Sue Barker is a former professional tennis player who won an impressive 15 WTA Tour singles titles during her career.
At the peak of her career, the 68-year-old woman reached third place in the world rankings.
Before becoming a tennis player, Barker was born and raised in the seaside town of Paignton on the Torbay coast in Devon.
Part of the ‘English Riviera’, the beautiful town has a mild climate and sandy beach and is home to the famous Paignton Pier.
The city is also known for its zoo with more than 2000 animals and more than 80 hectares of beautiful grounds.
After retiring as a tennis player, Barker became a commentator and TV presenter. He became the host of the BBC’s Today program at Wimbledon in 1994, and from 2000 to 2022 he presented the championships every year.
He was also the host of the sports competition A Question of Sport from 1997, succeeding David Coleman. However, he retired in 2020 following the BBC’s decision to revamp the show.
Away from the screen, Barker lives a quiet life with her husband of over 35 years, Lance Tankard. The couple live in the pretty Cotswolds village of Stanton, Gloucestershire, but previously lived on a 26-acre farm in Godalming, Surrey.
In 2017, Barker won a planning permission battle to raise the roof of a £1 million Cotswolds cottage by five feet.
According to planning documents, Tankard was forced to squat in their bedroom when he knocked his head.
The couple bought the home in 2007 and have lived there ever since – and it’s easy to see why. Stanton is a pretty village nestled below the wooded edge of the Cotswolds.
The village is built almost entirely of Cotswold stone, a honey-colored Jurassic limestone. Both architecturally attractive and surrounded by idyllic countryside, Stanton was described by the Huffington Post as “one of the most beautiful and idyllic unspoiled villages in the Cotswolds” in 2014.
Unlike other villages, Stanton is bustling with activity, with a high street and a traditional country pub called The Mount Inn.
Visitors to the pub are enchanted not only by its beauty, but also by its rich history. The parish church of St Michael and All Angels in Stanton was built around 1100, the earliest remaining features being three Norman columns dating from around 1200.
Stanton Court is a Grade II listed Jacobean Manor House built in the early 17th century.
The magnificent building was extended in the 18th century before being extensively restored by Sir Philip Stott in the 20th century.
Stanton’s natural beauty and impressive architecture have resulted in homes in the village commanding eye-watering prices.
According to Rightmove, the average price of properties in Stanton last year was £1,254,115.
Most of Stanton’s sales last year were of detached houses, with an average price of £2,275,000.
Semi-detached properties sold for an average of £937,344 and terraced properties for £550,000.
Overall, sold prices in Stanton last year were 61 per cent higher than the previous year and five per cent below the 2021 peak of £1,316,667.
