PR expert Lynn Carratt reveals how to get to know the woman who is the one who made the headlines as Kelly Brook continues to drift into the jungle on I’m a celebrity.
Like many of us, I first came across I’m A Celeb star Kelly Brook back in 1999, when she burst onto our screens as host of The Big Breakfast with Jonny Vaughan. She was just 19 at the time – barely out of her teens – and thrust into a job that would have been daunting for even the most seasoned presenter.
She’s since admitted she struggled with the pressure and the spotlight back then, and looking back, it’s hardly surprising. It was a baptism of fire, and she didn’t last long in the role – but honestly, who would have at that age? What she did do, though, was become a regular on the red carpet. And who could forget that Julien Macdonald dress she wore to support then-boyfriend Jason Statham at the Snatch premiere in 2000? It was one of those moments that made every front page, and overnight, she became one of the most photographed women in Britain.
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Over the years, Kelly’s love life became tabloid fodder – from Jason Statham to Billy Zane, and ex-rugby player Thom Evans. She always seemed to be the glamour girl with the high-profile boyfriends. And then, in 2015, she met Jeremy Parisi and finally found the stability she’d always said she wanted. She gave Hollywood a shot, too. And she actually did better than anyone anticipated. Securing roles in Piranha 3D, The Italian Job (remake), Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo, and even a role in Smallville. Plenty of Brits went to LA and came back with far less. As a journalist, I’d interviewed her briefly on red carpets over the years. She was always polite and friendly, but it was in 2012 that she really caught my attention when she launched her New Look clothing range for curvy women. As a curvy girl myself, that resonated. I even went to the launch and bought some of the collection.
However, one year later, while I was living and working in Dubai, I had a profound change in my opinion of her. The team wanted a UK celebrity to host Mahiki’s second birthday party while I was helping with the PR. Kelly Brook’s name was immediately suggested because it was opulent, well-known, and guaranteed to get press.
Although her fee was surprisingly reasonable, the “extras” list made people wonder as I began organizing her trip with her agents. The opulent Jumeirah Zabeel Saray hotel on Palm offers three prestigious suites.
Her four personal security personnel receive an additional vehicle. Anyone familiar with Dubai is aware that it is one of the safest places on earth, so I can recall wondering, “What kind of diva are we flying in?”
Now that the event has ended, she is invincible. She effortlessly turned it on for the audience, making it warm, friendly, and funny.
She posed for every photo, conversed with guests, and cut a very unusual birthday cake with complete enthusiasm. I was expecting diva behavior, but there was no dissent. This time around, seeing her in person completely altered my opinion of her.
Now, as she’s settled into her 40s, it feels like she’s finally grown into the confidence she didn’t have in those early Big Breakfast days. She’s no longer just the former lads’ mag favourite or “girlfriend of…” – she’s carved out her own lane. When she started hosting Heart’s drivetime show with JK, I tuned in out of curiosity. I’d always liked JK from his Viking FM days in Hull, but I wasn’t sure what Kelly would bring as a radio presenter.
And she once more surprised me. She does it with grace, warmth, and sincerity. She appears to have finally found employment that suits her.
And now look at her – happily wedded, embracing challenges she’d once sworn she’d never do. She ran the London Marathon at 45, which is no small feat.
She took on Race Across the World with Jeremy, and despite years of saying she’d never sign up for I’m A Celebrity, she’s gone into the jungle and absolutely thrown herself into it. She’s mucked in with the trials, bonded with campmates, and seems actually to be enjoying the whole experience. She looks great, too – confident, body-positive, and unapologetically herself. Women like me want to see people like Kelly on TV: a woman who owns her curves, embraces who she is, and doesn’t pretend to be perfect. So all credit to Kelly Brook. She’s weathered the ups and downs of fame, reinvented herself, and come out the other side more likeable – and more impressive – than ever. Keep going, Kelly. We’re all rooting for you.
