Staying back in London, so Darcey Bussell lists Vaucluse home
World-renowned classical ballerina Darcey Bussell surprised many when she and her family left London's Kensington to live in Sydney in 2008.
But now the prima ballerina Darcey Bussell - who in 2012 started on the BBC Strictly Come Dancing judging panel - and her Australian fund manager husband Angus Forbes are back in London so their Vaucluse home has been listed for McGrath auction.
The Federation Arts and Crafts property was bought in 2005 for $4.15 million, 18 months before Darcey retired as principal ballerina with the Royal Ballet.
The five bedroom, three bathroom home is scheduled for 30 August auction with $4 million-plus expectations through Ben Collier, who acknowledges that the views of the harbour from the house have been diminished since its purchase. It only has harbour views from upstairs.
Bussell had family connections in Australia. She is married to an Australian investment banker, Angus Forbes, with whom she has two young daughters. Her father, the late John Crittle, was an Australian.
But they retained a residence Chateau Soulac in Bordeaux and have now bought near Wimbledon in London.
Bussell, now the President of the Royal Academy of Dance, says Strictly has got the nation up on their feet.
Earlier this year she told The Telegraph in the UK that despite loving her new, laid-back life in Sydney, it wasn’t long before she became depressed. She tried writing children's books, including co-authoring of the Magic Ballerina series.
“I left thinking I’d never have to step into a studio again. I thought I could live one of those normal lives. There were lots of reasons for stopping: I had two kids and the discipline of working six days a week was hard to fit with being a mother.
"It took me a good year to realise that I needed dance.”