EXCLUSIVE: Sam Faiers becomes the latest star to break travel rules by flying to the Maldives to celebrate her 30th birthday with her family
- Sam Faiers, 30, breached the ban on international travel while her home county of Surrey was in Tier 4 restrictions
- MailOnline understands she jetted abroad between Christmas and New Year, after celebrating Christmas Day at home in Surrey with her family
- Fans claimed Sam had been on holiday after spotting now-deleted comments on her partner Paul Knightley’s Instagram post
- MailOnline also understands the production company that makes The Mummy Diaries ‘reminded’ Sam of the rules and her responsibilities as a public figure
- Sam also appeared to have blocked the words ‘holiday’ and ‘tan’ from comments on her most recent social media post to avoid accusations
- Sam failed to post any images in honour of her 30th birthday on social media, an uncharacteristic move given she documents a majority of her life online
- Travel abroad for leisure was banned under Tier 4 guidelines with exceptions only allowing reasons such as work, education and childcare
Sam Faiers broke strict COVID-19 travel rules by flying to the Maldives to celebrate her 30th birthday, MailOnline can exclusively reveal.
The Mummy Diaries star, 30, breached the ban on international travel in Tier 4 by jetting abroad in late December, after spending Christmas Day in Tier 4 Surrey with partner Paul Knightley and the couple’s two children.
The former TOWIE personality was noticeably absent from Instagram during her birthday celebrations, sharing only a black and white snap with her family – an uncharacteristic move given that she documents the majority of her life online to her 2.5 million followers.
Sam’s holiday first came to light after fans began claiming they’d spotted evidence she’d been abroad to an online forum, including now-deleted comments on Paul’s Instagram post wishing his girlfriend a happy birthday.
EXCLUSIVE: Sam Faiers broke strict COVID-19 travel rules by flying to the Maldives to celebrate her 30th birthday, MailOnline can reveal (pictured during a holiday in 2019)
MailOnline understands one disgruntled fan also complained to Potato, the production company which makes Sam’s ITVBe reality series The Mummy Diaries, questioning why she’d been allowed to travel during the current restrictions.
A response from the company’s Managing Director – posted on a public forum – stated they had no involvement in Sam’s ventures outside of filming The Mummy Diaries and confirmed she was not filming the show during her holiday.
However, they added that she had been ‘clearly reminded’ of the rules and has ‘a responsibility to strictly adhere to COVID-19 guidelines’ as a public figure.
The correspondence stated that ‘Sam is now fully aware of her responsibilities and the possibly ramifications that could result in any future misunderstanding, misinterpretation or transgression’.
The mother-of-two, who has since returned home to the UK, failed to post any images in honour of her 30th birthday on social media.
Reports: The Mummy Diaries star breached the ban on international travel after spending Christmas Day in Surrey with partner Paul Knightley and their children (pictured)
Claims: The former TOWIE personality was noticeably absent from Instagram during her birthday celebrations, sharing only a black and white snap with her family
Sam also appeared to have blocked the words ‘holiday’ and ‘tan’ from comments on her most recent social media post to avoid accusations from her fans, although the claims could still be seen on a post shared by her mother, Suzie Wells.
One comment said: ‘Such a shame she had to go on holiday and break the rules while there is a global pandemic, happy birthday though Samantha, I’m sure you’ll continue to go your own thing.
Sam spent Christmas Day in the UK with partner Paul and their children Paul Jnr, five, and Rosie, three, as she shared a family snap of the occasion on social media, before flying off to the Maldives.
She returned to social media to share a family snap in honour of her birthday on December 31, sharing it in black and white in an apparent attempt to conceal her holiday tan.
Snap happy: Sam also appeared to have blocked the words ‘holiday’ and ‘tan’ from comments on her most recent social media post (pictured) to avoid accusations from her fans
There’s no sun in Surrey! The reality star did share a slew of tributes from her pals on Instagram Stories, and one stated: ‘Hope you’re having the best time,’ followed by a sun emoji
TIER 4 RESTRICTIONS – WHAT ARE THE RULES?
In Tier 4, no household mixing is allowed, though one person can meet one other person outside in a public space
You cannot meet other people indoors, including over the Christmas and New Year period, unless you live with them, or they are part of your support bubble
Nobody can enter or leave Tier 4 areas and residents must not stay overnight away from home
You cannot leave or be outside of the place you are living unless you have a reasonable excuse
Outdoors, you can only meet one person from another household
All hospitality is closed, except for takeaways and deliveries, and accommodation and entertainment venues must shut
Travel exceptions are only allowed for reasons such as work, education and childcare. Leisure travel abroad is not permitted.
Sam then took Instagram Stories on her birthday to share a slew of tributes from her pals, and one stated: ‘Hope you’re having the best time,’ followed by a sun emoji.
A representative for Sam declined to comment when contacted by MailOnline. MailOnline has contacted representatives for ITV for comment.
In recent weeks numerous stars have faced backlash for jetting abroad in the grips of the COVID-19 pandemic – with most of the public unable to see their families and loved ones over the Christmas period per government guidance.
On December 20, Sam’s home county of Surrey was placed in the highest tier of restrictions, meaning all non-essential businesses had to close and any international travel was banned.
Travel abroad for leisure was banned under Tier 4 guidelines with exceptions only allowing reasons such as work, education and childcare.
You were there! Fans also claimed Sam shared a throwback snap pining for her supposedly cancelled break to try and hide the fact she was on holiday to mark her sister Billie’s birthday
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises against all but essential travel to the Maldives.
All travellers over the age of 11 must undertake an obligatory test for COVID-19 within 96 hours before departure. The traveller must show proof of a negative result before embarking.
In Tier 4, no household mixing is allowed, though one person can meet one other person outside in a public space, while all non-essential shops and businesses must close, including personal care and indoor entertainment.
Nobody can enter or leave Tier 4 areas and residents must not stay overnight away from home.
Since then, the country has been plunged into a third lockdown, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirming the message from the government is to now ‘stay home, protect the NHS and save lives.’
Rules: On December 20, Sam’s home county of Surrey had been placed in the highest tier of restrictions, meaning international travel was banned (pictured in the Maldives in 2019)
New rules now require international travellers to come back negative after a PCR test before arriving in England. The rules will come into force from Monday.
From 4am on January 18, passengers arriving by boat, train or plane – including UK nationals – will have to take a test up to 72 hours before leaving the country.
They will need to present proof of a negative test result – using a PCR test or on some occasions a LAMP or lateral flow test – to their carrier on boarding while the UK Border Force will conduct spot checks on arrivals.
New arrivals who flout the rules will face a minimum £500 fine, while the operator who transported them will also be fined.
Passengers will still have to quarantine for 10 days regardless of their test results, transport minister Robert Courts said in a statement.
British nationals attempting to return home who test positive must not travel and must follow the local guidance in their host country, and contact the nearest consulate if they need support.
Chaos for thousands of British travellers as the government is STILL yet to reveal what tests tourists need to take before flying to the UK
Britons abroad face a race to get home before rules requiring international travellers to test negative for coronavirus prior to arriving in England come into force – and the UK Government has not yet released full guidance on which tests they will accept.
From 4am this Friday, those arriving by boat, train or plane – including UK nationals – will have to take a test up to 72 hours before leaving the country of departure.
But there is still confusion over which tests will be accepted, with the latest UK Government guidance issued yesterday referring to how lateral flow tests might be allowed ‘in some cases’ – and saying further advice will be issued to passengers.
Lateral flow tests are cheaper and give results in 30 minutes, while the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests take up to three days to identify positive cases.
Britons will need to present proof of a negative test result to their carrier on boarding while the UK Border Force will conduct spot checks on arrivals.
Passengers at London Heathrow Airport last week. Rules requiring international travellers to test negative for coronavirus before arriving in England come into force this Friday
Conservative MP Henry Smith, chair of the all-party parliamentary group on aviation, said he welcomed the test requirement for every passenger coming into the UK, pointing out that he had suggested it in the Commons as long ago as last January.
But the MP, whose constituency includes Gatwick Airport, told MailOnline: ‘It has been a long time in the gestation and it is not completely clear as to how it all works.
‘It does seem to be taking an extremely long time to pin down something that a lot of other countries have been doing for many months now. This shouldn’t take as long as it has.
‘All of this is complex, but it is relatively straightforward in terms of asking people to take certain types of test. I don’t see what the delay is in terms of being clear about that is.’
The latest guidance released by the Department for Transport yesterday stated: ‘We will establish the standards that tests must meet in regulations.
‘This will include that the test must be of a diagnostic-standard test such as a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, and could in some cases include LAMP and lateral flow tests within set limits.
‘We will provide clear guidance and advice to passengers regarding testing standards and capacity.’
New arrivals who flout the rules will face a minimum £500 fine, while the operator who transported them will also be fined.
Passengers will still have to quarantine for 10 days regardless of their test results, transport minister Robert Courts said in a statement.
British nationals attempting to return home who test positive must not travel and must follow the local guidance in their host country, and contact the nearest consulate if they need support.
‘If a passenger arrives in England without a pre-departure negative test result they will be fined,’ Mr Courts said.
‘We will amend the International Travel Regulations so that fines, starting at £500, can be levied on non-compliant passengers.’
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