Coronavirus: Tom Cruise is spending lockdown in Sussex

The superstar actor, 57, has been hunkering down at the Scientology headquarters in West Sussex.

It is reported that the Top Gun star is staying in a luxury wing of the religion’s headquarters in the countryside of Saint Hill, East Grinstead.

The UK’s headquarters includes Saint Hill Manor, a historic country estate which dates back to the 17th century. 

It includes a restaurant run by a Michelin star chef who used to work at Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant Royal Hospital Road in London. The library is packed full of first-edition books, some written by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. 

Former family friend and Scientologist Sam Domingo told the Daily Mail that Cruise and his three sisters would often use Saint Hill as a base.

He said: “It’s possible that they’re looking at the East Grinstead area to settle down again. 

“I heard all the sisters were seen in a cafe in Forest Row, where the school is, and wanting to live there. It’s close to the school, but outside of the town, and a bit more private.

“A few years back, his sisters quietly did a tour of Greenfields School and it looked like they were thinking of moving into the area.”

The organisation officially opened their continental liaison office at its nationwide base in East Grinstead with a lavish ceremony in 2015.

The opening was officiated by the church’s worldwide leader David Miscavige and was attended by more than 1,500 Scientologists.

This is not the first time the A-Lister has been linked to Sussex.

Cruise bought a six-bedroom property in East Grinstead, but sold it in 2016 for $6 million to the Australian singer Peter Andre.

When approached at the last Jack Reacher premiere, he stated that England “is a really great place to live”.

From Sussex to space, Cruise is set to team up with Nasa to shoot a movie in orbit.

The Hollywood star is known for his all-action approach and does his own stunts, including a high altitude freefall for 2018’s Mission: Impossible – Fallout.

He could soon be going one further, leaving Earth altogether to board the International Space Station to film what would be the first movie filmed in space.

Nasa administrator Jim Bridenstine confirmed the news on Tuesday. 

He tweeted: “NASA is excited to work with @TomCruise on a film aboard the @Space_Station. 
“We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make @NASA’s ambitious plans a reality.”

• The coronavirus Sussex Crisis Fund has been set up to help those affected by the pandemic. The Argus’s charity and American Express have each donated £50,000 to kick-start the appeal. Grants will usually be for up to £5,000. More information is available at www.sussexgiving. org.uk/apply. To donate visit www.totalgiving.co.uk/appeal/sussexcrisisfund