She was once page three’s answer to Marilyn Monroe - an actress, presenter and model who loved her natural curves, was the darling of pin-ups, and boasted enough British charm to make Hollywood bigwigs do a double take.
But unlike Marilyn, there’s one thing Kelly Brook won’t be known for - her Seven Year Itch.
For after a 20-year reign in the lads’ mag “sexiest females” polls, Kelly’s confident she’s finally found The One, or as she puts it, The One “who can keep up” with her.
And as she and model boyfriend Jeremy Parisi celebrate their seven-year anniversary this month, four-times engaged Kelly seems confident that the next time she accepts a proposal, she will make it down the aisle.
After all, they did become “parents” in lockdown.
“Jeremy did this really cute thing for our anniversary,” beams Kelly, 42. “He put together a really lovely photo album of all the things his favourite pictures and moments. He’s done it every year for the past seven years.
“He’s definitely the most romantic of the two of us. He’s Italian and French, so what can I say!”
The ‘anniversary’ in question, marks the date her “best friend and soulmate” Jeremy, now 37, packed up his French house, boarded the Eurostar, and moved into her home in Kent.
And while every relationship comes with baggage, few would blame Jeremy, who she ‘met’ on Instagram, if he’d been intimidated by Kelly’s ‘tough guy’, ‘bad boy’ exes.
Her previous fiancés include Hollywood hardman Jason Statham, Hollywood hardman Billy Zane, Rugby hardman (and Nicole Scherzinger’s current beau) Thom Evans, and former Gladiators hardman David “Tornado” McIntosh. Oh, and she also dated reformed love rat Danny Cipriani... before he reformed.
Yet no relationship lasted as long as this one, So what’s their secret?
“I just think I think being older and wiser,” Kelly says. “We have the same kind of goals. Jeremy’s a family man. I love being with family. We just have a lot in common, and....” she pauses, “he’s very[ital] handsome.”
A cover star on men’s health mags, fashion model, and martial arts instructor, “handsome” is definitely the word for dark-haired hunk from the chic French/Italian family.
“He ticks all the boxes,” Kelly gushes. “And there weren’t many red flags with Jeremy, I have to say. And I know red flags! I used to chase red flags!”
That she did.
Meanwhile, the whispers and speculation about an impending engagement have been circulating for some time, not helped by Kelly occasionally wearing a flashy diamond on her ring finger.
“We’re open to it,” Kelly says coyly about marriage. “One day. If all the stars align.”
Is it, at all possible that the stars have aligned already?
“People can speculate,” she teases. “But until then I think you just have to just assume that nothing’s going on. At the end of the day, if it hasn’t happened on Instagram, it hasn’t really happened!”
One new family development Kelly can share is becoming ‘parents’ to their lockdown puppy, Teddy. She’s what millennials call a “dog mum”.
“I’ve definitely become a dog mum for sure,” laughs Kelly. “My friends tease me because I pamper him. He goes to the hairdresser every six weeks - that’s more than I do!
“People do say ‘Why didn’t you get a rescue puppy?’. But sometimes we’re the ones that need rescuing - and Teddy rescued us.
“He’s so loving and sweet. He came in our lives when we needed him.”
Even an amateur psychologist would suspect a link between Kelly’s maternal instincts, a quiet house during lockdown and her see-sawing feelings about wanting children following several tragic miscarriages, including one in 2011 at six months.
It was during her grief that Kent-born Kelly rediscovered her love of nature, the outdoors and gardening, and she credits daily walks with Teddy for boosting her mental health.
“He has been the most incredible addition to our family,” she says.
It’s a little more successful than their previous pets - a hive of honeybees.
“They kept getting stuck in my hair!,” she laughs.
Much has been made of green-fingered Kelly’s transition into the new Charlie Dimmock. A gardening segment she did on This Morning is one of her “favourite jobs”.
But having come fifth as ‘Frog’ in ITV ’s The Masked Dancer last year, Kelly’s not hung up her party heels just yet.
“I enjoyed enjoying myself,” she laughs, of her early days. “And I continue to enjoy myself.
“Jeremy and I don’t have a boring life. We’re always travelling, always busy.
“So it’s not about settling down because I’m certainly not settled. I’m just happy.
“I’ve found someone who can keep up with me and the lifestyle that I love. It’s the combination of having a very exciting life but also having moments where it’s nice to stay home, watch Netflix and walk the dog. It’s getting that balance.”
Born Kelly Ann Parsons, in Rochester, Kent, in 1979, her mum Sandra Kelly was a cook, and her late dad Tony a scaffolder. She joined London’s famed Italia Conti stage school aged 13, thanks to a scholarship. By 1996, aged 16, she had nine GCSEs, and had landed her first modelling job.
It was almost by accident (or rather at the suggestion of an opportunist photographer) that she ended up on the page three modelling route with Katie Price. But, having picked a professional stagename inspired by 80’s movie star Kelly Le Brock, ‘Kelly Brook’ soon became known for her business savvy and her mainstream modelling for the likes of Renault, Bravissimo and Lynx, made her a role model - a real woman with curves at the time when fashion was obsessed with the waif-like 90s ‘Heroin Chic’ look.
“There’s so much diversity now which is fantastic,” says Kelly. “But I was one of the first to work in fashion and be curvy and have boobs.
“I’m pleased girls could see themselves in me and realise they didn’t have to adhere to a certain size and shape.”
At 19, Kelly, fresh from Pulp’s help The Aged video, landed her biggest job yet, co-hosting Channel 4 ’s The Big Breakfast with Johnny Vaughan. Two decades later they both work at different stations owned by Global Radio. “We leave at the same time so we’re always squabbling for a car outside!,” she laughs.”He’s so much fun!”
Soon Hollywood came calling - a lot. She starred in hit show Smallville and movies including The Italian Job remake, House of 9 with Dennis Hopper, Three with future beau Billy Zane and Piranha 3-D.
And she was handpicked by Ellen DeGeneres for her 2015 US sitcom One Big Happy. She found the 2020 allegations of Ellen being “toxic”, that led to her cancelled talk show, surprising.
“Ellen was always very kind, professional and really fun,” Kelly recalls. “I never saw any side to her that wasn’t pleasant. She championed me. We filmed on the lot, next to where they did Friends. Just to have the experience was unbelievable.”
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The sitcom was cancelled after one series but Kelly was “homesick” anyway, saying: “I missed my mum, I missed the rain.” She now loves her Heart London Drivetime radio show (“I wear waterproof mascara because I laugh so much, you don’t get that in America”, she says). And she certainly doesn’t miss films.
“I love acting” says Kelly. “But I also like being in a radio studio having a climate-controlled environment, nice toilets and the ability to sleep in my own bed at night!
“When you’re on location acting, you’re in a trailer and there’s a portaloo you’re sharing with other people!
“It’s quite a selfish life. I don’t want to be dragging Jeremy all over, as my ‘trailer bitch’, someone sitting in the trailer for 16 hours while you’re working. I’ve been there and done that. It’s very boring!.”
Instead Kelly’s investing time in causes closest to her. She did Celebrity Bake Off and is now supporting The National Lottery Awards, which celebrates ordinary people who have done extraordinary things with the help of National Lottery funding.
Thanks to National Lottery players, over £30million is raised for good causes each week.
Kelly, who studied drama after winning a scholarship to stage school, is well aware what a difference a helping hand can make, whether it be supporting careers, the local community or people’s health.
“The National Lottery helps nurture and support people, not just by making millionaires but by funding all kinds of projects around culture, films, sports, environment,” says Kelly. “The National Lottery Awards are just such a lovely thing to celebrate people and projects which have made a huge difference, even through the pandemic.”
After Kelly’s praise for lockdown lifesaver Teddy, it’s a shame he doesn’t qualify for a nod.
But he’s bound to get a starring role in a future ceremony Kelly and Jeremy might attend - one where she’ll wear white.
To nominate someone in this year’s National Lottery Awards, visit www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards.
Nominees must work or act for a National Lottery-funded organisation or have had National Lottery funding. Entries must be in by June 1.
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