Former glamour model Kelly Brook has candidly discussed feeling "upset" after her ex-fiancé, Titanic star Billy Zane, allegedly forced her to abandon her beloved tracksuits in favour of corseted 1950s-style dresses. The 46-year-old television personality described Zane's behaviour as "controlling" during their relationship in the mid-2000s.
A Dramatic Style Transformation
Speaking on the Amanda Wakeley: StyleDNA podcast this week, Brook revealed how her fashion sense underwent a radical transformation after she began dating Zane when she was 25. The actor, who was 13 years her senior, reportedly took issue with her preference for streetwear, particularly her collection of expensive Juicy Couture tracksuits.
"I remember him kind of throwing out all my Juicy tracksuits, going 'You can't be wearing this any more, you need to put something nicer on'," Brook recalled. "I was kind of upset and all my friends were like 'Oh my God, he's really controlling'."
From Streetwear to Vintage Glamour
Brook described her teenage and early twenties style as distinctly "chav" - characterised by gold hoops, scrunchies, and tracksuits. She explained this evolved into more expensive streetwear before her relationship with Zane prompted another dramatic shift.
"Then I think when I went into a Love Island era - that's when I started getting into the more period corseted fifties," she said. Zane encouraged her to emulate the silhouettes of 1950s screen icons, with Brook noting he would tell her she resembled actresses from that era.
The new look highlighted her curves in a manner reminiscent of Hollywood legends like Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor, marking a complete departure from her previous casual aesthetic.
Reflection and Retrospective Appreciation
Despite her initial distress at Zane's intervention in her wardrobe choices, Brook acknowledged with hindsight that the style evolution came at an appropriate time in her life. "But actually I appreciated it because it was time I moved on," she reflected during the podcast interview.
The couple first met in 2004 on the set of the film Survival Island, also known as Three. They became engaged and lived together in a £1 million farmhouse in Kent before their relationship ended in 2008. Reports at the time suggested Brook had decided "Billy is not the man she wants to marry."
Life After Zane
Since her split from Zane, Brook has been in relationships with several high-profile figures including actor Jason Statham and rugby player Danny Cipriani. She is now married to Jeremy Parisi and has recently launched a lingerie collection with Next.
The model and presenter, who lost 15 pounds during her stint on I'm A Celebrity last year, described her new range as "honest and accessible" lingerie designed for "real bodies and real lifestyles." She emphasised the importance of women feeling "supported, feminine and confident in their own skin."
Brook's revelations about her relationship with Zane offer a glimpse into the dynamics of celebrity partnerships and the sometimes controversial ways in which personal style can become a point of contention between partners.
