Hugh Bonneville is a busy man these days! After shooting Downton Abbey 3 in Yorkshire, the actor is back in London, where he recently hosted a 15th-anniversary fundraising gala for the Primary Shakespeare Company.
Teaming up with his old pal, Adrian Lester, the actors – who co-starred in Bonekickers (2008) – are patrons of the charity organisation. Friends for over 15 years, the duo had a blast working together in 2007, with Hugh serving as quite the prankster on set.
In an article for The Telegraph, Adrian wrote that he "laughed so much it hurt" after the Paddington star initiated a mud fight with their co-stars, Julie Graham and Gugu Mbatha-Raw, after which they "needed a photo, and gathered in a group to mark the moment."
During the shoot, some of which took place in Bristol, the quartet "formed a little gang," on set. "We worked, ate and even went shopping together," Adrian added.
Prior to Bonekickers, Hugh and Adrian had appeared in the British comedy-drama, Scenes of a Sexual Nature (2006), but they're yet to collaborate on more recent projects.
Busier than ever, Hugh has just marked the release of Paddington in Peru, and in 2025, he'll return to our screens as Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham.
Earlier this year it was confirmed that Downton Abbey would end with a third and final film, which has entered production. In July, Hugh and his cast members were photographed shooting at Ripon Racecourse in North Yorkshire, with Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Allen Leech, Nathan Wiley and Elizabeth McGovern all visible on set.
Away from the cameras, it's also been a poignant year for Hugh, who was recently spotted kissing vegan influencer, Heidi Kadlecova in October. In photos obtained by MailOnline, the TV star could be seen wrapping his arm around the mum-of-one.
More recently, Heidi supported Hugh after he performed in a charity gala, which was held to celebrate the playwright, Sir Noël Coward. The Downton favourite had acted alongside Gyles Brandreth, Judi Dench, Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi at the event.
© Mike Marsland, GettyAs the evening wound down, the actor's girlfriend met him at the stage door of the Prince of Wales Theatre before they linked arms on a stroll. Hugh was pictured in a tuxedo, while Heidi teamed a black oversized coat with wide-leg trousers and Adidas Samba trainers.
It's unknown if Hugh, 61, has introduced his son, Felix to his new girlfriend yet. The father-of-one shares his only child with Lucinda 'Lulu' Williams. The pair were married for 25 years before confirming their separation in 2023.
© GettyWhile little is known about Heidi, several outlets have reported that she's both a vegan campaigner and influencer who has previously worked for non-governmental organisations in Uganda, Indonesia and Nepal.
