Leilani Dowding

Last updated

Leilani Dowding
Leilani Dowding publicity shot.jpg
Born (1980-01-30) 30 January 1980 (age 44) [1]
Bournemouth, Dorset, England
Alma mater Royal Holloway, University of London
Occupation Glamour model
Years active1998–present
Height1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
SpouseRichard Palmer (divorced)
RelativesChris Dowding (father)
Zena Dowding (mother)
Melanie Dowding (sister)
Beauty pageant titleholder
Title Miss Great Britain 1998
Hair colourBrown
Eye colourBrown
Major
competition(s)		 Miss Great Britain 1998
(Winner)
Miss Universe 1998
(Unplaced)

Leilani Dowding (born 30 January 1980) [1] is an English former beauty pageant titleholder, former glamour model, media personality and conservative commentator. After winning Miss Great Britain 1998 and representing the United Kingdom at Miss Universe 1998, she dropped out of college to pursue a career in glamour modelling, appearing as a Page 3 girl in The Sun and featuring in men's magazines such as Maxim and FHM . She later appeared on US and British reality television programmes including Tough Love Miami and The Real Housewives of Cheshire . She has become known as a conservative commentator and anti-vaccine campaigner. She also contributes to media associated with Mark Steyn.

Contents

Early life

Dowding is multiracial, with a Filipina mother and a British father. [1] She grew up in Bournemouth, where she attended St Peter's Catholic School. After attaining eleven GCSEs and three A-levels, [1] she began an economics degree at Royal Holloway, University of London, with the intention of becoming a city trader. [2] At age 18, she entered and won the 1998 Miss Great Britain competition. [3] She represented Britain in the Miss Universe pageant in Hawaii later that year. [4]

Career

Following her success in beauty pageants, Dowding dropped out of university to pursue a full-time modelling career. She started appearing as a Page 3 girl in The Sun in 1999. [1] In 2003, she was rated #89 on the FHM Sexiest Women in The World list. [5]

Dowding has featured as a guest on various television shows, modelling on TheBig Breakfast and This Morning , and appearing on Faking It , Celebrity Wrestling and Celebrity Fear Factor . She appeared on a charity Page 3 episode of The Weakest Link, competing on behalf of the RSPCA and breast cancer charities. [6]

She has featured in pantomime, playing Tiger Lilly in Peter Pan . [1] She has competed in celebrity poker tournaments and has done promotional work for Ladbrokes. [1] [7] [8] Her reality television work has included the US show Tough Love Miami and the British programme The Real Housewives of Cheshire . She also established her own clothing line, the Leiluna Collection. [9] Since 2022, she has been a conservative commentator on media hosted by Mark Steyn. [10]

Personal life

Dowding has dated a number of footballers and became known as a "WAG" in the British tabloid press. [11] She was engaged to former Wimbledon and Northern Ireland defender Mark Williams but ended their two-year relationship after he allegedly had an affair with glamour model Linsey Dawn McKenzie. [12] Williams and McKenzie subsequently married. [13] Dowding was also engaged to former Arsenal, West Ham and Middlesbrough attacker Jérémie Aliadière. [2] [14] [15]

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Dowding stated on twitter that "fat people cause the most strain on the NHS" and blamed them for, "making lockdown longer". [16]

She lived in the United States for over a decade, where she was briefly married to American actor and restaurateur Richie Palmer, a former husband of actress Raquel Welch. [17] [18] While living in California, she began dating Billy Duffy, lead guitarist of British rock band The Cult. She became engaged to Duffy in 2020. [19] The couple moved back to the UK and live in Manchester. [18] She has stated that she wishes to remain childfree. [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teri Hatcher</span> American actress (born 1964)

Teri Lynn Hatcher is an American actress best known for her portrayals of Lois Lane on the television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993–1997). She also played Paris Carver in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), Mel Jones and the Beldam in Coraline (2009) and Susan Mayer on the television series Desperate Housewives (2004–2012), for which she won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy and three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abi Titmuss</span> English actress, television personality, poker player, and former glamour model

Abigail Evelyn Titmuss is an English actress, television personality, and poker player. She is also a former glamour model and nurse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucy Pinder</span> British actress and model (born 1983)

Lucy Katherine Pinder is a British actress and model. She rose to international fame for her work as a glamour model in men's magazines, and made her film debut in the comedy horror Strippers vs Werewolves (2012), which was followed by supporting roles in several films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Duffy</span> British guitarist

William Henry Duffy is an English rock musician, best known as the guitarist of the band The Cult.

Louise Helena Glover is an English glamour model and beauty pageant titleholder, known for her appearances in British lad mags, including FHM, Bizarre, Maxim, Loaded, and tabloids such as the News of the World, The Sun, and Daily Star. She is the first British model to be named "Model of the Year" in Playboy Special Editions.

Tanya Louise Bardsley is an English model and reality television personality. She is best known for starring in the ITVBe reality television series The Real Housewives of Cheshire since 2015, of which she is the longest serving cast member. She is married to Macclesfield Town F.C. assistant manager Phil Bardsley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danielle Lloyd</span> English model (born 1983)

Danielle Lloyd is an English TV host, model, businesswoman and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss England 2004 and Miss Great Britain 2006. Lloyd first rose to prominence when she was stripped of her Miss Great Britain title after posing nude in the December 2006 edition of Playboy magazine. Her Miss Great Britain title was reinstated in 2010.

Miss England is a national beauty pageant in England.

Miss Great Britain is a national beauty contest held annually in Britain since 1945. It is Britain's longest-running beauty pageant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joyce Giraud</span> Puerto Rican actress and beauty pageant winner

Joyce Marie Giraud Mojica, also known as Joyce Giraud de Ohoven, is a Puerto Rican actress, model and beauty pageant titleholder. In 1994, she competed at Miss World 1994 but failed to place in the semifinals. In 1998, Giraud was crowned Miss Universe Puerto Rico 1998 and represented Puerto Rico at Miss Universe 1998 where she finished as 2nd Runner-Up. She has since appeared in acting roles in television and film, and beginning in 2013 was a housewife on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills for its fourth season.

Kirby-Ann Katarina Basken is a Norwegian model and beauty pageant titleholder. She was born in Lørenskog, Norway to a Norwegian father and a Filipino mother. On April 9, 2007, she won the title of Miss Norway Universe 2007 and represented Norway in the Miss Universe 2007 pageant held in Mexico City in May 2007.

Miss Universe Great Britain is a national beauty pageant that selects the British representative in the Miss Universe contest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tarina Patel</span> South African actress, film producer and model

Tarina Patel is a South African actress, film producer, model and television host, born in Cape Town and raised in Durban. She appeared in Akshay Kumar's, Horror-comedy - Bhool Bhulaiyaa. Patel has appeared on numerous magazine covers including Elle, Dossier, FHM, Glamour and Cosmopolitan. She has been on the South African version of The Real Housewives of Johannesburg but allegedly has been fired for season 3.

Julia Lemigova, born Yulia Andreevna Lemigova is a Russian former model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss USSR 1990 and is married to Martina Navratilova. She is a cast member of the Bravo reality television series The Real Housewives of Miami.

Sonia Danica Thrall is an English glamour model and reality television personality.

Christine McGuinness is an English model, television personality and former beauty queen. She appeared on the ITVBe reality series The Real Housewives of Cheshire between 2018 and 2020 and has appeared on other television series such as The Real Full Monty and The Games. In 2021, she took part in a BBC documentary alongside her husband Paddy to raise awareness about autism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alize Lily Mounter</span> British model (born 1988)

Alize Lily Mounter is a Welsh model and beauty queen who was crowned Miss England in 2011. She represented England at the 61st Miss World in London, where she made the Top 7 and was ranked 4th place overall. She received the titles of Miss World Europe, Miss United Kingdom and Miss World Beach Beauty. Later she represented the United Kingdom at Miss International on 21 October 2012 in Okinawa, Japan.

<i>The Real Housewives of Cheshire</i> British reality television programme

The Real Housewives of Cheshire is a British reality television programme that premiered on ITVBe on 12 January 2015. Developed as the first British instalment in The Real Housewives franchise, it has aired 17 series and focuses on the personal and professional lives of several women living in or around Cheshire, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Romy Simpkins</span>

Romy Simpkins is an English actress, model, mental health ambassador and beauty pageant titleholder who competed in several beauty pageants. She has represented her country & the United Kingdom internationally in beauty pageants. She competed at the Miss International 2016 pageant in Tokyo, Japan. Romy competed in the Miss Supranational 2018 pageant in Krynica-Zdrój, Poland.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Leilani fan club". leilanifanclub. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  2. 1 2 John Aizlewood (15 January 2006). "The top 10 footballers' Page 3 playmates". The Times . London: News International . Retrieved 3 January 2010.[ dead link ]
  3. ↑ "Student Leylani Dowding carries off the Miss Great Britain Universe honours". BBC News. 12 March 1998. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  4. ↑ "BBC News | UK | Surprise - beauty queens are back". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  5. ↑ "The Sexiest Women In The World 2003" Archived 19 July 2013 at the Wayback Machine . FHM . Retrieved on 4 May 2012.
  6. ↑ Beauty and the beast (From Dorset Echo). Archive.dorsetecho.co.uk (27 April 2002). Retrieved on 4 May 2012.
  7. ↑ Rajesh Modha Tops off a Million Dollar Night! | PokerNews. Uk.pokernews.com (16 December 2006). Retrieved on 4 May 2012.
  8. ↑ Ladbrokes Poker Vegas Dream Packages Archived 7 September 2012 at archive.today . Pokerplayer.co.uk (30 March 2009). Retrieved on 4 May 2012.
  9. ↑ "Leilani Dowding Talks Being UK's Hottest Glamour Model, Listening To Lupe Fiasco & Being Sterotyped As A WAG". Yahoo News. 8 September 2011. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  10. ↑ "The Best of Leilani: with Leilani Dowding". SteynOnline. 22 June 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  11. ↑ Duke, Simon (15 October 2021). "Newcastle's famous WAGs from Big Brother winner to X Factor judge". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  12. ↑ "My Ulster footballer was bore in the bed – Model Lashes Out After Soccer Star Strayed". www.thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  13. ↑ "Sexy Linsey's Wedded Bliss". The Mirror. 8 January 2006. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  14. ↑ Meet The Cast Of Tough Love: Miami. Blog.vh1.com (7 September 2011). Retrieved on 4 May 2012.
  15. ↑ "Leilani sings for England". Dorset Echo . Dorset. 17 May 2002. Archived from the original on 31 March 2007. Retrieved 13 June 2008.
  16. ↑ Roberts, Jamie (19 March 2021). "Real Housewives' Leilani Dowding blames 'fat people' for 'making lockdown longer'". Mirror. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  17. ↑ Russell, Stacey (14 October 2011). "Leilani Dowding Talks Tough Love Miami, Divorce, and Show Drama". Blogs.miaminewtimes.com. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  18. 1 2 Corner, Natalie L. (31 August 2020). "Inside Real Housewives' star Leilani Dowding's home she lives in with her fiancé". OK! Magazine. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  19. ↑ Knight, Lewis (16 March 2020). "Real Housewives of Cheshire star Leilani Dowding engaged to rocker Billy Duffy". Mirror.co.uk. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  20. ↑ Sansome, Jessica (4 December 2019). "Real Housewives star on not having children and 'face fixed' comments". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.