Il Messaggiere - James Blunt Scores First Number One Album in 19 Years; Wife Sofia Wellesley Celebrates

James Blunt has achieved his first number one album in 19 years, securing the top spot on this week’s Official Albums Chart with his new record, Airplane Mode. The singer, 52, officially claimed his third chart-topping album on Friday, ending a long gap since his previous success with All The Lost Souls in 2007.

The milestone was marked by a public display of support from his wife, Sofia Wellesley, who posted a rare photograph of the couple on Instagram. In the image, the attorney and granddaughter of the eighth Duke of Wellington is seen cosying up to her husband. She captioned the post with a message of pride that also addressed a previous joke made by Blunt regarding his surname.

"Number 1. So proud of you. I'm not changing my name though," Wellesley wrote, referencing Blunt’s earlier statement that he would legally change his last name to Ryan Air if the album reached number one.

Blunt expressed deep gratitude for the achievement in comments to Official Charts. "I can't tell you how grateful I am to every single person who has gone out there and downloaded, or bought, or streamed my album," he said. "From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much! I'm going to get absolutely pissed!"

The release of Airplane Mode follows Blunt’s recent appearance on the reality competition series Celebrity Traitors. In a recent interview on Good Morning Britain, Blunt revealed that he had never watched the show prior to filming and that his wife was responsible for enrolling him without his knowledge.

"My wife signed me up without telling me," Blunt explained. "She just said: 'Hey James, Claudia Winkleman has been in touch and I've signed you up for the Traitors'. I hadn't watched it and didn't know anything about it."

When questioned about whether he was capitalizing on his television appearance to boost album sales, Blunt dismissed the suggestion as cynical. He stated that the album had already been written and recorded before the offer for Celebrity Traitors arrived. His manager initially declined the invitation, but Wellesley proceeded with the registration.

During his stint on the show, which was filmed in the Scottish Highlands, Blunt played as a "Faithful," a contestant tasked with identifying hidden "Traitors." He described the experience as a mix of survival and guessing games. "In years to come they'll be studying my strategy," he joked. "I still got to the very end by blundering through and apologising profusely. It was great fun."

Blunt remained secretive about his progress during filming, telling no one outside the production. However, after returning home, he watched the final episode with Wellesley. He recalled her reaction when it became clear he had not won the prize money.

"I didn't tell a single person," Blunt said. "As we watched the final episode, my wife turned to me and said: 'I thought you'd won'. She was so disappointed in not only what had happened but also in me."

The elimination process on Celebrity Traitors involved complex voting rounds. In the final stages, Blunt was questioned by fellow contestant Romesh Ranganathan regarding his status as a Faithful. Although Blunt insisted Ranganathan was "entirely wrong," it was comedian Sebastian Croft who defended him and voted to banish King Kenny. This move left only three Faithfuls remaining.

Blunt sealed his fate in the final round by voting for another banishment, which inevitably led to his own elimination as the remaining players cast their votes. Despite the intense nature of the game, Blunt clarified that there was no lasting animosity with Ranganathan.

"I did get Romesh's number and I did text him and say: 'I know where you live'. We are actually really good friends and I'm going on his podcast soon," Blunt said. "It is just a game but it is so intense in that moment."

Blunt also addressed the dynamics of the final roundtable, noting that comedian James Acaster did not reveal himself as a Traitor during the session. Instead, he claimed that Acaster was cornered by Blunt and actor Michael Sheen over their theory regarding a "murder in plain sight." "We got him, we pinned him down," Blunt said. "Michael and I had discussed what had gone on with the murder in plain sight and we were nailing him to a post. We caught him. It felt like being in a TV film where we'd got our guy and cornered him."

Blunt and Wellesley, who married in 2014, share two sons. The couple has maintained a relatively private profile regarding their personal life, making the Instagram post a notable public moment for the family.

C.Abatescianni--IM