Hugh Grant Blasts 'Intrusive' And 'Creepy' Experience Passing Through Immigration At Heathrow
Hugh Grant has opened up about an “insulting” and “creepy” experience he had while recently passing through Heathrow Airport with his family.
On Friday, the Bafta winner revealed that he and his wife, Anna Eberstein, had recently landed at Heathrow with their children after travelling from abroad.
He wrote on X (the social media site formerly known as Twitter) that he “just came through Heathrow” with his wife and children.
“We all have the same last name (Grant) on our passports,” he explained, before revealing how an “immigration officer” had “[engaged] my children in chit chat, then [whispered] to them ‘are these your mum and dad?’.”
Hugh then branded the experience “intrusive, insulting and creepy”.
Just came through Heathrow with wife and children. We all have the same last name (Grant) on our passports. Immigration officer engages my children in chit chat then whispers to them “Are these your Mum and Dad?” . Intrusive, insulting and creepy.
— Hugh Grant (@HackedOffHugh) April 4, 2025
Border Force officers are employed by the Home Office, rather than a particular airport.
In The Independent’s report on Hugh’s comments, the publication cited “official government guidance” which says that Border Office officers “may ask” questions to travellers with children if they “are not the child’s parent” or “if you have a different family name” to “establish your relationship with the child” in a way that “is sensitive to the interests of the child and the adult involved”.
HuffPost UK has contacted both Heathrow Airport and the Home Office for comment.
The Bridget Jones’s Diary actor shares three children with his wife: 12-year-old John Mungo, eight year-old Lulu (whose middle name happens to be Danger) and six-year-old Blue.
He also has two more children with ex-partner Tinglan Hong, 13-year-old Tabitha Xiao Xi and 11-year-old Felix Chang.