Wicked’s catchiest song may be titled ‘Defying Gravity’, but Ariana Grande’s former London bolthole is firmly grounded in super-prime territory: the Hampstead penthouse the pop icon has rented while filming the blockbuster franchise has hit the market at £16,950,000.
Joint listed with Sotheby’s and Alexander Main, the five-bedroom, six-bathroom penthouse is on North West London’s ultra-prime Bishop’s Avenue – dubbed London’s ‘Billionaire Row’ thanks to its concentrated shot of ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) mega mansions – between Hampstead and Highgate.
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The LA-based Wicked star rented the ultra-secure London pad while filming both Wicked films at Elstree Studios in North London, choosing the development in part because of its ultra-secure credentials and on-site security team.
Likened to London’s ‘Fort Knox’, Hampstead developer Harrison Varma – known for high-end homes with ‘security-as-an-amenity’ – has revived a gated plot on Bishop’s Avenue.
The project is part of a broader wave of luxury new-builds that is recasting the road’s kerb appeal, reflecting the security priorities of younger billionaire buyers and global celebrities passing through London.
In contrast to these newer developments, many of the mega-mansions on Bishop’s Avenue reflect the eclectic tastes of the super-rich from faded eras, with a number left abandoned and neglected.
A look inside Ariana's bolthole
The penthouse spans nearly 9,700 square foot and crowns the 20-apartment development with sweeping views of Hampstead Heath and Kenwood House from its wrap-around terrace.
Grande had access to Buxmead’s five-star leisure complex, which includes an indoor 25m pool, spa, 18-seat cinema and wellness facilities, all accessible to residents.
Internally, the primary level houses a vast reception room, kitchen, entertaining spaces and a principal suite in a separate wing with dual dressing rooms and an ensuite bathroom.
The lower floor is accessed via a private elevator, which is home to an extraordinary collection of private leisure and ancillary spaces that functions almost as a private members’ club within the residence itself.
These include a cinema and games room, gym, additional reception/study space, secondary kitchen facilities and extensive storage,
The property also includes a private underground garage with space for six cars and direct lift access into the apartment.
A development with A-list investment credentials
Buxmead, 67 Bishop’s Avenue is a collection of three penthouses, six duplexes and eleven apartments with 24-hour concierge and housekeeping service, set within a 2.5-acre estate with private landscaped gardens.
The penthouse was acquired in 2019 by Dean Main, founder of development and investment company Henigman and property management firm, Rhodium, as part of a wider purchase of eleven apartments within the development.
Conceived as the flagship of a super-prime rental portfolio, it was originally bought in shell-and-core condition and has since undergone a three-year fit-out.
Hampstead: London's go-to celebrity destination
Hampstead and the nearby Heath have become a London touchstone for global celebrities, who favour the area’s privacy, green spaces, family friendly liveability and excellent schools over central London postcodes.
Both Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift have referenced the area in song. Swift namechecks Hampstead Heath on her 2024 album The Tortured Poets Department, and was reported to have purchased a house nearby to be close to her then partner.
The song ‘Hampstead’ formed part of Ariana Grande’s 2025 album Eternal Sunshine Deluxe: Brighter Days Ahead, opening with the line: ‘I left my heart at a pub in Hampstead.’ Grande has since called London her ‘second home’, telling the BBC she loved exploring the city’s shops, streets and pubs.
The NW3 postcode has also drawn Hollywood elite in recent years, including Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes. Harry Styles reportedly owns a compound in Hampstead, which he is expected to share with fiancée Zoë Kravitz.
