Jeffrey Epstein became ‘fixated’ with British TV star after his release from prison

Jeffrey Epstein struck up a friendship with Byker Grove star Donna Air after his release from prison in 2008, even coordinating meet-ups with her.

As seen in documents from the US Department of Justice, he mentioned the 46-year-old actress 224 times in emails between 2011 and 2012.

After his release from prison following a conviction for soliciting prostitution for a minor, a mutual friend put them in touch.

Italian hedge-fund manager Tancredi Marchiolo reached out to Epstein to let him know he and his ‘good friend’ Air would be in New York.

Jeffrey Epstein

‘Let me know if you want to meet her?’ he wrote, mentioning three other women in their correspondence whose names have been redacted.

‘Donna is on the internet. She’s more institutional than these 3. Know her very well’, Marchiolo continued, to which the convicted paedophile responded: ‘Yes to Donna’.

Air was then given Epstein’s phone number, and the pair appeared to have met up more than once, according to The Sun.

Marchiolo said she would call the disgraced financier later that week, but he should ‘feel free to call her before then if he wants,’ as the actress was ‘expecting’ him.

Epstein’s assistant made a diary note on July 21, 2011, to contact Air, who had split from businessman Damian Aspinall (with whom she had a child) four years earlier.

Before she met and dated Princess Catherine’s brother James Middleton, the pair exchanged several emails organising meet-ups in New York and Paris.

They eventually met fleetingly on April 18, 2012, after Epstein had served 13 months in prison and a year on house arrest for child sex offences in Florida.

He declared their time together was ‘too short,’ while the Charlie Charlton actress replied: ‘No worries. Good to meet, have a great week!’

It appears she severed ties before Princess Eugenie introduced her to her future partner, Middleton, whom she split from in 2018 after they began dating in 2013.

During their relationship, Air, who met Middleton at a private members’ club in Mayfair, attended the wedding of his sister, Pippa. 

Insisting there was no bad blood after they parted ways for good, Air previously said: ‘He’s a great guy. I wish him nothing but happiness.’ 

Middleton is now married to financial analyst Alizee Thevenet.

After they separated, it’s reported that Air was romantically involved with property developer Ben Carrington.

Air, now 46, rose to fame at an early age, appearing in CBBC’s Byker Grove as an extra at just 10 years old. When asked by a producer to audition, she was cast as Charlie.

In the mid-90s, she enjoyed a music career with her co-stars Jayni Hoy and Vicky Taylor as Byker Groove!, who released the single Love Your Sexy.

Moving to London aged 15, Air continued the band with Hoy under the name Crush, releasing an album and touring the US, Japan, and Southeast Asia after completing her GCSEs.

The Newcastle-born star booked a string of presenting jobs upon her return to the UK, hosting on MTV UK and later Channel 4’s The Big Breakfast.

Acting-wise, she had brief parts in The Mummy Returns (2001) and in numerous television dramas and comedies, including Hollyoaks, Hotel Babylon, Operation Good Guys, A Dinner of Herbs, and Supply & Demand. Most recently, she appeared in BBC One’s The Split.

She’s also taken part in the infamous ITV show Splash!, as well as Dancing On Ice.