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Kelly Brook

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Not to be confused with Kelly LeBrock.

Kelly Brook
Brook in 2015
Born
Kelly Anne Parsons

(1979-11-23) 23 November 1979 (age 44)
Rochester, Kent, England
Alma materItalia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts
Occupations
  • Model
  • actress
  • media personality
Years active1996–present
Spouse
Jeremy Parisi
​
(m. 2022)​
Modelling information
Height1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Hair colourBrown
Eye colorBrown
Websitekellybrook.com

Kelly Brook (born Kelly Anne Parsons, 23 November 1979) is an English model, actress, and media personality. She is known for her modelling work in the UK, and in the US for her role as Prudence on the NBC sitcom One Big Happy (2015).

Brook began her career modelling for a range of advertising campaigns, which led to her discovery by the editorial team of the Daily Star tabloid, where they began featuring her as a Page Three girl. She was crowned FHM's Sexiest Woman in the World in 2005,[1] and as of 2015 had featured in every FHM 100 Sexiest countdown since 1998.[2]

As an actress, Brook has appeared in the films Ripper (2001), House of 9 (2004), Fishtales (2007), Piranha 3D (2010), and Taking Stock (2015). She has appeared on numerous British television shows, including The Big Breakfast (1999), Strictly Come Dancing (2007), Britain's Got Talent (2009), Celebrity Juice (2012–2015), It's Not Me, It's You (2016), Loose Women (2018), and The Great Stand Up to Cancer Bake Off (2020). Since 2019, Brook has co-presented Heart London's Drivetime Radio Show with Jason King.[3]

Early life

[edit]

Brook was born Kelly Anne Parsons in Rochester, Kent, the daughter of Sandra Kelly, a cook, and Kenneth Parsons, a scaffolder.[4] She has a younger brother, Damian, and an older half-sister, Sasha.[5] Kenneth Parsons died, aged 57, in Rochester from lung cancer,[6] on 26 November 2007, during Brook's time on Strictly Come Dancing.[7] Brook attended the Thomas Aveling School in Warren Wood, Rochester. In 1996, at the age of seventeen, she appeared in the second series of Fist of Fun, the BBC comedy show from Stewart Lee and Richard Herring as a schoolgirl in a series of sketches entitled 'Teachers' (one of her co-stars was the young Daniel Mays). She studied at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts[8] for three years, before becoming a professional model at the age of 16.[9]

Modelling career

[edit]
Brook in a campaign for the LG Optimus One mobile phone in 2010

Brook's modelling career began at 16 after she won a beauty competition, into which her mother had entered her.[5] She later worked on a range of advertising campaigns, including Foster's Lager, Renault Mégane, Walker's crisps, Piz Buin and Bravissimo, a company that specialises in bras and lingerie for large-breasted women. Soon after, she caught the eye of the editorial team of the Daily Star tabloid,[9] which began featuring her as a Page Three girl. Brook's picture soon began appearing in other lads' mags such as GQ, Loaded and FHM. A poll of over 5,000 women for Grazia magazine considered her to have the best British female body. She also topped the "FHM 100 Sexiest Women in the World" list in 2005, which was said to have polled 15 million people. Appearing in this list every year since 1998, she ranked No. 34 in 2008, No. 67 in 2009, and No. 7 in 2010.[10] She was the cover star of FHM's World Cup 2010 special issue,[11] and was on the cover of the magazine in April 2011.[10]

In February 2007, it was announced that Brook had signed a contract, reported to be worth around £1m, to represent Unilever's Lynx body spray, known as "Axe" in the US and in continental Europe.[12] She has appeared on billboards, in newspapers and on-line as part of their advertising campaign.[13] She also appeared in commercials for Sky+ and T-Mobile and modelled for Reebok. In 2010, she was chosen as the "new face and body" of lingerie maker Ultimo's advertising campaign.[14] In September 2010, Brook appeared in the American edition of Playboy magazine.[15] In October 2010, Brook appeared live at Clapham Picture House to surprise cinemagoers as part of a promotion for Carlsberg and Sky 3D.[16] In November 2010, Brook presented an award at MTV's EMA's in Madrid.[17] Brook produced a line of swimwear with New Look, for which she has modelled.[citation needed] In September 2014, Brook launched a clothing line for Simply Be.[18] The following year, she became a brand ambassador for Skechers.[19]

Acting career

[edit]

In 2000, Brook made her full-screen debut with a minor role in the film Sorted. Shortly after that, she appeared in the film Ripper. She played the girlfriend of Clark Kent/Superman's nemesis Lex Luthor in four episodes of the American science fiction drama Smallville during the show's first season (2001–02). She has also completed assignments as a film actress in Canada and made a short appearance as Lyle's girlfriend in the 2003 film The Italian Job. Her first starring role was in the 2004 film School for Seduction, for which she received positive reviews.[20] In 2004, she played character Nikki Morris in the video game Need for Speed Underground 2, alongside Brooke Burke. In 2005, she appeared in the Philippe Vidal thriller House of 9, and starred opposite Billy Zane in the survival thriller Survival Island, also known as Three.[21]

In 2006, she starred in an Agatha Christie's Marple drama on ITV and appeared as herself throughout the second series of Moving Wallpaper, also for ITV, in 2009. She acted in the science fiction thriller Shadow Play, directed by Nick Simon.[22] Brook had a leading role in the horror comedy remake Piranha 3D. The film received a worldwide theatrical release on 20 August 2010. Piranha 3D opened to generally positive reviews[23] and commercial success, grossing $83.2 million on a budget of $24 million.[24] Kelly also played as herself in the 2012 British comedy film Keith Lemon: The Film. In 2013, Brook appeared in the video to Lawson's song "Juliet". In 2014 she was cast as Prudence in an NBC sitcom pilot called One Big Happy,[25] which was subsequently picked up on 9 May.[26][27]

Theatre

[edit]

In December 2000, she played exotic dancer Anya in the play Eye Contact at the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith.[28][29] In October 2008, she returned to the West End as Jeannie, in Neil LaBute's Fat Pig at London's Comedy Theatre.[28][29] In November 2009, she began playing Celia in Calendar Girls at the Noël Coward Theatre.[citation needed] Brook made a cameo appearance in the cabaret show "Forever Crazy" by Crazy Horse London end of 2012.[30]

Other work

[edit]

Music videos

[edit]

In 1997, at age 17, Brook appeared as a nurse in the music video for the KMFDM song "Megalomaniac".[31] That same year, Brook appeared in the video for Pulp's "Help the Aged" with Huck Whitney of the band the Flaming Stars, in a slow dance sequence.[32] In 2013, Brook appeared in the Lawson music video for their song "Juliet", in the role of Juliet.[33]

Television presenting

[edit]

In 1997, aged 18, Brook started presenting youth television programmes on MTV UK & Ireland,[34] Granada Television and the Trouble TV channel.[9] Brook had a breakthrough into mainstream presenting in January 1999, when she was chosen to replace Denise van Outen as the female half of The Big Breakfast hosting team, alongside Johnny Vaughan. She left the show in July 1999.[35] In 2005, she hosted the reality television programme Celebrity Love Island for ITV.

Reality television

[edit]
Brook at the 2009 London Boat Show

In 2007, Brook participated in the celebrity dancing competition Strictly Come Dancing on BBC1 with a dance partner Brendan Cole. During the TV series, her father, Kenneth Parsons, died of cancer,[7]. Although initially decided to continue dancing in his memory, she withdrew from the competition in week nine.[36] She also competed in the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special 2008, dancing the Jive with Brian Fortuna, Brendan Cole having to compete with his later partner Lisa Snowdon. Brook and Fortuna were put into fourth place, but with the studio audience's vote, they came second to Jill Halfpenny and Darren Bennett. In 2008, Brook took Jennifer Ellison's place as one of the three judges on the second series of the reality TV programme Dirty Dancing: The Time of Your Life,[37] broadcast between September and November 2008.

In January 2009, she joined the third series of Britain's Got Talent as a fourth judge but was subsequently axed from the programme after less than a week on the panel, the producers having decided the four-judge format was "too complicated".[38] Brook was billed as a guest judge in the episode in which she appeared, taped in Manchester and aired on 16 May. In 2013, Brook became a temporary team captain on Celebrity Juice aired on ITV2. She appeared in Season 9, replacing Fearne Cotton while she was on maternity leave. In 2016, Brook served as a team captain on the Channel 5 panel show It's Not Me, It's You. In 2021, Brook appeared on The Masked Dancer, masked as a Frog. She was the eighth celebrity to be unmasked in the semi-final.

Books

[edit]

In September 2014, Brook released her autobiography;[39] it reached the Sunday Times Bestseller list on 21 September.[40] Domestic violence groups criticised her during her promotional tour for laughing about punching ex-boyfriends Jason Statham and Danny Cipriani in the face.[41]

Business

[edit]

At end of 2013, Brook opened her bar Steam and Rye in London[42] in partnership with Nick House. In June 2014, Steam and Rye won Bar of the Year at the London Club and Bar Awards.[43]

Radio

[edit]

Since January 2019, Brook has co-presented Heart London Drivetime and Saturday Breakfast with Jason King.[3]

Personal life

[edit]

In 2014, on an appearance on ITV's This Morning, she admitted to punching previous boyfriends Jason Statham and Danny Cipriani in the face, with Men's Domestic Abuse charity Menkind subsequently issuing a statement saying it was "extremely disappointed" by the segment.[44] In July 2022, Brook married her longtime boyfriend Jeremy Parisi, whom she had dated since 2015.[45]

Filmography

[edit]

Film

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
2000 Sorted Sarah
2001 Ripper Marisa Tavares
2003 Absolon Claire
The Italian Job Lyle's Girlfriend
2004 School for Seduction Sophia Rosselini
2005 House of 9 Lea
Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo Beautiful Woman in Painting
Survival Island Jennifer Also known as Three[21]
2006 In the Mood Eva Short film
2007 Fishtales Neried
2010 Piranha 3D Danni Arslow
Removal Kirby
2012 Keith Lemon: The Film Herself
2015 Taking Stock Kate Won 4 awards at the Monaco International Film Festival
2018 Santet Laura

Television

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1996 Fist of Fun Suzanne 2 episodes
1999 The Big Breakfast Co-Presenter Alongside Johnny Vaughan
2000 This Is Your Life Herself 1 episode
TFI Friday Guest Presenter
2001 The (Mis)Adventures of Fiona Plum Fiona Plum Unaired pilot[46]
2002 Smallville Victoria Hardwick 4 episodes
2005 Romy and Michele: In the Beginning Linda Fashiobella Television film
Tricky TV Herself 1 episode
Celebrity Love Island Presenter
2006 Agatha Christie's Marple Elsie Holland Episode: "The Moving Finger"
2007 Hotel Babylon Lady Catherine Stanwood 1 episode
Strictly Come Dancing Contestant Sixth place
Dirty Dancing: The Time of Your Life Presenter
2009 Moving Wallpaper Kelly Brook Fictional version of herself
Renaissance Samantha Episode: "Moving Wallpaper"
The F Word Herself 1 episode
The One Show
Britain's Got Talent Guest Judge Series 3 auditions
2010 Let's Dance For Comic Relief
2011 Skins Jemima 1 episode
Celebrity Naked Ambition Presenter
2011–2017 Celebrity Juice Herself 20 episodes
2012 Métal Hurlant Chronicles Skarr / Jen 2 episodes
Nimrod in Cannes Herself
Lemon la Vida Loca 1 episode
2013 Trollied
NTSF:SD:SUV:: Anna
2015 One Big Happy Prudence 1 series
2016 It's Not Me, It's You Herself Team captain
Through the Keyhole Christmas special
The Keith Lemon Sketch Show Series 2, Episode 6
2018 Wedding Day Winners
Loose Women Panellist
Midsomer Murders Laurel Newman Episode "Till Death Do Us Part"
The Million Pound Holiday Club Herself TV special
Celebrity Antiques Road Trip 1 episode
2019 Harry Hill's Alien Fun Capsule
2020 The Great Stand Up to Cancer Bake Off Contestant
2021 The Masked Dancer Frog / Contestant Fifth place
2024 Celebrity Race Across the World Contestant

Television advertisements

[edit]
Year Advert Role Notes
1998 Sure Deodorant Nicky
2001 Kit Kat Herself
2003, 2008, 2011 Sky+
2008 Pepsi
Tefal Alongside Harry Enfield and Carol Vorderman
2009 T-Mobile
2010 Sony Pictures Television
2012 Reebok
2013 Axe Astronaut In Turkey[47]
2017, 2019 Baylis & Harding Herself
2018 Skechers
2021 SlimFast

Music videos

[edit]
Year Music video Artist Role
1997 "Megalomaniac" KMFDM Nurse
"Help the Aged" Pulp Herself
2013 "Juliet" Lawson Juliet[48]

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Close Up (2014) (autobiography)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Kelly is world's sexiest". Manchester Evening News. 30 June 2005.
  2. ^ "Kelly Brook And FHM: A Ridiculously Sexy Retrospective". FHM. 10 December 2015.
  3. ^ a b "Heart". Heart. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  4. ^ "Grieving Kelly Brook vows to dance on after father dies of cancer". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  5. ^ a b Elizabeth Day (1 November 2009). "Kelly Brook profile". The Guardian. UK. Retrieved 7 September 2010.
  6. ^ Grieving Strictly star Kelly Brook attends father's funeral, thisislondon.co.uk; accessed 31 January 2016.
  7. ^ a b "Grieving Brook to keep on dancing". BBC News. 29 November 2007. Retrieved 8 April 2008.
  8. ^ "Italia Conti Plymouth Alumni". italiacontiplymouth.co.uk. January 2013. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  9. ^ a b c "Official Kelly Brook site biography page". Officialkellybrook.com. Archived from the original on 1 January 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
  10. ^ a b "Kelly Brook — Kent's finest bra model" Archived 13 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine Kelly Brook at FHM.com
  11. ^ "Kelly Brook in South Africa! FHM article". Fhm.com. Archived from the original on 5 June 2010. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
  12. ^ "Kelly Brook lands £1m Lynx deal". nowmagazine.co.uk. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  13. ^ "Lynx 6-sheet Kelly Brook ad". UTalkMarketing.com. Archived from the original on 20 September 2008. Retrieved 8 April 2008.
  14. ^ "Kelly Brook models Ultimo lingerie spring collection". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 2 June 2020
  15. ^ "Kelly goes naked Sky Showbiz, 04/06/10". Showbiz.sky.com. Archived from the original on 8 June 2010. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
  16. ^ "VIDEO: Kelly Brook pays surprise visit to Clapham Picture House, in Venn Street". London Evening Standard. UK. 8 November 2010. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
  17. ^ "We Announce More Superstar Presenters!" Archived 8 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine, ema.mtv.co.uk; accessed 31 January 2017.
  18. ^ "for Simply Be — Blog". Kelly Brook. 4 August 2014. Archived from the original on 1 March 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  19. ^ "Kelly is the new face of Skechers!". Kelly Brook official blog. 22 July 2014. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  20. ^ "School for Seduction review". Filmcritic.com. Archived from the original on 31 July 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
  21. ^ a b "Three". rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  22. ^ "AFM: Twilight Dad Engages in Some Shadow Play". Dreadcentral.com. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
  23. ^ "Piranha 3-D". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  24. ^ "Piranha 3D (2010)". Box Office Mojo. 18 November 2010. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
  25. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (28 March 2014). "Kelly Brook To Star In NBC comedy pilot 'One Big Happy'". Retrieved 29 June 2014.
  26. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (9 May 2014). "NBC Orders Ellen DeGeneres' 'One Big Happy,' Will Ferrell Comedies 'Mission Control,' 'Bad Judge' to Series". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
  27. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (9 May 2014). "NBC Picks Up Comedies 'Bad Judge', 'Mission Control' and 'One Big Happy'". Retrieved 29 June 2014.
  28. ^ a b "Kelly Brook to bare all on stage". BBC News. 6 October 2009. Retrieved 7 September 2010.
  29. ^ a b Shenton, Mark. "Kelly Brook to Make West End Stage Debut". Playbill. Archived from the original on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 7 September 2010.
  30. ^ Trueman, Matt (17 October 2012). "Kelly Brook strips off for Crazy Horse cabaret | Culture". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  31. ^ Longmire, Becca (6 September 2016). "Kelly Brook writhes around in boob-baring nurses outfit in seriously steamy throwback clip". Daily Express. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  32. ^ "Pulp – Help The Aged". YouTube. Archived from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
  33. ^ Duff, Seamus (21 August 2013). "Kelly Brook stars in new Lawson music video for song called Juliet". Metro. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  34. ^ "Donna Air leaves MTV". Digital Spy. 17 April 2000.
  35. ^ "Entertainment Kelly quits Big Breakfast". 30 July 1999.
  36. ^ "Brook quits Strictly Come Dancing". BBC News. 30 November 2007. Retrieved 8 April 2008.
  37. ^ Kelly Brook searches for Baby Archived 18 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine, Virgin Media, 15 May 2008
  38. ^ Dickinson, Matt (20 January 2009). "Kelly Brook axed from Britain's Got Talent". The Independent. UK. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
  39. ^ "The Autobiography by Kelly Brook – Blog". Kelly Brook. 1 August 2014. Archived from the original on 6 February 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  40. ^ "Culture". www.thesundaytimes.co.uk.[dead link]
  41. ^ "Rochester-born model Kelly Brook provokes outrage by laughing about punching ex-lovers Jason Statham and Danny Cipriani on ITV show This Morning". Kentonline.co.uk. 9 September 2014. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  42. ^ "You are being redirected". Steamandrye.com. Archived from the original on 3 April 2014. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  43. ^ bar team (3 June 2014). "Bar news | Steam & Rye among London Club & Bar Awards winners". Barmagazine.co.uk. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  44. ^ Alexander, Ella (9 September 2014). "Kelly Brook has been accused of trivialising domestic abuse... Again". The Independent.
  45. ^ Casey, Isabelle (31 July 2022). "Kelly Brook marries boyfriend Jeremy Parisi in stunning Italian ceremony - see her dress". Hello!.
  46. ^ "Kelly Brook Meets Superman". BBC News. 21 November 2001.
  47. ^ "Video: Kelly Brook plays a sexy astronaut in new Turkish TV ad". JOE.ie. 26 August 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  48. ^ "Kelly Brook In Lawson's 'Juliet' Video". Capital. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
[edit]
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