For three decades, Kelly Brook has remained one of television's most consistently misunderstood figures, and her current appearance on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here proves that little has changed in how the public perceives her.
A Pattern of Unfair Treatment
The most consistent thread throughout Kelly Brook's long career has been the surprisingly cruel treatment she's received from both the media and the public. Now, at 45 years old, she's experiencing the same harsh scrutiny in the Australian jungle that has followed her since she was a teenager.
Her television troubles began at just 19 years old when she quit The Big Breakfast after being brutally mocked for her performance. She faced the impossible task of replacing Denise Van Outen, who had formed an incredibly popular partnership with Johnny Vaughn. At the time, this duo were so beloved that replacing them was comparable to trying to substitute Ant or Dec today.
The press relentlessly targeted the teenager who, in hindsight, had been given a mission impossible. She was unfairly scrutinised for not immediately recreating the chemistry that had taken years to develop between her predecessors.
Career Setbacks and Public Misjudgment
A decade later in 2009, Simon Cowell dropped her as a judge on Britain's Got Talent after just one week of filming. While Cowell claimed a four-judge panel made the format 'too complicated', Brook later revealed that Ant and Dec had actually been the issue, creating an awkward dynamic for their reunion in this year's jungle.
Her removal from Celebrity Love Island after just one season, where she was replaced by Fearne Cotton, added to the pattern of television disappointments that have rarely been her fault.
Now on I'm A Celebrity, despite being one of the standout campmates, the public still isn't warming to her. Within days, she was branded a 'bully' for showing mild irritation with Jack Osbourne's cooking dominance and her unconventional potato peeling technique.
Considering some of the truly horrendous campmates I'm A Celebrity fans have endured over the years, Brook's behaviour has been comparatively saintly. Yet Kelly Osbourne went as far as calling her a 'bully' and said she wanted to 'attack' her.
Beyond the 'Sex Kitten' Image
The criticism extends beyond her personality to how she's physically perceived. On Saturday night, Lisa Riley referred to her as a 'sex kitten', as though this was a compliment. Brook responded with remarkable insight: 'Yeah, but it's weird – it doesn't match your soul, what you portray. The face and the façade and the body don't match the person. I'm a clown inside.'
This statement reveals the core issue Brook has faced throughout her career. While her body brought lucrative magazine covers in the 2000s, it's the 'clown inside' – her genuine personality and talent – that has given her longevity in a brutal industry.
Her husband Jeremy Parisi recently had to defend her against misogynistic trolls scrutinising her figure after she publicly refused weight-loss jabs before entering the jungle. He told The Mirror: 'I'm so happy to see Kelly being so confident and happy in her own skin. It's hard for women in the public eye to be put under such scrutiny, but she is a positive role model for so many women.'
Despite this constant body scrutiny, she's also been praised for her 'natural beauty', though she deserves recognition for far more than her physical appearance.
During lockdown, her Heart FM radio show became an unexpected highlight for many listeners, showcasing her natural warmth and ability to uplift spirits. This presenting role has arguably been her biggest success – the one job that has stuck with no signs of ending.
Currently, bookmakers have Kelly down as one of the least likely stars to be crowned Queen of the Jungle, alongside Alex Scott and Vogue Williams. She won't win I'm A Celebrity, but she doesn't deserve to have her legacy defined by a tense moment with Jack Osbourne or stripping to a bikini for a jungle shower.
For over two decades, Kelly Brook has consistently demonstrated that she's much brighter and kinder than she's ever been given credit for. I'm A Celebrity could – and should – finally be the catalyst that proves this to the British public who have misunderstood her for far too long.
