Berliner Volks-Zeitung - Man Legally Changes Name to James Blunt After Six-Year Quest for Celebrity's Favorite Cheese

A British man has legally changed his name to James Délice de Bourgogne Blunt, completing a six-year personal campaign to discover the singer-songwriter James Blunt’s favorite cheese. The name change was the final condition of a wager made after the musician’s new album reached number one on the charts.

The individual, formerly known as Alan Pender and widely recognized online under the alias Joe Bangles, stated that he honored his end of the deal despite the significant personal commitment. He had previously told James Blunt that if the artist’s new album achieved the top spot, he would donate £1,000 of his own money to a charity chosen by Blunt and change his name to match the musician’s.

The origin of this unusual pursuit dates back to the pandemic in 2020. Encouraged by a friend to join Twitter, Pender initially sought to ease online tension after seeing Lord Sugar engage in a digital dispute. In a moment he described as influenced by alcohol, he tweeted asking, “Sugartits, what is your favourite cheese?” The tweet was retweeted by Lord Sugar, who replied that his favorite was “ultra strong cheddar,” a type that does not exist. This interaction sparked Pender’s mission to identify the preferred cheeses of various public figures.

Over the subsequent years, Pender sent approximately 152,000 tweets in an effort to gather this information. While he received around 1,000 replies, he noted a low success rate. He documented responses from a wide range of individuals, including comedian Matt Lucas, who stated he loathes all cheese; physicist Professor Brian Cox, who cited Cantal; writer Alex Horne, who chose Babybel; and actress Dawn French, who selected Yarg. More controversial figures also responded, with Russian President Vladimir Putin naming Daralagjazsky and Elon Musk selecting Stilton.

Musk’s response inadvertently led to the creation of a “Stilton Musk” memecoin. The company behind the cryptocurrency later sent some of the cheese into space before mailing it to Pender, who confirmed he currently keeps the “space cheese” in his refrigerator. Pender was also invited to appear on television programs such as Good Morning Britain and This Morning, where host Holly Willoughby revealed she dislikes cheese. He participated in a Channel 5 documentary and was appointed an ambassador for the International Cheese and Dairy Awards alongside chefs Marco Pierre White and Michel Roux Jr.

Despite his extensive research, Pender admitted he began with little knowledge of cheese, having previously enjoyed only a standard cheese sandwich. He has since studied the subject extensively and tried thousands of varieties, naming Cornish Kern as his current favorite.

His specific interest in James Blunt began in 2020 when he asked the musician about his preference. After receiving no initial reply, Pender persisted. When Blunt liked one of his tweets, Pender interpreted it as a sign of engagement and attempted to bribe him with free cheese and a promotional t-shirt for Blunt’s 2024 album, but these efforts failed.

In 2024, Blunt tweeted an announcement at 17:00 hours featuring a picture of himself in front of a cheese board. Pender believed the answer was imminent, but the accompanying video cut off before revealing the choice, which Pender described as a “cheese tease.” Later, during an appearance on This Morning, when asked by a viewer about his favorite cheese, Blunt identified the questioner as a “plant” and explicitly stated he would never reveal the information to Joe Bangles.

Two months later, Pender attended Blunt’s album release event at HMV. He noted that 20 different people in the queue asked him if he would finally learn the answer that day. When he reached the front, Blunt recognized him, gave a thumbs-up, and signed an album with the note: “You’ll always be Bangles to me.”

Pender continued his inquiries for two more years, shifting focus to other celebrities as social media dynamics changed. His opportunity arose when Blunt announced a new album and teased changing his own name to “Ryan Air” following a previous campaign to reach number one.

Peder proposed a final bet: he would donate £1,000 to a charity of Blunt’s choice and change his name to James Blunt if the album reached number one. As the release date approached, Pender monitored the charts, noting that Royal Blood initially held the top spot before Blunt’s album took the lead.

Pender’s wife supported the decision, noting that she and their daughter would not need to change their surnames. The public responded with enthusiasm, contributing to a total donation of £4,500 for the Blue Marine Foundation, an organization dedicated to ocean conservation.

Once Blunt’s album reached number one, Pender received the answer: Délice de Bourgogne. He described it as a triple-cream cheese and called it a “decadent” choice. Although he noted that he judges no person’s choices, he acknowledged the significance of the revelation.

Pender legally changed his name to James Délice de Bourgogne Blunt, incorporating the cheese into his middle name to commemorate the moment. The name translates to James “The Delight of Burgundy” Blunt. He stated that while this will not be his permanent name for life—planning to revert it before the new year to avoid passport complications and confusion for his daughter—he intends to keep it until then.

Regarding Blunt’s side of the wager, the musician released a video depicting a threatening phone call from someone impersonating Ryanair. The caller warned that it would be a “shame” if Blunt’s family were all seated separately on a flight. Pender acknowledged that his followers, whom he calls “Cheesebags,” were displeased with this outcome but expressed faith that Blunt would honor his promise to reveal the cheese.

Pender noted that he now faces the practical challenge of answering whether he has ever been known by another name on official forms. He expects his friend to counter-sign his legal application, noting that his friend is unsurprised by the development. The situation leaves two individuals named James Blunt in the public sphere, requiring social media platforms to accommodate the duplicate identity.

A.Wolf--BVZ