Kelly Brook

Early life

Brook was born Kelly Anne Parsons in Rochester, Kent, the daughter of Sandra Kelly, a cook, and Kenneth Parsons, a scaffolder. She has a younger brother, Damian, and an older half-sister, Sasha. Kenneth Parsons died, aged 57, in Rochester from lung cancer, on 26 November 2007, during Brook's time on Strictly Come Dancing. 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 for three years, before becoming a professional model at the age of 16.

Modelling career

Brook's modelling career began at 16 after she won a beauty competition, into which her mother had entered her. She was the cover star of FHM World Cup 2010 special issue, and was on the cover of the magazine in April 2011.

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. She has appeared on billboards, in newspapers and on-line as part of their advertising campaign. 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. In September 2010, Brook appeared in the American edition of Playboy magazine. In October 2010, Brook appeared live at Clapham Picture House to surprise cinemagoers as part of a promotion for Carlsberg and Sky 3D. In November 2010, Brook presented an award at MTV's EMA's in Madrid. Brook produced a line of swimwear with New Look, for which she has modelled. In September 2014, Brook launched a clothing line for Simply Be. The following year, she became a brand ambassador for Skechers.

Acting career

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. 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.

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. 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 and commercial success, grossing $83.2 million on a budget of $24 million. [[File:Keith Lemon (Leigh Francis) and Kelly Brook at Cannes 19.05.2012.jpg|thumb|Kelly Brook with Keith Lemon ([[Leigh Francis]]) at the [[2012 Cannes Film Festival]]]]

Kelly played herself alongside Leigh Francis in the British comedy film Keith Lemon: The Film (2012), which won 'Funniest Film' at the 2013 Loaded Lafta Awards. 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, which was subsequently picked up on 9 May.

Theatre

In December 2000, she played exotic dancer Anya in the play Eye Contact at the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith. In October 2008, she returned to the West End as Jeannie, in Neil LaBute's Fat Pig at London's Comedy Theatre.

Other work

Music videos

In 1997, at age 17, Brook appeared as a nurse in the music video for the KMFDM song "Megalomaniac". 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. In 2013, Brook appeared in the Lawson music video for their song "Juliet", in the role of Juliet.

Television presenting

In 1997, aged 18, Brook started presenting youth television programmes on MTV UK & Ireland, Granada Television and the Trouble TV channel. 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. In 2005, she hosted the reality television programme Celebrity Love Island for ITV.

Reality television

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. Although initially decided to continue dancing in his memory, she withdrew from the competition in week nine. 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, 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". 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.

In 2024, Brook competed alongside her husband Jeremy Parisi on the second series of Celebrity Race Across the World. They ultimately finished fourth. In November 2025, it was announced that Brook would appear as a contestant on the twenty-fifth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!. She finished the show in 9th place.

Books

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

Business

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

Radio

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

Personal life

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. In July 2022, Brook married her longtime boyfriend Jeremy Parisi, whom she had dated since 2015.

Filmography

Film

Television

Television advertisements

Music videos

Bibliography

• Close Up (2014) (autobiography)

References

References

1. (30 June 2005). "Kelly is world's sexiest". Manchester Evening News.
2. (10 December 2015). "Kelly Brook And FHM: A Ridiculously Sexy Retrospective". FHM.
3. "Heart".
4. "Grieving Kelly Brook vows to dance on after father dies of cancer". London Evening Standard.
5. Elizabeth Day. (1 November 2009). "Kelly Brook profile". The Guardian.
6. [https://archive.today/20130114020857/http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/showbiz/article/article-23426096-grieving-strictly-star-kelly-brook-attends-fathers-funeral.do Grieving Strictly star Kelly Brook attends father's funeral], thisislondon.co.uk; accessed 31 January 2016.
7. (29 November 2007). "Grieving Brook to keep on dancing". BBC News.
8. "Kelly Brook". italiaconti.com.
9. "Official Kelly Brook site biography page". Officialkellybrook.com.
10. She later worked on a range of advertising campaigns, including [[Foster's Lager]], [[Renault Mégane]], [[Walkers (snack foods). Walker's crisps]], [[Piz Buin]] and [[Bravissimo (company). 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 (United Kingdom). Page Three girl]]. Brook's picture soon began appearing in other [[List of men's magazines. lads' mags]] such as ''[[GQ]]'', ''[[Loaded (magazine). 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's 100 Sexiest Women (UK). link. (13 February 2011 Kelly Brook at FHM.com)
11. "Kelly Brook in South Africa! FHM article". Fhm.com.
12. "Kelly Brook lands £1m Lynx deal". nowmagazine.co.uk.
13. "Lynx 6-sheet Kelly Brook ad". UTalkMarketing.com.
14. [https://www.standard.co.uk/news/standard-pictures/kelly-brook-models-ultimo-lingerie-spring-collection-7359974.html "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.
16. (8 November 2010). "VIDEO: Kelly Brook pays surprise visit to Clapham Picture House, in Venn Street". London Evening Standard.
17. [http://ema.mtv.co.uk/news/more-superstar-presenters "We Announce More Superstar Presenters!"] {{Webarchive. link. (8 November 2010 , ema.mtv.co.uk; accessed 31 January 2017.)
18. (4 August 2014). "for Simply Be — Blog". Kelly Brook.
19. (22 July 2014). "Kelly is the new face of Skechers!". Kelly Brook official blog.
20. "School for Seduction review". Filmcritic.com.
21. "Three". rottentomatoes.com.
22. "AFM: Twilight Dad Engages in Some Shadow Play". Dreadcentral.com.
23. "Piranha 3-D". Rotten Tomatoes.
24. (18 November 2010). "Piranha 3D (2010)". Box Office Mojo.
25. (7 March 2013). "Loaded LAFTAS 2013 award winners announced". comedy.co.uk.
26. Andreeva, Nellie. (28 March 2014). "Kelly Brook To Star In NBC comedy pilot 'One Big Happy'".
27. Goldberg, Lesley. (9 May 2014). "NBC Orders Ellen DeGeneres' 'One Big Happy,' Will Ferrell Comedies 'Mission Control,' 'Bad Judge' to Series".
28. Andreeva, Nellie. (9 May 2014). "NBC Picks Up Comedies 'Bad Judge', 'Mission Control' and 'One Big Happy'".
29. (6 October 2009). "Kelly Brook to bare all on stage". [[BBC News]].
30. Shenton, Mark. "Kelly Brook to Make West End Stage Debut".
31. Trueman, Matt. (April 2020}} Brook made a cameo appearance in the cabaret show "Forever Crazy" by Crazy Horse London end of 2012.{{cite web). "Kelly Brook strips off for Crazy Horse cabaret | Culture". [[The Guardian]].
32. Longmire, Becca. (September 6, 2016). "Kelly Brook writhes around in boob-baring nurses outfit in seriously steamy throwback clip". [[Daily Express]].
33. (26 June 2009). "Pulp – Help The Aged". [[YouTube]].
34. Duff, Seamus. (August 21, 2013). "Kelly Brook stars in new Lawson music video for song called Juliet". [[Metro (British newspaper).
35. (17 April 2000). "Donna Air leaves MTV".
36. (30 July 1999). "Entertainment Kelly quits Big Breakfast".
37. (30 November 2007). "Brook quits Strictly Come Dancing". BBC News.
38. [http://latestnews.virginmedia.com/news/entertainment/2008/05/14/dancing_judge_kelly Kelly Brook searches for Baby] {{webarchive. link. (18 September 2008 , [[Virgin Media]], 15 May 2008)
39. Dickinson, Matt. (20 January 2009). "Kelly Brook axed from Britain's Got Talent". The Independent.
40. "Who are Kelly Brook and Jeremy Parisi? Meet Celebrity Race Across the World 2024 contestants {{!}} Radio Times".
41. (11 November 2025). "I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! 2025 cast in full from Jack Osbourne to Kelly Brook".
42. (1 August 2014). "The Autobiography by Kelly Brook – Blog". Kelly Brook.
43. (February 2022). "Culture".
44. (9 September 2014). "Rochester-born model Kelly Brook provokes outrage by laughing about punching ex-lovers Jason Statham and Danny Cipriani on ITV show This Morning".
45. "Steam and Rye". Steamandrye.com.
46. bar team. (3 June 2014). "Bar news | Steam & Rye among London Club & Bar Awards winners.". Barmagazine.co.uk.
47. Alexander, Ella. (9 September 2014). "Kelly Brook has been accused of trivialising domestic abuse... Again". The Independent.
48. Casey, Isabelle. (31 July 2022). "Kelly Brook marries boyfriend Jeremy Parisi in stunning Italian ceremony - see her dress". Hello!.
49. (November 21, 2001). "Kelly Brook Meets Superman". BBC News.
50. (26 August 2013). "Video: Kelly Brook plays a sexy astronaut in new Turkish TV ad".
51. "Kelly Brook In Lawson's 'Juliet' Video".