Jonathan Ross and his star-studded Hampstead Halloween party returns

After two years of COVID cancellations, social distancing and soul destroying boredom brought about by repeated lockdowns, normal business appeared to resume on Monday evening as Jonathan Ross revived his annual Halloween party. 

Protective face masks were traded for something a little more spook-tacular as the genial chat show host welcomed trick-or-treaters to his sprawling family home in leafy Hampstead, north London – traditionally the venue for his annual extravaganza. 

Ross, 61, opted for skeletal white face paint and a gothic black outfit completed by a large top hat to transform into The Penguin from Batman while welcoming youngsters outside the property he shares with wife Jane Goldman and their three children. 

However he appeared to be erring on the side of caution after two years of coronavirus restrictions, and the party was moved to popular Camden nightspot Koko. 

Stars including scantily clad Rita Ora, Strictly Come Dancing star Oti Mabuse and heavily pregnant presenter and DJ Ashley James led the way as the venue played host to the annual event for what appeared to be the first time in its history. 

Rita Ora, 31, transformed into Lisle Von Rhuman from the film Death Becomes Her with an elaborately jewelled necklace in place of a top, and a red satin pareo for a skirt. 

The singer boosted her height with a pair of black peep-toe heels, and rocked a short bobbed wig to complete her look. 

Strictly Come Dancing star Oti Mabuse, 32, went all out for Halloween this year, dressing up as a devil for Jonathan Ross’ celebrity-filled bash 

The professional dancer looked incredible in her costume, which highlighted her ample assets and saw her wearing a bright red wig and red body paint. 

Oti wore a black bustier-dress which featured long sleeves, a square neckline and a leather look corset which highlighted her ample curves. 

She looked incredible with a long red wig, red body paint and spooky-looking makeup including black eyes and black lips and fake-blood running down her face. 

Former Made In Chelsea star Ashley showed off her blossoming baby bump, cradling her stomach as she dressed as a Narnia-style maenad.

The DJ  donned a chocolate brown crop top and a pair of furry trousers along with some hoofs, while donning a pair of turned and spiked horns on top of an ice blonde wig.

Ashley completed her Halloween look with a red slash on the side of her neck, giving the effect of an open wound. 

Ross was returning to the Halloween party circuit after a two year absence initially brought about by the coronavirus pandemic and its subsequent global impact.

The comedian cancelled for a second time after his daughter Betty was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a long-term disorder characterised by chronic muscle pain. 

Confirming his decision to cancel for the sake of his daughter in 2021, he told Good Morning Britain: ‘One of our children isn’t well… it’s fibromyalgia which is quite debilitating. She’s back home with us and we’re looking after her.’ 

Ross, whose annual bash is normally a staple of the celebrity calendar, explained that he didn’t feel comfortable throwing the party while she is struggling with the condition and feared any of his guests falling ill from Covid after attending the party, and so decided to cancel the event.  

He said: ‘I had a feeling it wasn’t going to be over yet and it does look like the figures are creeping up again. We always have a couple of hundred people to the party and as you know, about half of them are from show business. 

‘So if there was a breakout would wipe out half the shows on TV, so we don’t want that, we wouldn’t want to be a superspreader event.’ 

‘She’s upstairs in the bedroom and I thought, ‘I can’t in good conscience have a big loud fun party downstairs and one of my children is locked in a room upstairs. It would be like something out of a horror novel.

‘So really, just out of a good conscience, we’re not going to do it, but hopefully next year we’ll be back.’

In previous years Jonathan’s star-studded Halloween party has seen some of the UK’s biggest stars in attendance, including Holly Willoughby, Nicole Scherzinger, Alan Carr and Joan Collins.

He added: ‘My daughter, we thought she had Long Covid but discovered that she had fibromyalgia, so we want to be conscious of that and not have so much noise when she’s upstairs.’ 

Katherine Ryan, 39, and her civil partner Bobby Koostra attended the bash, with the pregnant comedian transformed into Vicki Gloria St. Elmo from the 2010 film McGruber.

She lifted her blue plaid shirt to exhibit her baby bump, whilst also wearing a brown gilet which she teamed up with jeans,

Katherine was joined by Bobby who played MacGruber, and wore a matching ensemble, with the pair continuing their look with short brown wigs as well as aviator sunglasses and bruises and bloodied make-up.

MacGruber stars Will Forte and Kristen Wiig and sees the namesake former special operative called back into action to take down his arch-enemy, Dieter Von Cunth, who’s in possession of a nuclear warhead and bent on destroying Washington, D.C.