Which Celebrities Live In Islington?

More cool, laid-back and bohemian than London’s other celebrity hotspots, Islington is the place for those looking to lead a lowkey existence in the capital. Though nowhere near as star-studded as Hampstead, Richmond or Kensington & Chelsea, there’s still plenty of A-listers who call Islington home. Want to verify that suspected celeb sighting? Here’s your complete guide to which celebrities live in Islington. 

The Islington Celeb Set

Kiera Knightly in Black Doves. (Netflix)

Keira Knightley 

Born and raised in Richmond, today the Black Doves star calls Islington home. She lives in the Canonbury conservation area with her husband (the musician James Righton) and their two daughters, Eddie and Delilah. Though the exact figure hasn’t been documented, it was reported that Knightley snapped up the North London abode for around $6.5m in 2013. The residence is said to span 2,800 sqft of living space, including five bedrooms and four bathrooms.

Saoirse Ronan & Jack Lowden

Though she’s originally from Ireland and he’s originally from Scotland, the celebrity couple both made the move to London for their acting careers. Saoirse Ronan originally owned a property in Notting Hill, but after performing at the Almeida Theatre in Islington she found herself falling in love with the area and was convinced to move to the borough. The Little Women actress and Slow Horses star now live in a three-bedroom Victorian end-of-terrace townhouse, which they bought in February 2023 for a reported £2.5m. 

Emma Watson and her brother Alex Watson (Renais Gin)

Emma Watson

Much like Keira Knightley, Emma Watson also calls Islington’s Canonbury Place home. The property is reported to boast four bedrooms, two bathrooms and two living rooms. As well as her home in the capital, the Harry Potter star also owns a luxury holiday home in Meribel, France, which was reportedly the first home she bought with her Potter money when she turned 18.

Jenna Coleman

Another north London local, Doctor Who star Jenna Coleman lives in Islington with her partner, the director Jamie Childs, and their young child. The couple, who are thought to have met on the set of the Netflix fantasy series, The Sandman, have been an item since late 2021. Their Islington townhouse is said to be worth around £2.2 million. 

Jeremy Corbyn

Though not a celebrity per se, Jeremy Corbyn is one of the biggest public figures connected to the north London borough. The MP for Islington North since 1983 (originally as Labour, then Independent, then as the party leader and founder of Your Party), Jeremy Corbyn has lived around Finsbury Park in Islington since 1970. 

Paul Whitehouse

Originally from Wales, actor, comedian and writer Paul Whitehouse first moved to London at age four. He grew up in Enfield and later spent time living in a squat in Hackney in his early adult years. Today, The Fast Show star calls Islington home. Speaking about the area, he said: ‘It’s not Primrose Hill but it still has its moments. The most frightening thing that has happened to me was in Upper Street when a big SUV pulled over and this bloke ran out, shaping like he was going to hit me. But it was only Chris Eubank. He’d met me a few times before.’

Kathy Burke

Kathy Burke is an Islington girl through and through. Her parents met at Holloway Road. She was raised between Upper Street and Essex Road in Halton Mansions. As a child she bought second-hand clothes and sausages in Chapel Market on Sundays, and read stories at Camden Passage’s Angel Bookshop and the Essex Road library. ‘This whole area was and still is my stomping ground,’ wrote the actor, comedian and director in her autobiography, A Mind of My Own. Today, she lives in a Victorian home in Highbury, having moved there in 1999.

Dido

Another Islington loyalist, the singer Dido still maintains a home in Islington, close to where she was born and raised. However, today, she spends most of her time across the pond in Los Angeles. 

Damian Lewis as King Henry VIII in Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light (BBC)

Damian Lewis

Though the Homeland star now spends much of his time in the quiet town of Sudbury in north Essex, he still needs a London base to call his own. In 2017, he bought Hugh Laurie’s Tufnell Park home off of him. He phoned Laurie from his newly acquired home to say: ‘I know this is weird, but I have just bought your house and I am sitting in your bedroom.’ Lewis had previously lived in Primrose Hill, while Laurie now lives in Belsize Park.