Reality TV Star Ollie Locke Faces Financial Woes, Relocates Family

Made in Chelsea star Ollie Locke and his husband Gareth have reportedly sought refuge at a friend’s home following their eviction from a £4 million property due to unpaid rent. The couple, along with their two-year-old twins, Apollo and Cosima, were compelled to leave their Chelsea townhouse earlier this year amidst a significant rent arrears amounting to £45,000.

Recently, the couple was observed at a rental property in Barnes, a well-to-do London enclave. Sources confirm they were temporarily housed by a supportive acquaintance before making a decisive move to escape the capital for a new life in the countryside this week, citing financial difficulties.

The temporary residence is understood to be valued similarly to their former Chelsea home. However, the couple has now opted to leave London entirely in pursuit of a fresh start in a rural setting.

Financial Strain and Explaining the Move

A close associate stated that the short period spent in Barnes and the subsequent departure from London were unrelated to the couple’s financial challenges. Previously, Ollie Locke conveyed feelings of humiliation and admitted to a tarnished reputation due to the outstanding rent payments.

The 39-year-old described experiencing a ‘breakdown’ and reaching a personal low point after vacating their four-bedroom west London residence in February. At that time, they owed three months’ rent, in addition to fines and legal expenses.

A Childhood Dream Fulfilled: A Move to the Country

On Sunday, Ollie Locke announced the realization of a long-held childhood dream: a move to the countryside. He shared a video montage on Instagram, documenting their new rural existence on the South Coast. Locke expressed his sentiments, stating, “We rode out of Waterloo for the very last time as Londoners and from Chelsea to chickens, I’m now an uncle to seven chicks and the kids adore them.”

He further elaborated on his new venture, “I’m building a new adventure on the south coast where the kids can live their very best lives.” The reality star also hinted at new professional endeavors, anticipating a transformed “countryside Ollie” launching a new business, forging new friendships, and navigating numerous rural challenges. “Not so much King’s Road, but instead getting my hands dirty with a full on country life, come with me in making this adventure one to remember.”

Unpaid Rent and Third-Party Liability

Earlier this year, it was reported that Ollie Locke and Gareth, 37, had failed to pay three months’ rent on their former four-bedroom property near Chelsea’s King’s Road, resulting in a debt of £25,000. Including late fees and legal costs, the outstanding amount escalated to £45,000, ultimately forcing the couple to vacate the premises under threat of eviction.

The couple is held accountable for the debt, alongside a third tenant named on the tenancy agreement. This individual claims to have paid her portion of the rent directly to Ollie and Gareth, but the funds were allegedly not remitted to the landlord. She asserts that the payments were instead used to “fund the couple’s luxury lifestyle.” Despite fulfilling her obligations, the tenant is now facing pursuit by debt collectors for the unpaid rent and bills due to her name being on the contract.

Ollie Locke has affirmed that he and Gareth are committed to repaying the owed funds to move forward. However, Gareth has suggested that a fourth lodger at the property had agreed to contribute their share but subsequently left them in a difficult position, a claim the couple disputes.

The Financial Impact of Parenthood

The couple frequently filmed scenes for Made in Chelsea at the £4 million, four-bedroom house, including segments for the spin-off “Beyond Chelsea.” Gareth, who joined Ollie on the show in 2018, previously stated their intention to repay the outstanding sum, emphasizing they are a “normal family” who manage their finances like anyone else. He remarked, “Everyone else has financial issues, whether it’s paying a credit card bill late or paying their rent late.”

Ollie Locke has shed further light on his financial struggles, revealing that he spent approximately £500,000 on IVF and surrogacy in his journey to fatherhood. He disclosed that he sold his former home to fund the treatments with his husband before their twins were born via surrogacy in July 2023. He described the significant emotional toll of their path to parenthood, including the loss of six pregnancies, which contributed to considerable financial and personal strain.

The couple’s financial priorities shifted dramatically after becoming parents. The costs associated with raising their twins, who were born prematurely at 31 weeks, continue to escalate. Due to the unpredictable nature of their careers as television personalities and influencers, Gareth emphasized the necessity of a full-time nanny, acknowledging the high expense of consistent childcare.

He explained, “Last year, because we were aware that our finances were becoming tighter, we weren’t going on holidays. We have kids, kids are expensive, and we don’t care about ourselves anymore; we’re putting them first. Ours were born premature so there have been extra costs and things we need to help with their development.” He added, “Twins are not the easiest thing in the world, especially when we have careers that are sporadic. Last year we filmed five different TV shows and it’s like we’re asked, ‘can you come and film at this time?’ and then we’re like right, the twins, how do we do this? In order for us to fulfil what we need to do to support them, we need childcare and it’s expensive.”

In addition to childcare expenses, Ollie noted that the twins’ premature birth has necessitated increased spending on their developmental support. The twins, Apollo and Cosima, received care at Durham, Sunderland, and Chelsea and Westminster Hospital before returning home in 2023. Despite being nearly three years old, the children have yet to speak, prompting the couple to invest heavily in costly speech therapy.

Ollie reflected, “It’s been a lesson. We all go through these bumps financially, especially with the cost of living becoming so expensive and so obscene. We’re a family of four and we need to feed each other and try to keep up as much as we can. With premature babies, it costs us £1,000 a week because they’re not ready to go to nursery; they’re nonverbal. So, we’re paying for special classes, and special help is a lot more money.”

Gareth added, “One of the biggest issues around that time that we didn’t expect was Covid. It was more drawn out and made the situation harder. But we’re like anybody else. We’re in our 30s, building a family, running businesses, and we don’t have a lot of disposable income. We wanted to have a family, so we planned it financially. It’s been going well, but there have been a few bumps in the road.”

A New Chapter Away from London’s Glamour

Following their departure from the £7,000-a-month rented property, Gareth previously indicated that their new residence is equally costly. He also described his role in maintaining strength during their financial difficulties, while Ollie tended to be more emotionally affected. “I try to be strong for Ollie and try not to let things get to me,” Gareth stated, with Ollie interjecting, “I’m the emotional one and this has pushed me to have a breakdown, which has been incredibly hard.”

Ollie added, “Gareth is quite stoic and I couldn’t do life without him because it wouldn’t make any sense. I need to cry and I’ve done it enough on camera, but I’m not this enormously strong person. I can defend myself in an argument, but I can’t be publicly ridiculed.”

Ollie and Gareth, who married in 2020 at London’s Natural History Museum, are now focusing their future on raising their twins and physically distancing themselves from the affluent lifestyle often associated with west London. Ollie admitted to trying to maintain a facade of luxury, filled with champagne and grand estates, after years on the reality show.

Gareth insisted, “We wanted to move on from our previous home because we wanted a fresh start. We have some very negative memories from the house and terrible experiences. We feel we have found somewhere new to live where we love it, which is around more people who are older with families, which is incredible. We are opening our eyes to a change of lifestyle because living in Chelsea – everyone is going out all the time; it’s not the biggest family place.”