told them: “You newbies, I’ve got your f**ng as. You’re my target demographic.
“My favourite thing is for you all to sing along, even if you don’t know the f***ing words . . . this song is Times Like These.”
And sing along they did, like me, with the first half of the show packed with stadium-perfect anthems before Dave and co struck a tender chord with a ten-minute version of The Teacher.
Like most Foos concerts now, it was a family affair, with Dave’s daughter Violet coming on and singing for Show Me How.
Meanwhile, late drummer Taylor Hawkins’ son Shane showed the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree as he grabbed the sticks and knocked I’ll Stick Around out of the park.
Finishing on Everlong, with a crescendo of fireworks, the Foos proved that 30 years on they are still one of the best live rock bands you’d ever wish to see.
★★★★★