Rita Ora says she’s ‘incredibly embarrassed’ about breaching lockdown restrictions

Rita Ora has opened up about breaching lockdown restrictions to celebrate her birthday, saying she feels “incredibly embarrassed” about the incident.

Rita Ora has expressed her deep regret over holding a 30th birthday party in London last year amid strict lockdown restrictions.

Singer andThe Voice Australia coach held “a small gathering with some friends” at Casa Cruz restaurant in Notting Hill last November despite all pubs and restaurants in England being required to be closed at the time.

She was fined for the breach, this week saying she “wishes she had made a different choice” during an tearful interview with The Independent.

“I am incredibly embarrassed,” Ora, who is now living in Sydney with partner Taika Waititi, told the publication as she began to cry.

English singer-songwriter Rita Ora and New Zealand director/actor Taika Waititi began dating in March 2021. Picture: AFP.

“I still feel embarrassed. And the regret … It’s really hard for me to talk about it.”

The 31-year-old singer added that she “wishes it never happened”, given at the time, only takeaway and delivery was meant to be permitted from restaurants, and people were barred from meeting indoors with members of other households.

“I just wish I had made a different choice,” she added.

“It makes me sad because it’s something I wish had never happened.

“People were making huge sacrifices at the time, and I let them down. And that hurts. It really hurts.”

Ora, who is a coach on The Voice Australia, faced fierce backlash for the move. Picture: Supplied.

The songwriter was branded “selfish” at the time and fined £10,000 ($A18,500) by British police.

Following the backlash, Ora apologised in a statement and said the decision was “spur of the moment” and she “made with the misguided view that we were coming out of lockdown and this would be OK”.

“I’m deeply sorry for breaking the rules and in turn understand that this puts people at risk,” she told Instagram followers at the time.

“This was a serious and inexcusable error of judgment. Given the restrictions, I realise how irresponsible these actions were and I take full responsibility.”