Jodie Marsh‘s infamous belt outfits sent fans into a frenzy when she stepped out in the get-up for a London night out in the early noughties – in looks that became emblematic of her successful page three career.
Now 46-years-old, the former glamour model now dedicates her time to an animal sanctuary in Great Dunmow, Essex – a quiet life worlds away from turning heads in the pages of lads’ mags in the early noughties.
Her new chilled-out lifestyle is another huge image shift after first ditching her party girl lifestyle for the intense workout regime of a bodybuilder and competing in bikini modelling competitions.
But as Marsh’s life, and image, evolves once more and she now describes herself as ‘fat and the happiest she’s ever been’, it seems the once notorious party girl has found her sweet spot.
The reality star told The Sun: ‘You might recognise me as someone that used to be glamorous, sexy, a bodybuilder and everything else, but now I’m just a farm girl and I look a mess.’
Jodie added: ‘The reason I’m now fat and haven’t got a six pack is because I don’t have time to eat properly or even do the food shopping. Not ever.
‘I used to cook healthy meals and don’t have time for that anymore. I don’t gym at the moment either. I don’t have time. It’s manic.’
As she thrives in her new life out of the limelight, FEMAIL looks back on the raucous party days and career of one of the UK’s most successful glamour models…
Aged 17, Jodie decided to pursue a career in glamour modelling, and applied to a tabloid hoping they’d feature her but it wasn’t an overnight success (pictured in 2004)
A* student
Known for her glamour modelling and reality TV appearances, Jodie was a familiar face but 12 years later, she’s a far cry from her wilder younger years and says she’s now fat but happy
Growing up, Jodie attended the £10,000-a-year Brentwood School and was raised by her mother Kristina (who passed away in 2020) and father John, who made their money from a scaffolding business.
Although the model has previously said her family were ‘not millionaires’, she admitted she’d enjoyed a comfortable upbringing and was a top student at school, achieving 11 GCSEs at A*-A and staying on to take three A-Levels.
However, she has previously opened up about being badly bullied by her peers who mocked her for ‘cheap outfits’ and her appearance – taking aim at her nose, which she’d broken during a hockey match.
Relentlessly teased over her nose, Jodie opted to have a rhinoplasty at just 16 years old.
The following year, she decided to pursue a career in glamour modelling, and applied to a tabloid hoping they’d feature her – but her first attempt was unsuccessful.
‘They sent me a letter back rejecting me! Thank you, but no thanks,’ she previously revealed to MailOnline.
‘I was devastated because I’d been bullied at school. They’d all called me ugly for many years.
‘So in my head, I was like, I’ve got to be a model I’ve got to prove to my bullies that I’m not ugly.’
She told Metro that she had originally wanted to be a vet but her desire to prove her critics wrong took over and, knowing she would never make it on to a catwalk at only 5ft 2, she decided that glamour modelling was the only path for her.
Page 3 modelling
In 2003 Jodie Marsh hit the headlines one again when she wore THAT skimpy belt as a bra during a night out in London (pictured) but the former model has since transformed her look
After an initial knock-back in her pursuit of glamour modelling, Marsh instead opted for stripping and bagged herself a job at gentleman’s club Stringfellow’s in London.
She previously joked of her career in an interview with GB News: ‘I went to the best private school ever and then I just became a lap dancer.
‘I used to go to Stringfellows on a night out and I was sitting there one night and somebody said ‘why do you keep coming here for a night out, you should work here.’
At her peak, the model claims she was making as much as £10,000 a week with stripping and lap dancing – something that made her feel ‘bloody rich’ after her first job as a kitchen porter at the age of 14, which paid just £1 an hour.
Despite being initially rejected Jodie went on to work for several lads mags and she was paid £30,000 for her first feature in the Daily Star (pictured at Just My Luck premiere, 2006)
The star was regularly seen in risque outfits and was a household name, helped by her outrageous stunts and feud with fellow glamour model Katie Price (pictured in 2008)
The gig became a launchpad for her reality TV career when she was scouted to appear on Essex Wives.
The show, which followed married women socialising in the British county, may not have been a huge hit – but it was another rung on the ladder for Marsh, who finally achieved her dream of appearing on Page Three after being noticed on the show.
After being initially rejected by the Daily Star, the paper soon came crawling back, offering Jodie a chance to star in a feature and that was just the start of the reality star’s success.
She said: ‘So by then I was 23 and obviously, I’ve never gotten over the rejection and I negotiated my own deal with them… for one photograph, they paid me £30,000. The other girls were getting paid £50 a shoot.’
Soon the star was regularly seen in risque outfits made up of tiny mini skirts and belts as bras and was a household name, helped by her outrageous stunts and notorious feud with fellow glamour model Katie Price, who went by Jordan at the time.
Reality Star
As well as her modelling, Jodie became a well known face through her appearances on several reality shows including Celebrity Big Brother in 2006
Jodie has not looked back on positively and was widely criticised at the time over bullying allegations against her fellow housemates by the glamour model
In addition to modelling, Jodie became a well known face through her appearances on several reality shows including Channel Five’s Trust Me – I’m A Holiday Rep, which saw her pose as a tour guide in Greece.
She also appeared in Channel 4’s The Games, an Olympic style competition, and E4’s Fool Around… with Jodie Marsh on two occasions.
But her most memorable TV appearance was on Celebrity Big Brother in 2006, an experience that Jodie has not looked back on positively and was widely criticised at the time over bullying allegations against her fellow housemates by the glamour model.
Her other TV work included Totally Jodie Marsh: Who’ll Take Her Up the Aisle? and was started after a website, Marry Me Jodie Marsh was launched with the teaser ‘I’m getting married this September… Only problem is that I don’t have a man!’
Her other TV work included Totally Jodie Marsh: Who’ll Take Her Up the Aisle? – a show which the star has since confessed she is embarrassed about (pictured)
The premise saw Jodie find a man through open auditions to walk down the aisle with.
And although Jodie has said she tries not to live with regrets, she has since said she is embarrassed about the series.
She confessed to the Daily Star: ‘Thinking about that show makes me feel physically sick. That was the worst period of my whole life. I’m embarrassed. I’m ashamed.
‘I don’t believe in regrets. I believe that in life you should learn from your mistakes.
‘But if I had one regret it would be that.’
Beauty and brawn
Alongside her modelling career, the former Page 3 girl turned to body building and started competing in 2009
In 2011, she placed fifth in the Natural Physique Association Bodybuilding Championship (pictured)
Alongside her modelling career, the former Page Three girl turned to body building.
In 2009, she started entering competitions showing off her new muscular physique and slim frame.
In 2011, she placed fifth in the Natural Physique Association Bodybuilding Championship before winning gold in the International Natural Bodybuilding Federation Bodybuilding Championships in Los Angeles the following year.
Capitalising on her success, Jodie also filmed two documentaries following her training regime.
But Jodie has now turned her back on her fitness regime and has since focused on her new passion – her animal sanctuary
‘Fat but happier than ever’
Now the former model has completely overhauled her career and is running an animal sanctuary in Great Dunmow, Essex and opening Fripps Farm in 2020 (pictured July, 2024)
A vegetarian since the age of five, Jodie always loved animals but it wasn’t until the tragic death of her mother Kristina in September 2020 that Jodie opened Fripps Farm
She former model has completely overhauled her career and is now running an animal sanctuary in Great Dunmow, Essex and opening Fripps Farm in 2020.
A vegetarian since the age of five, Jodie always loved animals but it wasn’t until the tragic death of her mother Kristina in September 2020 from cancer that Jodie felt the push she needed to open Fripps Farm.
Jodie has admitted she’s happier than ever, recently revealing she is so busy caring for her hundred of animals that she doesn’t have time to hit the gym or diet
She previously told MailOnline: ‘It was just horrific. I gave up work and gave up everything to care for my mum. And that was what made me realise that life’s too short, watching my mum die in front of me.
‘Why would I go and do another TV show or another photoshoot or whatever it is when that’s not what I want to be doing in life? That’s not what’s gonna make me happy.
‘What’s gonna make me happy is having an animal sanctuary, because it’s the only thing I’ve ever truly wanted. I always knew that was the end goal.’
And, away from the spotlight, Jodie has admitted she’s happier than ever, recently revealing she is so busy caring for her hundred of animals that she doesn’t have time to hit the gym or diet.
Jodie said: ‘The reason I’m now fat and haven’t got a six pack is because I don’t have time to eat properly or even do the food shopping. Not ever.
‘I used to cook healthy meals and don’t have time for that anymore. I don’t gym at the moment either. I don’t have time. It’s manic.’
