Bill Nighy, the star of films including Love Actually and Pirates of the Caribbean, posed for photos and chatted to staff after visiting Nottinghamshire's Welbeck Estate. The actor was a guest at a private viewing of the new sculpture exhibitions 'In Good Company', by former French fashion designer Nicole Farhi and Lucille Lewin, the founder of Whistles, at the Harley Foundation gallery in north Notts.
The artwork included a bust of himself by Nicole Farhi, who was head designer at French Connection and founded her own label but later left her stellar career to become a sculptor, working with clay. As well as viewing the exhibition, which runs until September 24, Nighy visited the award-winning farm shop and cafe and happily posed for photos with staff. Amongst them was David Wall, head of fresh foods in the farm shop, who is celebrating 10 years' service.
Hannah Marples, a gallery assistant, said: "He was very lovely. He visited the entire courtyard while he was here. He was really charming, so cool, everything that you wanted him to be."
Lisa Gee, director of the Harley Foundation, said they don't have many celebrity visitors. She said: "Let's be truthful, we are in north Nottinghamshire so not many and it was delightful to welcome Bill and others.
"He is a close friend of Nicole's. He was a very pleasant man, very tall. I have seen his films. We have a bronze portrait bust Nicole did of Bill and he very kindly posed by his own bust. It's one of many portraits Nicole has made of him over the years and he's very pleased with it.
"What was great for us was to have the opportunity to exhibit work by Nicole Farhi and Lucille Lewin. They both set up iconic brands and to have their artwork in the gallery for me, was the really exciting thing. They are women in their 70s who left incredibly successful careers as fashion designers and turned to look at art and are now artists who work with clay. To me they are the celebrities, I'm just so proud of being able to welcome them and show in the gallery."
