The article says Sir Ranulph Fiennes’s cousin, actor Joseph Fiennes, visited him secretly at a west London care home in July last year, on the same day as his former sister-in-law, Arabella Pepper. Pepper said the explorer, who has Parkinson’s disease, was delighted to see his relatives and asked them to send his love to others. The account adds to concerns raised by family and friends that he has been kept out of contact with them.

Joseph Fiennes reportedly wrote to the Office of the Public Guardian in January with concerns about Sir Ranulph’s isolation. Pepper and his stepson have also spoken publicly about difficulty arranging visits; the article reports claims that his wife required non-disclosure agreements and imposed restrictions at a care home, allegations that are not independently established in the text. Sir Ranulph, 82, has not appeared in public since an October 2024 event, and the article says he may now be back at his Shropshire home.