James Besanvalle

London, Sydney

Journalist at Freelance

Assistant Opinion and First-Person Editor at Metro (UK)

Assistant opinion and first-person editor @MetroUK | Views are my own, RTs ≠ endorsements | 🏳️‍🌈 | he/him

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Articles

Deep in the Cotswolds, I found the hotel of every history lover's dreams

1 week ago | metro.co.uk | James Besanvalle

Metro checks in to Ellenborough Park, a history lover's dream hotel with an elegant spa in the Cotswolds. Dusk light pours through the stained glass windows into the lavish wood-panelled room, as a sommelier tops up my champagne flute. I take a bite of my smoked salmon blini with Oscietra caviar, all while a crackling fireplace roars nearby.
I'd never seen an episode of EastEnders but 2024 made me a superfan

Jan 31, 2025 | msn.com | James Besanvalle

Microsoft Cares About Your PrivacyMicrosoft and our third-party vendors use cookies to store and access information such as unique IDs to deliver, maintain and improve our services and ads. If you agree, MSN and Microsoft Bing will personalise the content and ads that you see. You can select ‘I Accept’ to consent to these uses or click on ‘Manage preferences’ to review your options and exercise your right to object to Legitimate Interest where used.
I'd never seen an episode of EastEnders but 2024 made me a superfan

Jan 31, 2025 | metro.co.uk | James Besanvalle

As Nish Panesar ( Navin Chowdhry) walked into The Vic, he received a cold reception from the iconic group of women known as 'The Six'. Comprised of Denise Fox (Diane Parish), Linda Carter (Kellie Bright), Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth), Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean), Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner), and Suki Panesar (Balvinder Sopal), it was the hotly-anticipated whodunit murder mystery for the Christmas Day EastEnders special in 2023.
I had a hair transplant a month ago

Jan 28, 2025 | metro.co.uk | James Besanvalle

In December 2024, Metro's assistant opinion and first-person editor, James Besanvalle, underwent a hair transplant. Here, in the first installment of his experience, he documents the reality of having the procedure. As my barber held up the mirror to the top of my head, my jaw dropped. There it was - a small bald spot on my crown. It was 2019 and I was just 28 years old. My dad is bald so I knew it was a possibility that I'd end up the same but I thought I had more time.
we need your help to end violence against women

Nov 24, 2024 | metro.co.uk | James Besanvalle |Jess Austin

Two million women are estimated to be victims of violence at the hands of men each year in England and Wales. That's roughly one in every 12. Undoubtedly, many men will shudder at this statistic. It might motivate them to want to take action, or anger them that not everyone feels the same. In fact, 63% of men believe that members of their own gender aren't doing enough to ensure the safety of women and girls, according to A YouGov 2021 poll. The problem is, many simply don't know how.
For God's sake, just let Shawn Mendes figure out his own sexuality

Oct 29, 2024 | metro.co.uk | James Besanvalle

'The real truth about my life and sexuality is that, man, I'm just figuring it out like everyone,' Shawn Mendes revealed this week. Opening up to the crowd at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado, he added: 'I don't really know sometimes and I know other times. It feels really scary because we live in a society that has a lot to say about that. 'That's all I really want to say about that for now,' he concluded.
LGBTQ+ abuse in immigration detention

Oct 25, 2024 | msn.com | James Besanvalle

Microsoft Cares About Your PrivacyMicrosoft and our third-party vendors use cookies to store and access information such as unique IDs to deliver, maintain and improve our services and ads. If you agree, MSN and Microsoft Bing will personalise the content and ads that you see. You can select ‘I Accept’ to consent to these uses or click on ‘Manage preferences’ to review your options and exercise your right to object to Legitimate Interest where used.
LGBTQ+ abuse in immigration detention

Oct 25, 2024 | metro.co.uk | James Besanvalle

As soon as Joel Mordi was driven into the asylum detention compound, he described it as if the 'gates of hell' had just opened. Wearing a blazer and Doc Martens with rainbow laces, he was guided through the big hall of Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre (IRC) lined with yellow doors and gangs of people clustered together. Joel immediately felt powerless, as homophobic insults from fellow detainees started. 'People called me a sissy,' the 26-year-old gay man tells Metro.
I legally changed my name to Bond, James Bond aged 49

Oct 5, 2024 | metro.co.uk | James Besanvalle

Bond. James Bond. It's an iconic catchphrase from one of the highest grossing film franchises in the world - not to mention acclaimed books, TV shows, comics and even radio broadcasts. But imagine hearing it almost every day whenever someone finds out what your full name is. That's the reality for three men named James Bond who Metro spoke to on the back of film, The Other Fellow, that all three star in.
Why the Amalfi off-season is still a sunny spectacular — with less crowds too

Sep 4, 2024 | msn.com | James Besanvalle

Microsoft Cares About Your PrivacyMicrosoft and our third-party vendors use cookies to store and access information such as unique IDs to deliver, maintain and improve our services and ads. If you agree, MSN and Microsoft Bing will personalise the content and ads that you see. You can select ‘I Accept’ to consent to these uses or click on ‘Manage preferences’ to review your options and exercise your right to object to Legitimate Interest where used.