OK, whose flat is it? by Cheryl Markosky 'Mail on Sunday'
Pop Idol Darius makes himself at home for an interview in a flat owned by sex shop boss.
Impressionable younger readers of glossy magazine OK! Must have thought they were in for a treat - an exclusive interview with Pop Idol star Darius at his trendy loft-style home.
It read: 'From his tasteful home in London, Darius spoke exclusively to OK! About the year when all his dreams came true?'
Sadly, one that didn't come true is the assertion that the pad in Clerkenwell is actually his. The real owner, Tony Pithers, who runs a sex shop in Shoreditch, was perplexed when he read the feature.
'I had no idea they were going to pass it off as his,' says Tony, who rents out the minimalist loft conversion for discreet magazine shoots - the most recently for a Japanese fashion spread.
In OK!, Darius Danesh, 22, appears at home in the two-bedroom duplex, which was converted from a former print works.
Photos show the singer grinning on a beige leather sofa and helping himself to fruit salad in the immaculate kitchen. 'Darius was very nice, says Tony, who doesn't bear a grudge about the ownership detail. 'He was very sweet and he loved the flat. I spent time showing him around and he seemed really interested.'
In fact, Darius could realise his dreams as Tony has put the apartment up for sale with Thomson Currie Estate Agents (020 7251 5666) - even reducing its price from ?715,000 to ?669,950 last week.
The exposed brickwork, vast metal windows overlooking Summers Street and the Philippe Stark-designed bathroom particularly struck the star. But he confided that it was slightly beyond his means.
'Darius told me he wished he could afford to buy a flat like this because he loved it,' Tony says.
'He said it had given him some really good ideas for when he finally got a place of his own.'
In real life, Darius shares a humble London flat with two mates. But who knows, if his debut album Dive In flies off the shelves, maybe he'll be able afford this trendy bachelor pad.
Return to the
press section of our website >>
|
