Made In Chelsea stars Ollie Locke and Gareth Locke are facing potential eviction from their west London townhouse after accumulating over £25,000 in unpaid rent, despite portraying a lavish lifestyle online.
The couple, who welcomed twins Apollo Magnus Obi and Cosima Emily Bex via surrogacy in July 2023, have been documenting a series of expensive trips and experiences on social media, including a recent cruise with P&O Cruises and numerous “gifted” stays at luxury hotels and restaurants. However, news of their financial difficulties emerged this week after they missed a January 30 deadline to settle rent arrears spanning three months, prompting potential legal action.
According to sources, the Lockes are “desperately trying to repay what’s owed” and face a visit from bailiffs as early as March. The situation came to light after a live-in housemate, one of five godmothers to their children, discovered that her portion of the rent had not been forwarded to the landlord.
The couple’s financial struggles stand in stark contrast to the image they cultivate online. Ollie Locke, 38, and Gareth Locke, 37, frequently share photos and videos of their travels, designer purchases, and upscale dining experiences. Recent posts include a Christmas dinner at a Chelsea restaurant, matching pyjamas from Selfridges, and a stay at The Four Seasons hotel, all labelled with the hashtag #gifted.
Even as Ollie Locke has enjoyed a public profile since appearing on the original series of Made In Chelsea in 2011, his financial background differs significantly from some of his co-stars. Unlike Spencer Matthews, whose family owns the Eden Rock resort in St Barths, or Millie Mackintosh, whose family has ties to the Quality Street chocolate empire, Locke’s upbringing was more modest. His parents divorced when he was eight, and little is publicly known about his father.
Locke and Gareth met as models before appearing on Made In Chelsea. They married in 2020 at London’s Natural History Museum in a ceremony covered by Hello! magazine, and welcomed their twins through surrogacy, a process Locke has previously acknowledged was financially demanding, requiring him to sell a previous property to fund the treatments.
Beyond their reality television appearances, the couple have pursued various business ventures. Locke co-founded the gay dating app Chappy, which was sold to Bumble in 2019 for a reported £1 million. However, other ventures, including Chelsea Harbour Wine and Laughing London Ltd, have since been dissolved. Gareth Locke’s firm, Huzzah Beauty, as well faces potential dissolution. The couple launched a YouTube show, “Our Daddy Diaries,” documenting their life as novel parents, but it has not been updated in two years.
The Lockes reportedly offered alternative stories about their children to the Daily Mail when approached for comment regarding their financial situation, but did not respond to a direct request to comment on the rent arrears.
An associate of the couple stated that while the financial troubles are concerning, the potential damage to their public image is a greater worry, as their lifestyle relies heavily on sponsorships and freebies.
