Paula Hamilton

Last updated

Paula Hamilton
Born (1961-01-02) 2 January 1961 (age 63) [1]
Lancashire, England
Modelling information
Height1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Hair colourBrunette
Eye colourHazel
Website www.paulahamilton.co.uk

Paula Hamilton (born 2 January 1961) is an English model. She is best known for her appearance in the 1987 Mk II Volkswagen Golf TV advert Changes . In 2006, she returned to public recognition as a judge on Britain's Next Top Model , for two cycles.

Contents

Early life

Hamilton's father died in Liverpool before her birth, [2] after which her mother moved to South Africa, where her mother and stepfather brought her up. [3]

The family moved to Hertfordshire when she was eight years old.[ citation needed ] Hamilton has five half-siblings. [3] Aged 11, she learned that her real father was not Thomas "Ian Gunner" Hamilton, but a family friend, John Johnson. [3]

Hamilton is dyslexic and did not learn to read and write until she was 11.[ citation needed ] For several years, she attended Burnham Secondary Modern School near Slough under the name of Paula Sherrin. She later attended the Licensed Victuallers' School, which was then in Slough, along with Nicholas and Simon Cowell, who were both at the school for one year. [3]

Career

At the age of 18, after appearing in pornographic poses and after several rejections as a model, [3] Hamilton moved to Tokyo, Japan, and worked for 18 months. She then established herself in Australia and Germany before moving to Italy. [3]

Returning to England, Hamilton was discovered by the photographer David Bailey, and as a result, became the main model of the Queen's couturier Sir Hardy Amies. During a tough interview with top Italian photographer Fabrizio Ferrei, Hamilton was told her hair was too long for the job. She promptly cut her hair, got the job, and went on to learn the tricks of the trade at Ferrei's side. [3]

Hamilton reached the zenith of her modelling career at the age of 27 when she appeared in an iconic 1987 television advert for the Volkswagen Golf. Changes starred Hamilton, made up to resemble Diana, Princess of Wales. [3] She is seen leaving her husband, posting her wedding ring back through the letterbox, throwing her pearl necklace and brooch towards a cat, and ditching her fur coat – but keeping the car keys. "If only everything in life was as reliable as a Volkswagen" ran the tagline. The advert began a new era in car advertising. [4]

She went into rehab in her twenties, having become addicted to cocaine after being introduced to the drug by her agent. [3] She was clean of drugs for seven years before becoming an alcoholic. [3]

In the early 1990s, Hamilton participated in a television programme Back to the Present hosted by Eamonn Holmes and Esther McVey, where celebrities are regressed to 'uncover' their past lives. Hamilton, while being regressed, revealed that in a former life, she had been a male servant named Ashley Brown who emigrated from London to Dublin. [5]

Hamilton also acted, appearing in feature films such as Mad Dogs and Englishmen (1995) and Monk Dawson (1998). In 1996, she featured in the music video accompanying the British boyband Take That's single "How Deep Is Your Love". The single reached number one on the UK Singles Chart. In the same year, she also published her autobiography, "Instructions Not Included". [3] [ self-published source? ]

In 2000, after the death of her friend Paula Yates from a drugs overdose, she left the UK and emigrated to New Zealand's south island, and started studying business at Christchurch Polytechnic.[ citation needed ] Having checked herself into Christchurch-based alcohol treatment clinic The Deanery, she later ended up as a media celebrity after leading a campaign to close the clinic down after it revealed private details of her admission and treatment. After her second arrest and conviction for drink driving, she returned to the UK after five years.

In 2006, it was announced that Hamilton, at the age of 45, had been re-signed by the leading agency Models 1, who hoped to capitalise on the popularity of more mature models, led by Twiggy and her successful advertising campaign for Marks & Spencer. [6] Also in 2006 she was a mentor and judge on the second and third series of Britain's Next Top Model on Living TV, presented by model Lisa Snowdon.[ citation needed ]

Hamilton received therapy in 2006 and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. It was revealed in 2007 that she had a combination of dyslexia, developmental coordination disorder, and Asperger syndrome. [7]

In May 2011, Hamilton starred in the second series of Channel 4's Celebrity Five Go to... in which the guest stars visited South Africa. [8] In 2012, she was convicted for drunk driving again after crashing her car into her neighbour's conservatory in Farnham Common, Buckinghamshire, and lost her driving licence. [7]

On 3 January 2013, Hamilton was revealed as a contestant on Celebrity Big Brother 11 , becoming the third celebrity to enter the house on that night, and was sent straight to the basement. On Day 7, she became the first celebrity to be evicted from the Big Brother house, losing to Heidi & Spencer, and Frankie Dettori.

In February 2013, Hamilton was found guilty of assaulting a police officer with a sunflower and was fined £400. [9]

Hamilton is now signed to the London-based Mandpmodels.

Personal life

Hamilton has reported losing her virginity to Simon Cowell, then a boy attending the same school, when she was sixteen. [10] After naked pictures of her had appeared in Mayfair , she moved to London and for two years lived with a boyfriend, Andrew, and his parents in Rutland Gate, South Kensington. [11]

In September 1986, Hamilton met Dan Mindel, a camera focus puller, and they married in London the following year. They stayed together until 1989, when they began a lengthy divorce process. [12]

In the 1990s, Hamilton met Michael Ashcroft at the Savoy, when he offered her £200 for her charity Tusk Force if she would dance with him, [13] and they went on to have a long affair. [14]

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1987 Empire of the Sun British Prisoner #5
1995 Mad Dogs and Englishmen Charlie
1998 Monk Dawson Jenny Stanten
Titanic Town Mrs. Brennan
2000The Low DownCashpoint Woman

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volkswagen</span> German automobile manufacturer

Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1937 by the German Labour Front under the Nazi Party and revived into the global brand it is known as today post World War II by the British Army officer Ivan Hirst, it is known for the iconic Beetle and serves as the flagship brand of the Volkswagen Group, the largest automotive manufacturer by worldwide sales in 2016 and 2017. The group's biggest market is in China, which delivers 40 percent of its sales and profits. Its name is derived from the German-language terms Volk and Wagen, translating to "people's car" when combined.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volkswagen Golf</span> Small family cars manufactured by Volkswagen

The Volkswagen Golf is a compact car/small family car (C-segment) produced by the German automotive manufacturer Volkswagen since 1974, marketed worldwide across eight generations, in various body configurations and under various nameplates – including as the Volkswagen Rabbit in the United States and Canada, and as the Volkswagen Caribe in Mexico (Mk1).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volkswagen Scirocco</span> Motor vehicle

The Volkswagen Scirocco is a three-door, front-engine, front-wheel-drive, sport compact hatchback manufactured and marketed by Volkswagen in two generations from 1974 to 1992 and a third generation from 2008 until 2017. Production ended without a successor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volkswagen Jetta</span> Small family car manufactured by Volkswagen

The Volkswagen Jetta is a compact car/small family car manufactured and marketed by Volkswagen since 1979. Positioned to fill a sedan niche above the firm's Golf hatchback, it has been marketed over seven generations, variously as the Atlantic, Vento, Bora, City Jetta, Jetta City, GLI, Jetta, Clasico, and Sagitar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volkswagen Passat</span> Car model series

The Volkswagen Passat is a nameplate of large family cars (D-segment) manufactured and marketed by the German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen since 1973. It has been marketed variously as the Dasher, Santana, Quantum, Magotan, Corsar and Carat, with varying body styles such as saloon, estate, and hatchback.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volkswagen Sharan</span> Motor vehicle

The Volkswagen Sharan is a seven-seater minivan that was produced by the German Volkswagen Group and built at the AutoEuropa plant in Palmela, Portugal, with a front-wheel-drive version across two generations, from 1995 to 2022. Through badge engineering, the Volkswagen Sharan shares the same platform with the SEAT Alhambra, and the first generation was also in most respects identical to the Ford Galaxy. From 2010 to 2023 the Sharan was in its second generation. It is described in the motor industry as a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles</span> German marque of light commercial vehicles owned by Volkswagen Group

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is a German marque of light commercial vehicles, owned by Volkswagen Group. It is headquartered in Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany. Originally part of Volkswagen Passenger Cars, it has operated as a separate marque since 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volkswagen Golf Plus</span> Volkswagen car model

The Volkswagen Golf Plus is a car that was manufactured by Volkswagen between 2004 and 2014. It has been variously described as a hatchback, a compact multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), or a combination of the two. It was developed as a taller alternative to the Golf hatchback and positioned below the seven-seater Touran in Volkswagen's MPV category. The car is based on the Golf Mk5, rides on the PQ35 platform, and was accompanied by a crossover-styled variant called the Volkswagen CrossGolf in 2006. Throughout its life cycle, it has been sold alongside the Golf Mk5 and the Golf Mk6 for its final two years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volkswagen Tiguan</span> Compact crossover SUV

The Volkswagen Tiguan is a series of cars produced by German manufacturer Volkswagen since 2007, sitting between the smaller T-Roc and the larger Touareg in the company's crossover SUV range. The first generation was based on the PQ46 platform, while the second generation, released in 2016, utilizes the Volkswagen Group MQB A2 platform. It is generally considered to be a medium-sized SUV in Europe, while in North America it is considered to be a compact crossover.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volkswagen Golf Mk5</span> Fifth generation of Golf compact car

The Volkswagen Golf Mk5 is a compact car/small family car manufactured and marketed by Volkswagen, as the fifth generation of the Golf in three- or five-door hatchback and a five-door station wagon (2007–2009) configurations, as well as the successor to the Golf Mk4. Using the Volkswagen Group A5 (PQ35) platform, the Mk5 debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show in October 2003 and went on sale in Europe for the 2004 model year. While marketed as the Volkswagen Rabbit in the United States and Canada, the GTI model in these countries was marketed simply as the Volkswagen GTI.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volkswagen Golf Mk2</span> Second generation of Golf compact car

The Volkswagen Golf Mk2 is a hatchback, the second generation of the Volkswagen Golf and the successor to the Volkswagen Golf Mk1. It was Volkswagen's highest volume seller from 1983 and ended in (German) production in late 1992, to be replaced by the Volkswagen Golf Mk3. The Mk2 was larger than the Mk1; its wheelbase grew slightly, as did exterior dimensions. Weight was up accordingly by about 120 kg (260 lb). Exterior design, developed in-house by VW design director Schäfer, kept the general lines of its Giugiaro-designed predecessor, but was slightly more rounded. All told, about 6.3 million second-generation Golfs were built.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volkswagen Golf Mk1</span> First generation of Golf compact car

The Volkswagen Golf Mk1 is the first generation of a small family car manufactured and marketed by Volkswagen. It was noteworthy for signalling Volkswagen's shift of its major car lines from rear-wheel drive and rear-mounted air-cooled engines to front-wheel drive with front-mounted, water-cooled engines that were often transversely-mounted.

FAW-Volkswagen Automobile Co., Ltd. is a joint venture between FAW Group and Volkswagen Group which manufactures Audi and Volkswagen marque passenger cars for sale in China. It was founded on 6 February 1991.

<i>Top Gear</i> series 13 Season of television series

Series 13 of Top Gear, a British motoring magazine and factual television programme, was broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC Two during 2009, consisting of seven episodes that were aired between 21 June and 2 August. As a publicity stunt, the series also had Michael Schumacher disguise himself as "The Stig", primarily due to the fact that a car they reviewed could not be driven by anyone but Schumacher for a timed lap of the programme's test track. Alongside this, this series' highlights included a 1940s styled race, a motoring challenge involving rear-wheeled cars, and the presenters entering a classic car rally. The thirteenth series received criticism over two elements - one for an advert designed by Jeremy Clarkson as part of a film for an episode; the other for the use of a word deemed offensive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marlice van Vuuren</span> Namibian conservationist

Marlice Elretha Jansen van Vuuren is a Namibian conservationist. Together with her husband Dr. Rudie van Vuuren, she runs the N/a’an ku sê Wildlife Sanctuary in central Namibia.

<i>Celebrity Big Brother</i> (British TV series) series 11 Season of television series

Celebrity Big Brother 11 was the eleventh series of the British reality television series Celebrity Big Brother. It launched on 3 January 2013, and aired on Channel 5 and 5* for 23 days concluding on 25 January 2013. The series is part of a new two-year contract signed by Channel 5 with Endemol to air the show until 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volkswagen Golf Mk7</span> Seventh generation of Golf compact car

The Volkswagen Golf (Mk7) is a C-segment car manufactured by German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen. It is the seventh generation in the Golf series and the successor to the Golf Mk6. It was introduced in Berlin on 4 September 2012, before a public launch at the 2012 Paris Motor Show. Sales in Europe began with the model in November 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volkswagen R</span> Brand for high-performance Volkswagen models

Volkswagen R is the brand used by the German auto manufacturer Volkswagen to indicate a sport or high performance model. An "R" badge is placed on the grille, front fenders and trunk of R-model vehicles to indicate the vehicle's trim level.

<i>Changes</i> (advertisement)

Changes is a British television advertisement launched in 1987 to promote the second-generation of the Volkswagen Golf. The 50-second ad was directed by David Bailey and stars the model Paula Hamilton as a woman throwing away some of her possessions. After discarding her wedding ring, pearl necklace, brooch and mink coat, she decides to keep her Volkswagen Golf and drives off in it with a smile on her face. Changes was named after the song that was used as its soundtrack, written by Alan Price. It was awarded the Silver prize at the 1988 British Arrows Awards, and is remembered as an indicator of car advertising's recognition of women's growing independence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volkswagen Golf Mk8</span> Eighth generation of Golf compact car

The Volkswagen Golf (Mk8) is a compact car, the eighth generation of the Volkswagen Golf and the successor to the Volkswagen Golf Mk7. It was launched in Wolfsburg on 24 October 2019, and arrived in German showrooms in December 2019.

References

  1. ↑ England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007, Name: Paula Hamilton; Birth: 01/1960 Ormskirk Lancashire
  2. ↑ England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007, Name: Thomas Hamilton; Death: 09/1959; Age: 54; Liverpool N. 10d 108
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Paula Hamilton (6 June 1996). Instructions Not Included. Michael Joseph. ISBN   071814077X.
  4. ↑ "Golf GTi Development – Part Six" . Retrieved 2 October 2016.
  5. ↑ "YouTube". YouTube . Retrieved 2 October 2016.[ dead YouTube link ]
  6. ↑ Eden, Richard (15 January 2006). "20 years on from the VW advert, Paula Hamilton joins the ranks of the older models". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 4 December 2007. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  7. 1 2 Hannah Furness (28 November 2012). "Former supermodel Paula Hamilton banned from driving after crashing into conservatory drunk". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  8. ↑ "Celebrity Five Go To..." Retrieved 25 May 2011.
  9. ↑ Model Paula Hamilton fined for sunflower police assault. BBC News, 15 February 2013. Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  10. ↑ Rebecca Hardy, "I lost my virginity to Simon Cowell at 16... but it was all downhill from there" in Thurrock Mail, 18 May 2011
  11. ↑ Paula Hamilton, Instructions Not Included (Michael Joseph, 1996), pp. 15, 25–30
  12. ↑ Hamilton (1996), pp. 81, 92, 118
  13. ↑ Fran Abrams, “Comment: The Tory Party piranha Profile: Michael Ashcroft“ in The Independent , 12 June 1999, accessed 26 September 2020
  14. ↑ Richard Eden, "20 years on from the VW advert, Paula Hamilton joins the ranks of the older models" in The Daily Telegraph, 15 January 2006
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.