S6 Ep 4: Katie Price, model turned reality TV star

0:00This is The Guardian.

0:07I'm Grace Dent and this is Comfort Eating from The Guardian. A podcast where we pay homage to the lesser celebrated foods in life. Because even as a restaurant critic, I believe the food that matters most is often that snack you cobble together when you're curled upon the sofa. Each week I ask my guest to lift the lid on what comfort foods have seen them through their lives Because you can tell a lot about a person from what they eat behind closed doors Just a note, this episode does contain references to suicide And strong language So please take care while listening Hello friends You find me this week stretching.

1:00I'm lying on my back on the sheepskin rug in my living room. I am trying to perform a simple task of just getting my right leg up and then straight. Oh, oh, I need. Okay, life hack of the week. I think a lot of things you're told you need in life are actually absolutely free. You do not need a£50 a month gym membership. Plus, if you do, you're stretching at home. You don't need to suffer the indignity of the public farting. Another guest is arriving in 30 minutes to come for Eat With Me and truly I have wanted to meet her for as long as I can remember because ladies and gentlemen this woman about to walk into my living room is a glamour model, a mum of five, a force of nature, a living study of reality TV longevity.

2:04She is a survivor. it could only be one person. It's Katie Price. She's been part of our lives for almost 30 years, ever since her first glamour shoot for The Sun's Page 3 in 1996. Since then, there's been six autobiographies, six reality TV series, a Sunday Times best-selling novel, and two appearances on I'm a Celebrity. She is one of the most recognised faces in the country. Now I come to think of it, I reckon that she does her stretching. Oh, I reckon she's quite supple. As you know, I am all about the important questions. What food makes a woman as productive and well documented as Katie Price.

3:00Come on, we're about to find out.

3:10Oh my God, Katie Price. Welcome to Comfort Eating. I love it. And the best thing is you don't know what's under there and you'd never guess. Do you really not know? I have no idea what is under that tea towel. That's the best thing though. I was just going to say before we look at the food your nan was a topless mermaid on the south coast and she used to sit in a glass tank and punters would put a coin in a telescope to look at her but apparently I hear she got the sack in the end for smoking a bag in the tank have you ever been sacked from a job? No, because I work for myself, so I'm not going to sack myself.

3:57Have you never walked out of a job midway? Because I always say I've never been sacked, but I've definitely just stood up and walked out and just never came back. Sometimes I've wanted to say, do you know what? I'm not feeling this, but I still will do it because I'm professional. I hear that you have never actually heard a podcast. Never. So I went to London. They do the podcast show or something I went to, and I had all the audience who had tickets to watch me on stage. And when I said to them, well, do you know what, everyone? I've actually never heard or watched or whatever you do to a podcast.

4:35And I think they were mortified because they're like proper geeks at it all. But I haven't. Will you listen to this podcast? Well, I'm hearing this one live. Now, every week, my guest brings me their guilty pleasure. The one thing that they like to put in their chops when no one's looking. Katie, you must be one of the most filmed women in history. But please show me what you hoover up when the cameras have left. Right. First of all, can I explain before you open this? I love it when a guest desperately starts trying to explain because I could see a little flicker of embarrassment. No, I can't wait.

5:15I'm starving. Oh. Because I'm so random what I like to eat. But this is something, I don't know why I like it and my kids love it. But people say that's the most tasteless thing ever, but I love the texture and I just love it. Darling, I want you to unveil your snack. It's very simple. Let's see it.

5:40what is that it's bland okay looks like my cat i've got a bald sphinx cat it looks bald it looks like bald food doesn't it please explain what your snack is my snack is pepper olive oil a nice big round juicy mozzarella ball and avocado. You know, it's one of the healthiest snacks we've had on here. And I'm not healthy, but I just love it. I don't even know how to tackle this. I just, I would polish all of that. I like the texture and I always want to squash that. Please, please. Yeah, I am. Squash, squash the... Oh, look at that. Would you not have a little bit of bread? But not if I'm just going in my fridge.

6:27I'm too lazy this would just be easy to do and quick I mean you're fairly lazy I love it you're fairly lazy if you can't be arsed to even just butter a piece of bread but when you get my tub of butter and it's got either Marmite in it or Nutella where the kids have dipped it in and wanted different stuff I haven't got time to squish it out the way I love avocado though you've got a bit on your lip no you've got it that's how we do it in Carlo that's how we wear it and I keep eating please keep eating no The most skillful guests eat everything as they're being interviewed and they don't even think about it.

7:03I feel like... Chicken tonight. Yeah, I feel like chicken tonight. You look so happy with your avocado. I love it. This is so, you're so happy.

7:21I feel like everybody thinks that they know you. like everyone does and you've been right across the media landscape for almost 30 years. Before you were Katie Price, you were Jordan. Take the ball, carry on. Before you were Katie Price, you were Jordan, Patriot Glamour model. Before that, you were Katrina, Amy, Alexandra, Alexis, Infield. What the hell was my mum on? Since then, there's been six autobiographies, hundreds of hours of reality telling but do you think that I do know you or is there a whole other Katie Price that people just don't know I'm very underestimated is what I'd say because you never hear about the stuff I do for charity you never hear that I compete on my horses you never hear about me walking all the dogs this that you never hear what I do with the family there's such a different side and I'm actually quite boring I'm such a homely person I love being at home what you're saying is there's there's a coziness about you love it that you don't feel people see or know no they don't I've heard this motto with you never underestimate the pricey exactly I admire that motto so much I have ended up saying it a lot myself about never underestimate the dent do you i love that um what is the one thing that really annoys you that you are misjudged about though i think people think i'm proper damaged goods but i would say i'm a survivor why does it upset you that you think that people might think that you're damaged goods because the media have damaged me a lot They write all these fake stories.

9:17People around me have done stories. I've had a colourful life, but the sad thing is that a lot of people these days, they know Casey Price, but they don't know my Jordan days. And I don't think a lot of people realise I've done a hell of a lot in my life, seen a lot like good things, worked a lot, but I'm still humble. I'm down to earth.

9:42this roller coaster all began for you career-wise in 1996 when you were 18 i'm almost fascinated by how goal orientated people really are i'm interested in planners for instance when i was 13 i made a plan to leave carlisle come to london nothing was going to stop me looking at your career so far and thinking of the teenager at her first glamour shoot for the sun and all that's followed my question is was there a plan my dreams have come true and beyond we found an english book and basically it said i even want to be a model a pop star or work with horses and i always wanted a house with my own horses swimming pool lots of animals and I wanted a lot of kids and I always wanted to get married and have that fairy tale and my dream car was a Vitara jeep a black one because I wanted to wear a black cat suit in it how random's that so there's a notebook that you've actually written an English book what for I think I was about 11 so all my dreams have come true did you get the jeep I've had one yeah Yeah, well, Range Rover's better than bloody Vitara.

10:58But no, I bought a Vitara Jeep, a grey one, for£1 ,300 and had it done all pink. And I never drove. I got it for the dogs and it had all Barbie written on the sign. So, yeah, it was a manual and I loved it. Let's go back a little bit. We're going to go back to before Jordan, before the modelling. Yeah. I want to know about the young Katie, your childhood. Let's think about you, about nine years old. You're living in Brighton with your mum and dad. Big Brother Dan, your little sister Sophie, who's just been born. Tell us about family life. I always remember at home in the kitchen, my mum would always have spaghetti bolognese on because she used to say, can you just stir it while I go upstairs?

11:40And I remember always going, mum, is it done? Is it done? You know, and it bubbles. And then when she had my sister, I loved it. I even remember she had a Dreamer McLaren buggy. I remember it. and it was all like lilac. So this little baby comes along and you're just excited about the buggy and excited about her. All of it, all the creams, everything. Cuddling, wrapping them up in blankets. Love it. See, I just never had that. Like, I just didn't. Have you got kids? No. So you either do or you don't? Yeah, when I was that age, like, I just remember going to friends' houses that had babies that age and I just, I didn't like the noise and the screaming.

12:25I remember picking babies up and screaming in my ear. Really, so I like the challenge of calm. I don't know why. If you put a baby on when they stop, I've just got that knack. And you had that as a little girl. And you're saying your mum used to leave you with a spagabole? Yes. And what else? Do you remember cornflake packets? Me and my brother used to, when there was a new packet, used to get a toy in it. Yeah. so when was the new packet when my mum went shopping mum and dad I would always open it not even have to still just dig down get what was in they don't do stuff like that these days do they it was so exciting when there was a toy in that wasn't it so like in the frosties like something at the bottom of like or saving up tiger tokens or something all of that do you remember but food in our house I've been brought up with big dinners look I didn't even save you avocado I don't know what my belly's going to be like later.

13:21I've had four. Is it four avocados? You've eaten two full avocados. And polished it. Like, honestly, like a wild animal. But this morning, do you know what my breakfast was? Coffee and a fag. No, I don't smoke. Do you not? Never smoked in my life. I'd have liked a little ciggy. No, I vape. And that's only been four or five months and I want to stop that. But I actually had a sausage egg McMuffin McDonald's with two hash browns and an orange juice. Babe, it's barely lunchtime and that was your breakfast. Yeah. And tonight, I'm going to cook. I love this woman. Tonight, everyone loves my roast potatoes.

14:02You're doing roast potatoes tonight. No, I'm not. They want it, but I'm not. I am going to do lamb chops. I like them quite burnt. Mashed potato, peas and gravy. as a kid and as a teenager you were really sporty you swam for sussex but it's fair to say your greatest love was horses and you spent a lot of time at your local stables let's go there take me down to the stables what is it that you loved about being with horses i just love making their beds brushing them cleaning their tack making their food i spent hours chopping their carrots up putting the garlic powder in, making my little potion.

14:46I like it when they blow their air out and the smell and just kissing their nose. Is it the Karen? Yeah. You like the Karen? Loved it, painting their toes. But then I used to love riding that and I remember just singing and talking to my horse. I must look like Brighton Nutter. But they're a little girl. It was just me and my horse kissing its nose. But when you were a little girl, they must have been especially big and frightening. You know, they could truck you. I used to love it as soon as I finished school. That was it. on my bike I was a grubby little girl always in my dirty jobpers playing around in the fields getting my horses just putting the lead rope and head collar on and just gallop up the hill.

15:24So did you own a horse? I had it on loan and then my mum bought me my first horse when I was 14 and it was an ex-race horse. I remember looking at other girls in the yard who have had like Arabs and nice horses and stuff like that thinking oh why can't I have one like that Mine was grubby and hairy, but I used to just always want to keep them clean. Is it hard going to the stables when you're young and there's some girls that have just got really expensive horses? No, I always just think, oh, I'd love one of them. But now I've had it, got it. So I'm like, it doesn't matter now because I've worked towards getting what I wanted.

16:02So I got it. Yeah, do you think it spurred you on? I think when you come from a family that's got nothing and you want something, you realise I've always known the value of money to know you work if you want something. Being down at the stables, really physical work, really long days. I was fit. I was so fit. What were you eating down there? Suck on the hay. Pardon? And suck on the hay. I used to like the juice of it. Hang on a minute. You used to eat the horse food. Yeah, so my son does it as well. Like all the little corn bits in individually. I would be like, what does that taste like? I don't know I'd just try anything I don't know I like smells of things and taste and texture so you're a little girl and you're going down to the stables and when you're hungry you would have a bit of the the horse yeah I wouldn't just have like loads but I'd always try little bits and it used to have brand some of us that have brand for them and I used to just eat loads of that and then the carrots polos so you used to you used to eat the carrots for the horses and the polos Yeah.

17:06And then sugar cubes. They just don't do them anymore. You just basically became a human horse. Yeah, basically, yeah. Let me ask you one question about school. Hated it. Apart from reading, writing and arithmetic, what is the biggest thing that school taught you? Absolute jack shit. Really? I can't. I look at the kids' work. Where did algebra get me? Why did they make me learn algebra? Did you hate school? I hated school. Did you do GCSEs? Not all of them in the end. No, I hated school. I just wanted to be with the horses. They used to call me a dreamer at school because I used to always say, I'm going to be famous.

17:52I'm going to be a pop star or a model. I always used to say it. It's weird. I always knew I wouldn't do a normal job. I can't explain it to her. I just always know. I'd look in the mirror and go, you're going to be famous in that one. I just knew.

18:16Let's talk about early modelling days. Your first big shoot is when you're 18 for the sun. And it goes absolutely bananas after that. You are the darling of the tabloids. You're known as Jordan. Everybody wants a piece of you. What is it about the character Jordan that drove everyone crazy, do you think? I just think it must have been my personality because I'm always like, well, what did I do different to anyone else? But there was something about you at that point. I don't know what it was. It was the same time as Loaded being massive. They loved you. Melinda Messinger, she was there. FHM, I've got so many awards from decade girl of the year, all of that FHM.

19:03I worked in magazines around that point and I knew loads of the guys from Loaded. And they said that the reason why you and some of the girls that were coming up with you at that time were so popular is because there was a certain glimmer there that boys felt that they could get off with in their dreams. Yeah, definitely in their dreams. Yeah, but it was sexy, but there was a girl next door. I think with me and people still say it now, if I'm in front of a camera, they say my eyes change. I don't know what, I don't know, I sort of do something with my eyes and they're like, Kate, there's something about you when you're in front of a camera, you just come alive, There's something.

19:47People just love watching me do photo shoots. I don't know what it is. But do you think it's like channeling, like, is it sexy or is it sex? I don't know. I just love being in front of the camera. It's like I've become an animal. I just know exactly how to pose this, that. And you always did. And I still do. Like, from the first time. Yeah, I love it. You go to do page three the first time. I mean, that is, I'm going to swear. Yeah, but I loved it. It's fucking terrifying. No, I loved it. It's weird. People used to see me topless on the beach. So to me, it was our walk difference. But there's a massive difference.

20:19Like 20 people see you're top of us on the beach. Everybody's going to see this when you're on the road to three. Forever. It didn't bother me. Oh, my God. This is it. I find that fascinating. No, I love being in front of the camera. Even to this, I don't think I'd ever get bored of it. Did you not walk away on the first day at all and go, well, that's that then? No, I was full. You just showed everybody my tips. It was actually really full because it was Beverly Goodway. I did the pictures and it used to fascinate me because as soon as I'd get there, he had to order me two big, large jacket potatoes with loads of butter, cheese, onion, cottage cheese.

20:57And he used to say, hey, this is just extraordinary. He'd just be like, he says, I've never known a girl apart from you who wants to eat two jacket potatoes and then do a shoot. So I always knew because it was near Holborn that I'd get there and I'll get these beautiful jackets. I wouldn't have one. That has to be two. I honestly can't believe what I'm hearing because if I had to do a bikini shoot like tomorrow, the last jacket potato I would have had would have been about 2022. But I know how to breathe in. I've mastered how you breathe in.

21:46Success came quick and fast. You were working by day, partying by night. Were you enjoying this flashy life you suddenly had? Loving life I was. Sugary, red hue, it was all them days. Do you remember them? Yeah, I do remember them. And Aporium, the nightclub. And then the other one was Attica. Oh, my God, I used to wear my little skirts. They were like nine inches long, I remember, because I used to have them altered to that. I've got to ask a question. I've always wanted to know, right? So you're going out for the night in the 90s, and you always used to have a nine-inch skirt with no pockets, obviously.

22:24Nothing. You'd have like a bikini top or a belt around your boobs. Where was your stuff? Where was your credit card? My friend's pockets. Really? Or their bag. I might have a tiny one. Yeah, but I don't. Where was everything? I don't take anything out with me. There was no lipstick. Where was your house keys? Oh, Sally had them, my friend. And we'd always just wear the same lip gloss. So I'd say to them, can I borrow your lip gloss in the toilet or something? Did you never go to leave the house and think, I've got no clothes on? No, I loved it. The less I had on, the better. Then I used to drive the car because sometimes I didn't drink, so I'd drive there.

23:02So me and Sally used to listen to the music, pull up outside the club. They'd go and park it. and we'd be like, whoa, we're getting out now. And I don't know, I love them. I'm smiling because they were such good days. Am I allowed to vape in there? Yeah, vape, vape, please do. When you used to come back from the party, on the way home, did you used to eat then? Yes, there was a place at the bottom of Edgeware Road. And I remember there was this singer called Finley Quay. I used to see him in there. Do you remember them days? Where's the name that comes from? Finley Quay was an integral part of 90s London at that point.

23:40Isn't it mad, yeah. You couldn't go out without seeing him. He was there. Yeah, and I remember being at Edgeware Road, the bottom of it is if you're coming down, on the right-hand side there was perfect kebab shops. They were like, oh, they did them so well. If it wasn't that, we'd go home, me and Sally, because we lived together then. Beans on toast, always a good one, or a cup of tea and marmite on toast. That's all what we'd ever have.

24:15Can I ask you about Hugh Hefner inviting you to stay in his mansion? I was there eight weeks. You're there eight weeks. You are the first UK woman to be on the cover of American Playboy. The headline is London's legendary bad girl, Jordan. love it what is it like in that mansion loved it and i hear all these stories i'm slagging you off and i'm like you've got to give him credit like why would you slag him i lived and breathed that place and he'd have a main girlfriend and on mondays wednesdays and fridays were the nights he'd go out and he's got one main girlfriend and yeah holly madison does he shag the other ones though is he shagging the other ones but he wanted me to be a girlfriend but i just couldn't have sex with him why not it's like doing a granddad it's not for me could you not but i like the guy close your eyes and no i'm not that kind of girl i'm a emotional girl don't do one night stands don't do anything like that i'm emotional and i couldn't bear the thought of if i had a one night stand waking up that rejection no thank you and i haven't been brought up that way either How do you know when he wants to have sex with you?

25:26Oh, they all go in his room on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday. It was quite an experience. The thing I want to know is when you're there, how do you eat? Is there like room service? There's a phone, not a mobile. A phone is what we had in them days. And you'll dial down and just ask for what you want. I used to like their macaroni, cheese and a hot chocolate. So they used to bring it up. I can't imagine there's a lot of hard carbs and cheese getting eaten in the Playboy Mansion. Oh, I did. I just always eat a lot, though. And then they bring it up for you. Yeah. And if you want more, you phone down for whatever you want.

26:03They'll bring anything. Is that exciting? Well, when I was that young, it's different. Like, imagine I'm in awe of it. Oh, it's different, isn't it? Yeah. And then you'd go down, go and see the monkeys and all that if you want to, go and swim in the grotto. These were the days he didn't have parties. then on a Sunday he'd always invite directors, producers, famous people to do movie night and we'd sit at the front with him on the bean bag. I've got so many questions. Did you have to have sex with the people that came over? No, I didn't have sex with anyone. But did the other girls? If they, his girlfriends they did, yeah.

26:39But no, I mean, people can say it was seeded there, but I didn't, if you want to be in a, you can be in a seeded world anywhere. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. It's not like the girls didn't go there and know what they would want to do. But then he treated the girls really well as well. Are you saying that it's almost like it's just as seedy as the stuff that you've seen going on in London? No, I've seen a lot of stuff go on in London and stuff. I mean, he looked after everyone who was around him.

27:21I'm going to talk a little bit about reality telly. I could talk to you about it all day. So I had a taste of it. I was on I'm a Celeb before Christmas. I saw you. And I can cope with scrutiny, but I don't thrive under scrutiny. I don't thrive. I don't think anyone should. I don't think that's healthy. And when I have small doses of things going really big in the media, stressful I don't like it right but I've always felt like you're the queen of it I don't like it but I have to learn to deal with it what else can I do I can't I always say people say if you don't like it leave the industry but how can I leave the industry this is all I know I only know having a camera in my face I only know to do photo shoots I don't know any different I don't know what it's like to have a nine to five job I don't know what it's like to get up and commute to a job I'm only here because the public have made me stay here because they've just fascinated with everything about me but I don't do anything to create the media so I don't care if the media never write about me again I wish they wouldn't because they don't ever say anything nice and positive I hate the media I can't say it any more than that if you don't want to write about me again don't don't care really they damage my head so much yes I'm not I'd say that with full because I think the journalists have a responsibility.

28:49I don't think they realize how they damage people. It's not fun and games with them anymore. It's evil. They don't physically abuse me. They mentally abuse me. And I'm so 100 % mean that. You, one celebrity, Big Brother, you were in I'm a Celeb twice. And then you've had six of your own reality TV shows. Shows, yeah. Do you regret making your life so public? No, I love filming. I love filming reality because you get to see me. The media is different to TV. Media writes stuff. They put the worst pictures in, the worst headlines. They write crap. Whereas TV programs, I love doing it. They're fun.