Jodie Kidd

Early life

Named after Jodie Foster, Kidd was born in 1978 and is the daughter of the businessman and former showjumper Johnny Kidd. She is the granddaughter of The Honourable Janet Gladys Aitken. One of Kidd's maternal great-grandfathers was the Canadian press baron Max Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook. Kidd's mother, Wendy Madeleine Kidd (née Hodge), is one of the three daughters of Sir John Rowland Hodge, 2nd Baronet, Kidd's aunt is the model Vicki Hodge.

Jodie was a showjumper as a child and attended St Michael's School, Burton Park, Petworth, West Sussex. Kidd has two siblings. Her elder sister, Jemma Kidd (born 1974), married Arthur Wellesley, Earl of Mornington, son of the current Duke of Wellington, in June 2005. Kidd's brother, Jack Kidd (born 1973) is a polo player. Kidd also has a half-brother, the entrepreneur Nick D'Arcy Whiting (born 1962), and a half-sister, Debbie Parris (born 1964).

Career

Modelling

Kidd was 15 when she was discovered by photographer Terry O'Neil on a beach in Barbados. Her modelling career began when he introduced her to model agent Laraine Ashton. When Kidd began modelling at the age of 16, there was an uproar; accusations were made that promotion of her slender figure encouraged teenage girls to become anorexic when they tried to mimic her looks. Her skeletal figure led to accusations, because she is tall 185.5 cm (6 ft 1) and at the time her weight was 48 kg (BMI of 13.5; WHO class at 16 years, "severe thinness") and a German magazine called her "locuste model", sometimes referred to as "heroin chic". However, following an eight-month break in modelling, Kidd increased her weight to become a dress size 14.

Kidd, with a face not dissimilar to that of Kate Moss, modelled with the leading models from Capellino, Chanel, Ernesto Esposito, Fendissime, Gai Mattiolo, Ghost, Lagerfeld, Malhas, Monsoon, and Motorola and also featured in campaigns for Chloé 'Innocence' perfume and Yves Saint Laurent. She also appeared on the cover of Elle magazine in Australia, Italy, Portugal, Singapore, Sweden and the United States and made appearances on The Face and Comme des Garçons.

In 2014, Kidd was the face of Jaeger's AW/14 campaign. She was one of three iconic British models who were photographed with their mothers, alongside Jasmine Guinness and Kirsty Hume.

Racing

She drove a Maserati and became known for completing the fastest Celebrity Lap in the Suzuki Liana on the Top Gear car show (Series 2 Episode 8 : 6 July 2003). She was later beaten by Simon Cowell (Series 3 Episode 5 : 9 November 2003) and is now ranked 11th-fastest.

On 4 December 2004, Kidd and her co-driver, Fabio Babini, took first place in Bologna, Italy at a Maserati Trofeo Pro-Am event. It was only Kidd's third race. She has also taken part in several Gumball 3000 rallies.

Television

Kidd's career as a television personality has included participation on Strictly Come Dancing 2008, in which she partnered with professional dancer Ian Waite; they finished in sixth place, and Kidd left the show in a "dance-off" against former model and television presenter Lisa Snowdon. In 2014, Kidd was a finalist in the BBC's annual cookery programme Celebrity Masterchef; she lost the championship to actor Sophie Thompson. In 2015 she appeared in series 2 of The Jump, where she was sixth to be eliminated. In 2015 Kidd appeared as one of the hosts of the Channel 5 automotive show The Classic Car Show with co-host Quentin Willson.

In the summer of 2015, Kidd was tipped to become Chris Evans's co-host on the revamped Top Gear following Jeremy Clarkson's exit. However she ruled herself out of the job stating that she wanted some time out of the limelight. Kidd also appeared with her son Indio on the fifth series of Big Star's Little Star where they won £9,000 for charity.

Kidd formed part of the ITV4 presenter line up for the Isle of Man TT coverage of 2018.

Musical production

Kidd and her father are producers of the musical Yarico, a tale of romance and slavery in Barbados, based on the 17th-century operetta Yarico and Inkle.

Personal life

Kidd's other hobbies include polo, golf and horse riding.

Following a year-long romance and engagement, Kidd married Internet entrepreneur Aidan Butler on 10 September 2005 at St Peter's Church, Twineham, West Sussex. The marriage ended after 18 months.

Kidd's son by her partner Andrea Vianini, an Argentinian polo player, was born on 5 September 2011. Kidd and Vianini's relationship ended in the summer of 2013. Kidd subsequently married Captain David Blakeley. The couple separated in January 2015, after four months of marriage.

Filmography

References

References

1. (2015). "Jodie Kidd". Fashion Model Directory.
2. ''Burke's Peerage'', volume 1 (1999), p. 232
3. Cadwalladr, Carole. (7 May 2006). "It's super-duper, but definitely not Jilly Cooper". The Guardian.
4. (20 May 2011). "The Inventory: Jodie Kidd".
5. "Arthur Wellesley – Title, family, Jemma Kidd & children – Tatler List". Tatler.
6. (15 December 2012). "The rock star, the polo set and the man who played them for fools". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
7. ''Burke's Peerage'' volume 2 (2003), p. 1,932
8. "BMI-for-age GIRLS".
9. (16 May 2012). "Former Heroin Chic Model Jodie Kidd Is Proud Of Her Size 14 Figure". Talent Management.
10. "Interview: Jodie & Wendy Kidd {{!}} AW14 campaign {{!}} Womenswear {{!}} Jaeger Journal".
11. "New Jaeger film celebrates three iconic British models and their mothers – Telegraph".
12. "Top Gear Track Guide".
13. Carter, Melanie. (6 December 2004). "Supermodel Jodie Kidd Wins Her First Ever Motor Race". Car Pages.
14. (21 August 2015). "Jodie Kidd: the truth about why I won't do Top Gear".
15. "JODIE KIDD AND MATT ROBERTS TO LEAD 2018 TT RACES TV PRESENTATION TEAM".
16. Thorpe, Vanessa. "Jodie Kidd brings story of love and slavery to the London stage". The Guardian.
17. (14 January 2006). "BBC Sport: Golf: Winter warriors". [[British Broadcasting Corporation.
18. Stadlen, Matthew. (25 September 2014). "Ryder Cup ambassador Jodie Kidd: 'I could have been a professional golfer'". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
19. (23 April 2007). "Jodie's marriage falls apart". Metro News.
20. (14 March 2011). "'Excited' Jodie Kidd expecting first baby". Hello!.
21. (5 September 2011). "Exclusive: Jodie Kidd happy to announce the birth of her first child". Hello!.
22. Jones, Katie. (27 August 2014). "Jodie Kidd Marries David Blakeley After Whirlwind Romance". [[HuffPost]].
23. Judd, Terri. (5 May 2012). "Betrayed behind enemy lines: Army captain breaks silence on elite unit's fight for survival". [[The Independent]].
24. Thistlethwaite, Felicity. (30 January 2015). "Jodie Kidd and David Blakeley split after four months of marriage". Daily Express.
25. (2014). "Who Do You Think You Are? - Jodie Kidd". BBC One.
26. (2015). "Celebrity Antiques Road Trip: Series 3, Number 14. James Martin and Jodie Kidd". Radio Times.
27. McGeorge, Alistair. (3 February 2015). "The Jump 2015: Louie Spence and Jodie Kidd eliminated as Louise Hazel gets highest leap". [[Daily Mirror]].