Posts Tagged ‘Blackburn’
Susan Boyle buys a new home in Blackburn
Susan Boyle has bought herself a new home in Blackburn, according to a report in today’s Daily Mirror, which features photos of both the inside and the outside of the house, together with views from the house (my, their photographer has been busy!). The house is valued at £300,000 and has three bedrooms and a double garage. The rear view is lovely and overlooks a river (but don’t worry, there is a steep river bank so the house won’t flood). The house is also set in a private courtyard, which may help to allay security concerns.
Susan’s current home in Blackburn is constantly besieged by fans. However, some of the visitors have been more menacing – Susan has previously had to deal with finding strangers in her garden on Christmas Day, and a teenage intruder inside her home in January.
Susan won’t need a mortgage, because she is due to receive £4 million pound in royalties for sales of her “I Dreamed a Dream” album, the payment, according to media reports, will arrive around the time of Susan’s birthday on April 1st, when she will be 49.
Susan Boyle has a Change of Heart over Move to London
Susan Boyle has changed her mind about moving down to London, according to a report in today’s Daily Mirror.
A teenager has recently been charged with breaking into Susan’s home and stealing money, whilst Susan was in London singing on the Haiti Single.
Susan was being urged that it would be better for her to move into a posh London flat for her own safety. She herself had become nervous about staying in her ex council home in Blackburn after the second break in.
A source told the Mirror: “Susan was being encouraged to move to London, but her heart is in Scotland.
“At least now she can go back as often as she likes safe in the knowledge that the intruder has been caught.”
I personally think that Susan will be happier staying in Blackburn. I pray that she remains safe there.
Susan Boyle finds intruder at her home
Susan Boyle returned home from recording the Haiti single to find an intruder at her home.
According to BBC News, a man was detained by police but subsequently released pending further inquiries.
It is understood that Susan had just flown back from London after contributing to the Helping Haiti charity single.
The man ran out of Susan’s house in Blackburn, West Lothian, when she opened the front door on Tuesday night.
A spokesman told the BBC: “Lothian and Borders Police were called to an address in Blackburn at around 9.50pm yesterday following reports of a disturbance.
“A man was detained in connection with the incident and released pending further inquiries.”
Despite Susan’s fame, she still lives in the same (ex) council house that she grew up in. Security is thought to have been increased recently at the dwelling – though not by enough, it would appear. What happens if the next nutter that Susan encounters doesn’t run away? It just doesn’t bear thinking about.
Susan Boyle Confronts Intruders in her Garden
Susan Boyle has had a panic alarm fitted at her home in Blackburn after discoverying intruders in her garden, according to an article in the Sunday People.
She found two strangers peering through her back window whilst she was watching television at about 11pm, but fortunately they scarpered when Susan pulled back the curtains to confront them.
Susan has already previously increased the security at her home, but this current incident has prompted fears that she may have to leave her humble semi and live somewhere more secure for her own safety.
Her older brother Gerry, 55, told The People: “I hate to think what might have happened if they had broken into the house when she was on her own. They could have had knives on them or anything.
“Susan rang me to tell me she’d had intruders like it was an everyday occurrence.
“She hadn’t mentioned the incident to anyone or even reported it to the police. When she casually dropped it into the conversation I was really shocked. “This can’t go on any longer. She now has to realise that living in this small house is no longer suitable and more importantly not safe for her.”
Susan was relaxing on the settee over Christmas, watching TV and stroking Pebbles, when she heard the intruders who had entered her garden via a side gate.
Now Susan has had a panic alarm installed which has a direct connection to the local police and her management team.
Gerry continued: “At present she has not seen a penny of her fortune but knows it will soon be coming her way.
“The problem is she can’t get her head round the extreme wealth that is coming and the implications for her future.
“People will think because she is about to become very rich she’ll have all kinds of valuables scattered around the house.
“But the truth is there is nothing in there worth stealing. Not a jot.
“She is still living off a £200 a week allowance which she uses for food and bills – but as for luxuries such as jewellery and flat-screen TVs, there are none.
“The only thing she would be heartbroken to lose is her cat.”
Gerry is trying to persuade Susan to leave her home, and discussed with Susan the possibility of buying a more expensive home which would provide her with better security.
He added: “She is slowly coming around to the fact that her future is elsewhere, whether she likes it or not.
“I think the latest incident may have helped make her mind up.
“She’s told me she will have a budget between £750,000 and £1million but still wants to stay in the area to be near her family. I think she has a couple of places in mind but I can’t reveal them.
“She wants a lot of bedrooms so she can invite all her relatives and her new famous friends like Simon Cowell to stay.”
Susan spent a “very down to earth” Christmas at her sister Bridie’s home in Motherwell, near Glasgow.
Susan Boyle goes back to School
Susan Boyle stunned delighted teachers and puils when she revisited her former school, St Kentigern’s Academy, in Blackburn, West Lothian, on Wednesday. Susan appeared unannounced (bless her!!) at the official opening of her former secondary school after its £19 million refurbishment.
Susan was given a tour of the new facilities, and spoke to staff and children at the school. She was shown the new library, dance studio and technology department which are contained in a new extension to school. The school was opened on 16th December by Cardinal Keith O’Brien, the Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh.
Susan wore a double breasted military style coat with gold buttons and a patterned dress for her visit. She looked smart, chic and very self composed.
Cardinal O’Brien told Deadlines Scotland: “Having visited St Kentigern’s regularly during my 24 years as Archbishop, I was amazed at the change which has taken place with the refurbishment and extension.
“It does provide additional wonderful opportunities for the young people who will benefit at St Kentigern’s Academy in the years which lie ahead.
Susan chatted happily and laughed and joked with local councillors, staff and pupils and smiled throughout her visit. She also made sure that she dropped in on the music class whilst she was there.
The head teacher, Stephen Campbell, said: “We are all delighted with our new environment.
“There really isn’t an area of the school that hasn’t been upgraded the changes and improvements are fantastic and everything was completed within 18 months – a remarkable achievement.”
Susan Boyle is Happy at Home with her “Feet on the Ground”
Susan Boyle is relaxing at her home in Blackburn, West Lothian, happy in the knowledge that she is a record breaking recording artist, but with her “feet on the ground”.
Susan hasn’t got much time to do interviews at the moment. However, she has been speaking to the West Lothian Courier, her local newspaper, about her current success and achievements.
Susan told the courier that she couldn’t believe how successful she had become.
She said: “It’s been fantastic, I’m glad to be back with my feet on the ground.
“I really don’t have time for anything just now, but I’ll speak to the Courier because I love reading it.”
Susan’s spokeswoman said: “In America, Susan is already outselling Rihanna, Lady Ga Ga and 50 Cent with a projected first week sales figure of around a million.
“In doing so she is set to break Eminem’s previous record for highest first week US sales this year.
“Susan has broken retail records around the world including selling 80,000 copies in four short sales windows on QVC and becoming the biggest pre-ordered album in the history of Amazon.”
Susan’s earnings are predicted to exceed £10 million in the next 12 months.
In other news, Susan is taking steps to increase security at her Blackburn home. Instead of choosing to live in a huge gated mansion, Susan is instead taking advice on improved security measures for her (ex) council home so she can still live amongst her friends and family, and not disrupt the life of her treasured cat, Pebbles.
Susan Boyle Gets Festive
Susan Boyle has been getting into the Christmas spirit by putting on a red santa hat and signing copies of her debut album, I Dreamed a Dream, for fans outside her home in Blackburn. It should be noted that Susan is wearing her trademark red scarf which goes brilliantly with her red santa hat. Perhaps Susafans everywhere should also adopt this seasonal attire!
These jolly pictures of Susan will hopefully dispel tabloid rumours that she is under stress, as she is clearly full of joy in the photos.
With the popularity of Susan Boyle going right to the top of the Christmas tree, we will hopefully be seeing lots more of her smiley face this season!
Susan Boyle “I Dreamed a Dream” Sales Higher Than Predicted
Susan Boyle’s I Dreamed a Dream debut album is likely to outstrip the original sale predictions for the US. Currently, the album is on track to sell in the region of 675,00 copies (she has already sold more than 625,000 copies).
The fastest selling album of the year in the US previously was Eminem The Relapse which sold 608,000 copies in its first week on sale.
Susan’s album sale success has occurred despite some shops running out of the album and therefore being unable to meet the demand.
Combining the UK and the US, Susan’s album will have sold close to 1.2 million copies. It is also destined to enter the Canadian and Australian charts at number one.
Meanwhile, Susan is keeping her feet firmly on the ground. After her highly successful stint in the US, she has returned to her home in Blackburn, West Lothian, and has been pictured waving happily to fans from the doorstep of her (ex) council house.
Susan Boyle arrives in New York
Susan Boyle has arrived at JFK airport in New York, in readiness for her live performance on NBC’s Today show this morning. She will get to explore the Big Apple on Tuesday.
Susan will be singing three songs from her debut album, which was released today, at Manhattan’s Rockefeller Center.
“The album itself is like a reflection on my whole life,” Susan says. “I’ve waited so long to become a professional singer and now it’s become real.”
In other news, Susan has confirmed that she won’t be moving out of her ex council house home in Blackburn, West Lothian, any time soon.
“I don’t want to be moving an inch away from my family, and Pebbles doesn’t want to move,” Susan said, speaking to the News of The World.
“She’s lived there all her life and cats hate upping sticks.
“I’m the wee wifey with the mop and the cat next door. It’s what keeps me grounded — remembering I am just that wifey. And Pebbles would hate to live anywhere posh.”
And here is Susan Boyle being interviewed as she arrived in New York, by GMTV’s Sue Jameson:
…and a previous GMTV appearance which I have only just found:
Susan Boyle returned home to Scotland yesterday, after her brief visit to the US for the pre-recording of The Oprah Winfrey Show.