The ascendancy and subsequent decline of 1990s glamour models following the collapse of the lads' magazine sector - covering Katie Price, Kelly Brook, and others.
In the modern age, it's easier than ever to connect with attractive individuals via platforms like Instagram and OnlyFans. However, look back to the epoch when people would rush to their local corner shop to snag a glossy lads' magazine, filled with fresh faces to fantasize about.
From FHM to Loaded, titles like Nuts and Zoo flooded the market, boasting countless pages of sexy and busty models. The 2000s ushered in a significant change due to the internet boom and shifting perceptions of glamour modeling. Many of these once prominent faces, plastered across bedroom walls, found themselves searching for fresh opportunities.
Here's a snapshot of what became of the 90s glamour models, decades after their risqué heyday:
Keeley Hazell
With her roots in Lewisham, London, Keeley made her mark after winning the Daily Star’s Search for a Beach Babe contest at a tender age of 17. Her playful personality and candid comments, like, "If my bikini pops off while swimming, I won't bother, I'll just carry on," quickly charmed fans, leading to features in Loaded, Nuts, Zoo, and FHM, which famously named her a Kentish melon farmer.
At her career peak, Keeley lived her wildest dreams, traveling non-stop. However, magazine sales started to dip in the late 2000s, and her earnings plummeted from a hefty £30,000 per shoot to a meager £1,000. Keeley then ventured to Los Angeles for acting lessons and eventually landed roles in Like Crazy, St George's Da,y, and Horrible Bosses 2.
On the set of Horrible Bosses, Keeley crossed paths with actor Jason Sudeikis, who was dating actress and director Olivia Wilde at the time. Their romance blossomed in 2021, but the spark eventually faded in 2022. Keeley's Instagram bio pokes fun at her former career, stating, "Livin' my best life." Her memoir, Everyone's Seen My Boobs, is slated for release on August 26, 2025.
Gail Porter
Originally from Edinburgh, Scotland, Gail found fame hosting Fully Booked and Top of the Pops before becoming a lads' mag favorite in the late 90s. Her claim to fame includes having her naked rear projected onto the Houses of Parliament to promote FHM magazine's 100 sexiest women poll in 1999.
Gail tied the knot with Toploader guitarist Dan Hipgrave in 2001, welcoming daughter Honey the following year. However, life outside the glossy magazines was challenging; she battled post-natal depression, got divorced, and was diagnosed with alopecia, resulting in hair loss.
"It was absolutely terrifying; I didn't know what was going on," she bravely shared. In 2017, Gail faced her darkest hour, finding herself homeless and sleeping on a park bench in Hampstead Heath.
Abi Titmuss
Rising to fame in the noughties as John Leslie’s girlfriend and later starring in a threesome sex tape with him, Abi made a name for herself in the US after her lads' mag stint. She ranked seventh by FHM in their 2005 list of the 100 Sexiest Women in the World. After causing buzz while leaving court with John, Abi transitioned to acting and landed roles on BBC’s Casualty and Days of Our Lives.
Kelly Brook
With her enviable curves, Kelly was crowned FHM’s Sexiest Woman in the World. After a short-lived gig hosting the Big Breakfast, Kelly became a regular on Celebrity Love Island in the early 2000s. She got engaged to 90s heartthrob Billy Zane but later parted ways. Heartbreak struck again when Kelly suffered two miscarriages in 2011.
These days, Kelly resides in Kent with her model husband, Jeremy Parisi, and hosts the drive time show on Heart London.
Leilani Dowding
Smart and beautiful, Leilani was the Miss Great Britain title holder before becoming a hit in lads' mags. Leilani left the pin-up world behind in the mid-noughties to study acting at the Central School of Speech and Drama, eventually landing a role on BBC’s Casualty in 2012.
Katie Price
If Katie Price hadn't switched careers after a friend suggested professional modeling photos, she might not be a household name today. Known as Jordan, Price was renowned for her surgically enhanced breasts and frequent appearances in lads' mags, including the Daily Star, FHM, and Playboy.
Katie tried her hand at politics, earning a dismal 1.8% of the vote during the 2001 UK general election. She has also excelled in TV shows such as Footballers' Wives and I'm a Celebrity and had brief relationships with celebrities like Danny Cipriani and singer Peter Andre.
Katie's personal life has been as colorful as her career, with marriages to cage fighter Alex Reid and singer Kieran Hayler. After a string of breakups, Katie is now dating Married at First Sight star JJ Slater.
Sources:[1] https://www.femail.com.au/lifestyle/celebrity-life/former-glamour-models-keeley-hazell-kelly-brook-katie-price-update-20220412-p5a8jz.html[2] https://www.metro.co.uk/2021/07/08/where-are-they-now-the-90s-page-3-girls-14348613/[3] https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8514013/glamour-model-gail-porter-post-natal-depression-husband-bankruptcy/[4] https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/shows-a-z/where-are-they-now-the-90s-glamour-model-edition/
In the 2000s, in search of fresh opportunities, many 90s glamour models like Keeley Hazell and Kelly Brook transitioned from the pages of lads' magazines to acting roles in films and television shows, such as Keeley's appearances in Like Crazy, St George's Da,y, and Horrible Bosses 2, and Kelly's stint on Celebrity Love Island.
The struggles faced by some of these models post their glory days are evident; Gail Porter, for instance, faced homelessness and battled post-natal depression and alopecia, while Katie Price experienced multiple marital breakups and personal hardships. Despite the challenges, several have managed to turn their lives around, maintaining a strong presence in the public eye and delving into new ventures, such as Katie Price's foray into politics and television shows like Footballers' Wives.
