Jodie Kidd

Jodie Elizabeth Kidd (born 25 September 1978) is an English fashion model and television personality.

Early life Named after Jodie Foster, Kidd was born in 1978 and is the daughter of the businessman and former showjumper Johnny Kidd and his wife Wendy Madeleine, one of the three daughters of Sir John Rowland Hodge, 2nd Baronet, She is the paternal granddaughter of The Honourable Janet Gladys Aitken whose father was the Canadian press baron Max Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook. Kidd's maternal aunt is the model Vicki Hodge. 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 (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. 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