Rita Ora has reflected on the 30th birthday party she held while the UK was still under Covid lockdown restrictions.
In November 2020, it was reported that the I Will Never Let You Down singer had broken the rules by gathering with friends at a west London restaurant to celebrate her birthday.
The chart-topping star was fined £10,000 for the breach, for which she said she was “deeply sorry”.
Writing on Instagram at the time, she said: “This was a serious and inexcusable error of judgement. Given the restrictions, I realise how irresponsible these actions were and I take full responsibility.
“I feel particularly embarrassed knowing first-hand how hard people have worked to combat this terrible illness and being fully aware of the sacrifices that people and businesses have made to help keep us all safe. Even though this won’t make it right, I want to sincerely apologise.”
Speaking to Glamour magazine, Rita admitted that the “worst part” of the fall-out was the reaction from her mum, Vera, who is an NHS psychiatrist, who returned to the frontline in the early stages of the pandemic.
“She was upset with me,” she recalled. “That was the worst bit, seeing her working every day and coming home exhausted and knowing what I did, was obviously avoidable.”
Rita previously told Hello! magazine: “My mother has always been my hero, but this pandemic has honestly made her a superhero in my eyes.
“She is so brave and has been through so much on her own. Yet her generosity to help others just cements what I know what my mother is capable of. I’m so happy the rest of the world has now got to see it too.”
Read Rita Ora’s full interview in the Glamour UK May Digital Issue online now.
