Holly Valance now - billionaire husband, far-right horror, and millions in legal fees
Holly Valance broke into music with her raunchy videos after appearing on Neighbours, but now the conservative mum is more likely to be spotted at a Reform UK rally than a Hollywood bash
British-Australian star Holly Valance started out as a model when she was just a teen, following in the footsteps of both her Southampton-born mum and her Serbian dad. After a few years of modelling, the star soon had her lucky break, and joined the long-running soap Neighbours when she was 16.
The actress left her strict Catholic school and joined the show as Felicity 'Flick' Scully in 1999, winning over a legion of fans before quitting the show and moving to the UK in 2002 - when she was 18 - to focus on building her music career. Holly, now 41, was an instant hit, and went straight to the top of UK charts with her first song Kiss Kiss.
At the same time as her star was rising, however, her net worth was dropping. When she was 19, her former manager Scott Michaelson accused her of firing him over the phone 15 months before his contract was due to end. Michaelson sued Holly and won, with the starlet ordered to pay him £150,000. Her plans to buy a house for her mum were dashed, and she also lost her heart for music after her second album State of Mind didn't even make it into the top 50.
READ MORE: 'I tried Whisker's Litter-Robot 4 to see if it could end the daily cat litter nightmare for good'
Holly said of her huge legal case to the Sunday People: "The case also cost millions of dollars in lawyers' fees. I was not all that wealthy, either. I had to think of it as a new beginning. I thought, 'It is just a number in a bank account - now you see it, now you don't.'
"I would have been really disappointed had I already bought the house for mum then had to give it back. But I did not grow up with money so knew I could live without it." Determined to start over, Holly decided to take a leaf out of the book of Australian actresses Nicole Kidman and Naomi Watts and try her luck in Hollywood.
With no work lined up, she bravely booked a flight and vowed to say 'yes' to every opportunity that came her way. She explained: "When I talked about moving to Hollywood, Mum said, 'Yes, go for it.' So I got on a plane to LA. I hired a car, looked at a map and drove myself to a place I'd rented.
"I thought, 'Get to know your way around.' I decided to accept every invitation for functions, dinners and balls and threw myself in the deep end." Her bold move paid off and the film and TV roles started coming in. Holly appeared in CSI: Miami, Entourage, Prison Break, and Liam Neeson's hit 2008 movie Taken while enjoying the anonymity of Los Angeles. But a chance meeting with British billionaire Nick Candy in 2009 changed everything.
When the pair first crossed paths at a dinner party, the Melbourne-born star had no idea who the property tycoon was. "I didn't know anything about him. I just thought 'Corr, if I didn't fancy you so much, we'd be the best of friends. Instead, I just want to make out with you all the time'," she told the Daily Mail.
And she 'freaked out' and almost ended things when she discovered just how wealthy he really was, admitting it was 'just too much'. In a panic she rang her mum, who convinced her to give Nick, now 52, a chance, and she moved back to London to be with him. "I was used to razzle dazzle and meeting lots of famous people, but I wasn't used to super-yachts and private jets," she said of adapting to Nick's lifestyle. For one birthday he gifted her a £20,000 Rolex Daytona watch.
"I am a spoilt brat. My friends and my sister say: 'I hate you!' when I show them what he's bought me," she added. But on top of the homes in Monaco and London and the private plane, it was Nick and his brother Christian's £50million super-yacht Candyscape II that really blew her mind.
She added: "When I saw the boat for the first time, I was stunned and said 'Oh dear God! It's a mansion on water. It's incredible." After Holly finished in fourth place on Strictly Come Dancing in 2011, Nick whisked her off to the Maldives and popped the question on the beach in front of flaming torches that spelt out 'Will you marry me'.
They tied the knot in a lavish outdoor ceremony in Beverly Hills in 2012, at a reported cost of £3million. The happy couple apparently paid Katy Perry £1.2million to perform for guests that included Simon Cowell. The following November, Holly gave birth to their daughter Luka, followed by her little sister Nova in September 2017. These days, Holly and her family still call London home. They're friends with royalty and were guests at Princess Eugenie's wedding.
Holly seems to have shelved her showbiz career since getting married, with her last proper filming occurring in 2013 aside from a brief cameo appearance in Neighbours in 2022. Instead, she's become deeply embroiled in right-wing politics.
The former actress first announced her support for the Conservative Party, and in February was spotted on the front row of a right-wing Tory event by the Popular Conservatism group. The Aussie star was seated alongside MPs like Lee Anderson, Jacob Rees-Mogg and the failed former PM Liz Truss.
Holly explained of her politics at the event: "I would say that everyone starts off as a leftie and then wakes up at some point after you start either making money, working, trying to run a business, trying to buy a home and then realise what c**p ideas they all are. And then you go to the right."
When asked who her favourite speakers were, she added: "The speakers were fantastic. I thought Liz [Truss] was really interesting to listen to, Jacob [Rees-Mogg] for prime minister, the MP for Ashfield [Lee Anderson] was awesome, love a northerner, straight to the point and very sensible."
Her billionaire husband was also a prominent Conservative party supporter and donor. He backed Tory Shaun Bailey's unsuccessful campaign to be Mayor of London in 2021 - and was pictured at the notorious lockdown rule-breaking Christmas Party held in Conservative HQ that December. In 2022, Nigel Farage shared a picture of him and Holly having dinner with the former UKIP leader and Donald Trump.
Last summer, Holly and Nick went even further right, developing their friendship with Farage and throwing their support behind his party Reform UK. During a rally in Clacton-on-Sea in Essex after announcing he would stand for election in the constituency, Holly insisted she encouraged him to run. She told GB News: "I have been whispering in his ear for a long time. He is the face of Reform. Richard [Tice] has done a great job and they are a great team."
Last December, Nick took a job as Reform UK's treasurer, and pledged to bring in "more money than any political party in the UK has ever raised". Holly has helped in the task, attending plenty of Reform UK events and helping to raise £1.5million within the first days of Farage's return to leadership - £100,000 of which came out of her own pockets. During an appearance on GB News, she also slammed the climate crisis and called Greta Thunberg a "demonic little gremlin high priestess of climate".
Alongside her controversial politics, Holly has also become more conservative in her dress after admitting that Nick nearly 'had a coronary' when he saw some of her raunchy pop videos. However, she's not giving up on the perfect figure. Having fluctuated between a size 8 and size 14 over the years, the star recently revealed that as a busy mum, she relies on exercise to stay balanced. She told the Made By Mammas Podcast: "[I do] very little, but gym has become something I have to do for my mental health. My husband doesn't understand if I get upset if I can't go to the gym - it keeps my energy up, it keeps my endorphins going, and I panic a bit if I can't get to the gym."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
5 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Lewis Hamilton risks wrath of his beloved Roscoe after he is seen petting Chief Mouser Larry the Cat at meeting with PM
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SIR LEWIS HAMILTON has risked the wrath of his beloved dog Roscoe... after he was seen petting Larry the Cat. Formula One superstar Hamilton is well known to be a socially conscious person, and leads his Mission 44 project to support young people in their education. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Lewis Hamilton risked the wrath of his dog, Roscoe, after he was seen petting Larry the Cat Credit: Lauren Hurley 5 Hamilton said his 'heart stops' when he gets a message about his beloved pet pooch Credit: Instagram @roscoelovescoco 5 12-year-old Roscoe is often seen alongside Hamilton Credit: Instagram @lewishamilton 5 Hamilton's visit to Downing Street came for a meeting on education reform Credit: Crown Copyright To that end, the 40-year-old was seen in attendance at Downing Street earlier this week for a meeting with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to discuss education reform. During his visit, the seven-time F1 world champion took some time out from the meetings to introduce himself to Number 10's Chief Mouser, Larry. Larry has served in the role since 2011 after being adopted by then PM David Cameron. Born in 2007, the tabby is as old as Hamilton's F1 career when he started out with McLaren in the same year. READ MORE IN F1 MAX FUR-STAPPEN F1 stars' pets from driver with THIRTEEN cats to Insta dog and a REINDEER Taking to social media, the (un)official Larry the Cat account shared a photo of Hamilton petting the feline as he laid on his bed by a window. He captioned the post: "Thanks for the stroke. @LewisHamilton - love from the sleeping cat to the prancing horse x." It was a bit of a change of pace for Hamilton, who is usually seen alongside his French bulldog Roscoe. And one fan on social media was quick to point out: "If Roscoe ever sees this picture he will never forgive LH." BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK However, Roscoe's most recent Instagram post showed him being given a tasty treat, showing Hamilton knows the way to the heart of man's best friend. Hamilton has not had the best interaction with cats in the past, revealing last year how he had black cats "thrown" at him. Lewis Hamilton's beloved dog Roscoe diagnosed with pneumonia as carer gives health update He also landed himself in trouble with animal rights activists in 2016 when he was seen playing with a tiger and jaguar during a visit to Mexico City's Black Jaguar-White Tiger Foundation. But most fans were loving the crossover of two British icons, with one saying: "Two legends in the same photo." A second said: "Oh what an honour! (For Lewis)." A third added: "Prime Minister Larry deigns to share some of his aura with Lewis. I respect that." Another joked: "Ahh I guess Lewis's demands to Sir Keir Starmer proved futile and Lewis went over Keir's head to the real power in Number 10." The Ferrari star admitted last month that he worries about his 12-year-old pooch following a recent battle he had with pneumonia. Hamilton said: "This is a time where every time I get a text message from the lady who looks after him, my heart stops for a second. "Because I'm thinking, 'What's next?' But he's fine now, fortunately. He is doing well. 'I never felt like my voice was heard' - Lewis Hamilton on education reform Hamilton's appearance at Downing Street was for more than just saying hello to Larry the Cat, but in fact was down to his goal of pushing for education reform in the UK. On his visit, Hamilton said: "I struggled in school and never felt like my voice was heard, that's why I know first-hand that ensuring every student feels they belong in school is vital. "I'm grateful that, off the back of this meeting, the government has committed to working with Mission 44 to enact change focused on making the education system more inclusive. "I'm so proud of how far Mission 44 has come in such a short space of time and the opportunity we have to transform the lives of vulnerable students across the country." In a previous interview with the Sunday Times, Hamilton revealed: "When I was in my 20s, I had some really difficult phases. "I've struggled with mental health throughout my life. [I've had] depression. "From a very early age, when I was, like, 13. "I think it was the pressure of the racing and struggling at school. "The bullying. I had no one to talk to.' "He's 12 and a half years old, so he's an old boy and it's unusual for them to live that long." The duo have practically been inseparable for a decade, and even appear together on the front cover of a recent edition of Vogue. When quizzed on Roscoe's next appearance, Hamilton said: "I really want to take him to Silverstone, and particularly Monza, this year. "I plan to put him in a red cape and outfit. I was with him before Miami and he still wants to play. "He's still got that youthful spirit. But he does like to sleep a lot." Roscoe's trainer, Kirstin McMillan, nursed the vegan canine back to full fitness after he fell ill in April, as he was treated with medication and specialist acupuncture treatment. Meanwhile, Hamilton has been struggling to extract the best out of his Ferrari machinery, and - outside of a Sprint Race win - is yet to score a podium with the Scuderia after joining them over the winter. The Brit appeared close to tears during an interview with Sky Sports F1 after he finished P6 at the Spanish Grand Prix. He later showed his class by apologising for snapping at reporter Rachel Brooks. Hamilton will have a chance at redemption at the Canadian Grand Prix on June 15. 5
Scottish Sun
6 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Greggs mania as legions of JAPANESE fans desperate to visit UK to try firm's £1.30 sausage roll
Bemused Japanese journalists even interviewed families scoffing sausage rolls outside a branch in London LAND OF THE RISING CRUMB Greggs mania as legions of JAPANESE fans desperate to visit UK to try firm's £1.30 sausage roll Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) GREGGS has won a legion of followers in Japan after Madame Tussauds displayed a waxwork version of the bakery chain's sausage roll. Japanese expat influencers have been trying the British pastry favourite and waxing lyrical about it on TikTok. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Greggs has become a surprise hit in Japan, with the store even featured on national television Credit: 4 Japanese influencers have even travelled to the UK to test out sausage rolls Credit: 4 The interest in Japan was sparked by Greggs featuring at Madame Tussauds Credit: And their countrymen are now desperate to travel halfway around the world to try one for themselves. In one video, a Japanese TikTok influencer living in the UK tells her 10,000 followers she eats Greggs twice a day and says: 'If you plan to go to England, please try this.' Another said: 'Pretty sure it's a legal requirement in the UK to eat at least one Greggs.' The Newcastle-based chain became so well-known online that Japanese news channels have run TV reports explaining what it is. On one item on the popular Nippon TV network, a reporter tells viewers: 'Madame Tussauds, the wax museum that is one of London's popular tourist attractions, features numerous wax figures of British royal family members and world-famous celebrities. 'This time, the new exhibit is not a human, but a sausage roll — a popular snack in the UK. 'June 5 is designated as National Sausage Roll Day in the UK, and Madame Tussauds has created a wax replica of a sausage roll made to look just like the one sold by Greggs, a British chain. 'Greggs' sausage rolls are a beloved snack in the UK, with around one million sold each day. "The wax figure production team spent several months completing the piece, going through trial and error to recreate the flaky pastry layers and crisp texture of the sausage roll.' Greggs taste test Bemused Japanese journalists even interviewed families scoffing sausage rolls outside a branch in London, and asked why they liked them so much. One man, identified by the channel only as 'person eating', told viewers: 'The crust is crunchy, crispy and soft. The seasoning is really good.' Greggs was asked to comment on its new-found fame in the Far East. But after the waxwork was unveiled at Madame Tussauds in central London last week, Greggs CEO Roisin Currie, said: 'Seeing our sausage roll receive the celebrity treatment is a proud and slightly surreal moment for all of us.'
Scottish Sun
6 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Inside Beyonce's huge London Cowboy Carter show with flying car, bucking mechanical bull & racy outfits
Beyonce had eight outfit changes during her first night Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BEYONCE'S Cowboy Carter tour gets off to a flying start at the Tottenham Stadium. The American singer rode a mechanical bull and flew around the stands in a red car as she performed 40 songs during a high tempo three hour set. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 5 Beyonce's Cowboy Carter tour gets off to a flying start at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium Credit: PA 5 Showstopper cowgirl in her leotard and chaps Credit: Instagram 5 Beyonce's three-hour set was a hit Credit: Instagram Beyonce, 43, had eight outfit changes during her first night - including a new look where she wore a sparkly white leotard with tasselled chaps. She will play five more dates at the North London stadium, with the second taking place tonight. Her family have joined her in the capital for the shows, with Beyoncé's eldest daughter Blue Ivy, 13, taking a starring role in her dance troupe. Beyonce's other daughter, Rumi, seven, also made her debut on a British stage at the concert - appearing by her mum's side as she performed her song Protector. She will celebrate her eighth birthday, alongside her twin brother Sir Carter, during their stay in London and insiders said Beyoncé was planning a party for the pair. A source said: 'Beyonce's family are always with her when she's touring and the London dates coincide with the twins' birthdays. 'She is planning on throwing a party for them and they'll be seeing bits of London on her days off. 'Beyoncé absolutely loves her work but it's always family first - her children are her priority.' Beyonce will play 31 international dates on her Cowboy Carter tour - and is expected to make £240million from the concerts. The Sun first revealed Beyonce was planning her six night residency at the Tottenham Stadium last September. Her concerts kick off a huge summer of music in the UK, with Oasis, Coldplay, Dua Lipa, Blackpink, Kendrick Lamar, SZA, and Billie Eilish all booked to play in London this year. 'In our cowboy era,' fashion fans race to Primark to get their hands on 'summer concert essential' that's loved by Beyonce 5 Beyoncé tours the stadium in a flying car Credit:
