RICHARD EDEN: Bridgerton country pile fears drama with local row

The Duke of Hastings encountered his fair share of troublesome neighbours in Bridgerton.

But they have nothing on the real-life residents living close to one of the country houses used to bring his world to the screen.

North Mymms Park, the Elizabethan mansion used for scenes set at the duke’s Clyvedon estate, is at the centre of an increasingly bitter row over its use as a film location.

Locals complain that film vehicles on local lanes put them in danger and cite the alleged nuisance of supercars, middle-of-the-night traffic and foul-smelling theatrical smoke.

One neighbour claims a recent shoot produced a ‘substantial volume of artificial smoke’. It came with a ‘strong gas-like odour’, which they said could be detected up to a mile away.

The grade I-listed pile is a popular location for film and television, with the Netflix series Bridgerton, The Crown, Wonka and the BBC comedy-drama Ludwig all shot there.

One resident claims convoys have passed their home as late as 3am, and on another occasion vehicles for a shoot were being dealt with by security guards at around 4.30am. The neighbour also complained about powerful cars that reportedly held up local traffic while their engines were revved repeatedly.

The incident was reported to police, according to an objection that emerged among other complaints as the estate seeks retrospective planning permission to allow it to be used for commercial filming.

North Mymms Parish Council has lodged a ‘major objection’, claiming the amount of filming and the hours involved lead to road-safety issues – with narrow lanes being blocked, dog walkers being endangered and other residents ‘frightened of using the road for walking’ – ‘late night crowds’ and ‘loud music’.

But planning consultants for the property insist filming only takes place occasionally.

Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council will now decide whether to grant permission.

Call me Mrs A, declares Margot

Margot Robbie has one of the most bankable names in Hollywood – but it turns out that away from the red carpet she now uses a different identity.

I can reveal the Barbie star, 36, has dropped her surname and adopted that of her British husband, film producer Tom Ackerley, 36, for business matters. She’s now Margot Elise Ackerley, according to Companies House, which published new documents confirming the change this week.

The couple, who met on the set of Second World War drama Suite Francaise, run the production firm LuckyChap Entertainment, through which they made hits including Saltburn.

Michelin-starred chef Chris Galvin, a F1 fan, wants to cook for Sir Lewis Hamilton, but waves the red flag at Kim Kardashian, the racing star’s girlfriend. ‘That would be freaky,’ he tells me at the Le Cordon Bleu London Scholarship Final at Cord restaurant in London. ‘I’m sure it would be a diet I would struggle with. Who knows what she would even eat?’ Well, her family’s ex-chef, Jesse Henderson, says the reality star loves chicken, chips and pasta with no sauce. 

Dakota's pet pooch is a real man-hater

Did Dakota Johnson’s dog cause trouble in paradise with her former boyfriend Chris Martin?

The Hollywood star, 36, reveals Tokyo, the dog she adopted towards the end of their eight-year relationship, has a fierce dislike of the opposite sex. ‘She loves women, she hates men,’ says Dakota. ‘If a man comes near me, she’s insane.’ The Fifty Shades Of Grey actress adopted the mixed-breed last year, shortly before her split from the Coldplay singer, 49, became public.

Did secret condition make Freud a hard taskmaster?

Having wed twice, had multiple affairs and acknowledged at least 14 children by six women, Lucian Freud was almost as famous for his love life as for his portraits.

The British painter, who died in 2011 at 88, made subjects including Kate Moss sit for days – sometimes months.

Now his daughter claims an undiagnosed condition may explain his complex and sometimes maddening behaviour. Artist Lucy Freud, 64, suspects he had aphantasia – the inability to summon visual images in the mind’s eye – after discovering recently that she has it.

‘I never see an end result [in my mind],’ she says. ‘I have to look intently at what I am painting all the time to achieve a likeness. I wonder if my father had it as he was so committed to having his models to work from at all times.’

Kit's bedtime bedlam over kids' stories

They fought before becoming lovers in the sex and dragons drama Game Of Thrones.

And off screen, married couple Rose Leslie and Kit Harington squabble about who’s going to read bedtime stories to their children.

‘We compete,’ Kit, 39, says. ‘My boy will say, “I want Mummy to read me a book tonight”. I’m, like, “Really? But she doesn’t do all the big [voices]”.’ He adds: ‘I go really big until I’m shouting and they’re asking me to be quieter. That’s going to be their enduring memory – “Daddy gave a performance and we had to listen”.’

With the next Bishop of London expected to be named in weeks, Anglican insiders are nipping down to William Hill to put a fiver on one of Queen Camilla’s favourites, the Bishop of Norwich, who assisted her at the Coronation. The Rt Rev Graham Usher, 56, is an eco-enthusiast and assiduous courtier whose tendency to guffaw and nod when in royal company has earned him the nickname ‘Gusher’. Usher was an environmentalist before he took holy orders – his green views play well with King Charles and might endear him to climate campaigners in the London diocese.