Devon has long been a favourite retreat for celebrities, with the likes of comic Jennifer Saunders, property guru Kirstie Allsopp and artist Damien Hirst all known to have homes there. Another well-known figure who has been frequenting Devon for over two decades is broadcaster Jeremy Vine, who says the charming seaside town of Sidmouth is his ‘summer place’.
In an opinion piece for The Guardian, the 60-year-old BBC Radio 2 host recounted how, following his marriage to his wife, Rachel Schofield, in nearby Tipton St John in 2002, he keeps returning to Sidmouth. In fact, Vine loves Sidmouth so much that he includes a scene set on its coastline in his new book in his first murder mystery novel, Murder On Line One. The scene involves a character rescuing his manager after they are both swept out to sea by a “massive wave”.
Describing Devon as “a place to leave the real world behind”, the father-of-two also gave special mentions to places like Budleigh Salterton, Ottery St Mary, Newton Poppleford and Branscombe Beach.
However, he said: “It’s Sidmouth I come back to. After getting married close by, it became our summer place.”
Among Vine’s preferred spots in Sidmouth are the historic wooden steps at Jacob’s Ladder, the globally-renowned Donkey Sanctuary – and the Clock Tower Café, where the presenter relishes indulging in a ‘supersize-me cake’, reports Devon Live.
“Over the years we came down summer after summer, Christmas after Christmas, for R&R in the muddy Devon air,” Jeremy added.
“Our two kids arrived. It became their go-to bucket-and-spade location: I recently heard a psychologist explain how a regular family holiday location is ‘good for children’s mental health’, and wondered why she never mentioned adults.
“What I love most about Sidmouth is that it feels like a town going places. It’s not a classic sandy beach – a single triangle of brown sand is revealed at low tide, and that’s your lot – but you feel you’re facing proper sea, with heavy weather triggering waves that crash against rocks by the promenade.
He added: “It’s chintzy in places, drab in others, but it feels real. And real by the sea is a different kind of beauty. Brits need proximity to the ocean. In Sidmouth you’re virtually in it.”
Jeremy Vine’s new novel, Murder On Line One, is available now on Amazon for just £10.