Michael Barrymore Scraps Plans for New Life in Spain Over ‘Self-Pity’ Struggles

Michael Barrymore’s big move to Spain has come to an abrupt end, with the former TV star abandoning his plans to start a new life near Barcelona. Just weeks after setting off for a fresh start, he admitted feeling overwhelmed by homesickness and made the decision to return to Britain.

The 72-year-old, who has reinvented himself as a TikTok personality, left London in November with his beloved Whippet, Lara, hoping to find a permanent home in the Spanish sunshine. He rented a small flat in El Papiol, a town about 30 minutes from Barcelona, and was actively house-hunting. But despite telling his 3.5 million TikTok followers that he was close to moving into a “house with a garden” for Lara to enjoy, things quickly unraveled, reported the Mirror.

In a tearful video posted from his car before making the three-day drive back to the UK, Barrymore admitted he was struggling. “You know what, Lara, I’m a f##ing mess, so homesick, I’ve never experienced it before,” he confessed. “I feel insecure, I’m just looking at negatives all the time because of the way I feel.”

After driving back through France, he reflected on his decision, admitting his mental health had “taken a battering” and that he had reached a point where he knew he had to come home. “I felt so down about giving up on moving to Barcelona, I felt like I let so many people down,” he said.

Barrymore now plans to take a different approach to finding his dream home, saying he’ll house-hunt virtually from the UK rather than rushing into another move. He’s considering splitting his time between London and Barcelona rather than relocating full-time. “What I won’t be doing is rushing into it again without a real plan,” he admitted.

During his brief time in Spain, Barrymore explored various parts of Catalonia, including Sitges, a popular coastal town known for its vibrant LGBTQ+ community, and Castelldefels, where football star Lionel Messi still owns a luxury mansion. He had high hopes for the move, even telling fans in a TikTok video: “It’s so nice to get out of the flat. I’m so done there, it’s so uncomfortable and small and it’s making me miserable.”

Just days before heading back to the UK, he was still talking about settling into a better house with a garden for Lara. But after what he called an “emotional rollercoaster”, it became clear that moving permanently wasn’t the right decision for him—at least not yet.

Barrymore’s career in television came to an end after the 2001 death of Stuart Lubbock, who was found in the swimming pool of his Essex home. Despite years of investigation, no one has ever been charged over the suspected murder, and Barrymore has always denied any involvement.

Now back in the UK, he’s focusing on finding a way forward—this time, with a little more certainty before making any big moves again.