SCHOLAR MARY BEARD RIDICULES REPORT THAT ANTINOUS IS HAUNTING A TV CELEB

SCHOLAR Mary Beard has dismissed the fears of British multi-millionaire TV celebrity Simon Cowell that his mansion in Wimbledon England is haunted by the "ghost" of a statue of Antinous.

She tweeted: "So Simon Cowell believes his house is haunted by emperor Hadrian's 'gay lover', Antinous. Dream on, sunshine! But let's hope for a huge spike of interest in 2nd Century Roman history."

Cowell bought the house in October 2018, apparently unaware that it was "haunted" by the "ghost" of a statue of Antinous ... despite the fact that the statue was relocated to a museum in the south of France years ago ... after the house's previous owner freaked out over weird sounds in the night.

Scholar, author and blogger Mary Beard lists Antinous among the TEN BEST ANCIENT ROMANS in the 500-year history of the Roman Empire.

The eerie ANTINOUS GHOST STORY first made headlines SIX YEARS AGO when an art collector said a marble statue of Antinous "haunted" his mansion in England, forcing him to relocate it to a museum.

"I'm convinced it's haunted," the headlines screamed, quoting financial genius Christian Levett who is worth nearly half a billion dollars.

Levett, who founded the hedge fund Clive Capital, collects antiquities which he houses in his private museum in the South of France, MOUGINS MUSEUM.

But Levett claimed that he got more than he bargained for when he bought an ancient statue of Antinous for his house in Wimbledon.

"It was delivered in a crate," Levett recalled.

"When I was locking up, I heard the sound of heavy objects being knocked over from the drawing room where Antinous was still lying in his box. But there was nobody there.

"The same thing happened the next night and the night after that. In the end, I couldn't stand it any longer. Antinous was going to be in my study ... but I've sent him to the museum."

That was six years ago and all was quiet ... until Levett sold the house for $20 million to British TV talent show host Simon Cowell in October 2018.

A source told a Sunday tabloid: "Simon believes in spirits so he's been freaked out by this story.

"I don't think he was aware when he moved in. He might have to call a ghostbuster."

A neighbour added: "I know when Christian lived there the family heard unexplained noises. There'd be a bump from a bedroom then the next night a noise from downstairs."

As always, details are scant and confused ... just as they were six years ago.