Paula Hamilton: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|English model}}

{{Infobox Model

{{for|the politician|Paulette Hamilton}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox Modelmodel

| name=Paula Hamilton

| image=

| birth_place= [[Lancashire]], England

| caption=

| birth_date= {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1961|1|2}}<ref>''England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007'', Name: Paula Hamilton; Birth: 01/1960 Ormskirk Lancashire</ref>

| ___location= [[England]]

| haircolorhaircolour= Brunette

| birthdate= [[23 January 1961]] [[1961]]

| eyecolour= Hazel

| haircolor=Brunette

| height= 5'ft 8½"inches ( 1.74 m ).

| eyecolor=Blue

| website={{url|http://www.paulahamilton.co.uk/}}

| measurements=34B-24-34

| height= 5'ft 8½"inches ( 1.74 m )

| weight=

| dress size=

| homepage=

}}

'''Paula Hamilton''' (born [[232 January]] [[1958]]1961) is an [[England|English]] model. [[supermodel]],She mostis famousbest known for her appearance in the classic 1987 Mk II [[Volkswagen Golf]] TV advert "''[[Changes" (advertisement)|Changes]]''. In 2006, she returned to public recognition as a judge on ''[[Britain's Next Top Model]]'', for two cycles.

==Early life and career==

Hamilton's father died in [[Liverpool]] before her birth,<ref>''England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007'', Name: Thomas Hamilton; Death: 09/1959; Age: 54; Liverpool N. 10d 108</ref> after which her mother moved to [[South Africa]], where her mother and stepfather brought her up.<ref name=AutoBiog/>

Brought up in [[South Africa]] by her mother and an [[child abuse|abusive]] stepfather, she was 11 when her grandmother told her that her real father was actually a family friend in [[County Durham]]. She met him once, but her mother later insisted he was not her father. It wasn't until Hamilton was 27 that her mother admitted she had been lying. By then, however, the man had been dead for 13 years, having been murdered with a pickaxe handle<ref>http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml;jsessionid=NTZD4SOZQXOYNQFIQMGCFFOAVCBQUIV0?xml=/arts/2006/05/19/fthamilton19.xml&page=2</ref>.

The family moved to [[Hertfordshire]] when she was eight years old.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}} Hamilton has five half-siblings.<ref name=AutoBiog/> Aged 11, she learned that her real father was not Thomas "Ian Gunner" Hamilton, but a family friend, John Johnson.<ref name=AutoBiog/>

After being discovered by photographer [[David Bailey]], she became the main [[model (person)|model]] of the Queen's couturier [[Hardy Amies|Sir Hardy Amies]]. Her successful modelling career was, however, hampered by her battles against alcohol, [[cocaine]] and [[clinical depression|depression]].

Hamilton is [[Dyslexia|dyslexic]] and did not learn to read and write until she was 11.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}} 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 Cowell|Nicholas]] and [[Simon Cowell]], who were both at the school for one year.<ref name=AutoBiog/>

Hamilton reached the zenith of her modelling career at the age of 27, when she became a household name as the star of one of the most iconic television adverts of the [[1980]]s, for the Volkswagen Golf - the popularity in the UK of the Mk II drew from the [[1987]] advert. "Changes" starred Hamilton, made up to resemble [[Diana, Princess of Wales]]. She is seen leaving her husband, posting her wedding ring back through the letterbox and ditching her mink coat, chucking the house keys at the cat, rejecting the fur coat and pearl necklace - 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 (Armstrong 1998 p15)<ref>http://www.matey-matey.com/dis_6.shtml</ref>

==Personal lifeCareer==

At the age of 18, after appearing in [[pornography|pornographic]] poses and after several rejections as a model,<ref name=AutoBiog/> Hamilton moved to Tokyo, Japan, and worked for 18 months. She then established herself in Australia and Germany before moving to [[Italy]].<ref name=AutoBiog/>

In her personal life, Hamilton had problems with [[drug addiction]] and [[alcoholism]]. These problems began to affect her career, and by 1988 she had quit modelling. Following a brief marriage in [[1987]] to cameraman Danny Mindel, her turbulent love life included an affair with former [[Conservative Party (UK)|Tory party]] Treasurer [[Michael Ashcroft|Lord Ashcroft]], who was (and remains) married to his second wife, Susie. Their romance began when the wealthy tycoon offered a $200 donation to Hamilton's elephant charity "Tusk Force", if she agreed to dance with him. Lord Ashcroft paid for her to attend an alcoholic rehabilitation centre in [[Florida]] after she was arrested for cracking a taxi windscreen, but their romance ended soon afterwards.

Returning to England, Hamilton was discovered by the photographer [[David Bailey (photographer)|David Bailey]], and as a result, became the main model of the Queen's couturier [[Hardy Amies|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.<ref name=AutoBiog/>

A former [[Life Guards]] captain, Sebastian Rhodes Stampa, proposed to Hamilton, but abandoned her two days later. She tried to hang herself from a [[chandelier]] but the chain broke - a later attempt involved trying to drown herself. Attempts to overcome her alcoholism floundered and Hamilton moved to [[New Zealand]], only to notch up a couple of [[drunk driving]] convictions, one of which involved her lying in the road in protest after three terrified hitchhikers snatched her car keys after she started to swig from a bottle of vodka while driving<ref>http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml;jsessionid=NTZD4SOZQXOYNQFIQMGCFFOAVCBQUIV0?xml=/arts/2006/05/19/fthamilton19.xml&page=2</ref>.

Hamilton reached the zenith of her modelling career at the age of 27, when she becameappeared ain householdan nameiconic as the star of one of the most iconic1987 television advertsadvert offor the [[1980]]s, for the Volkswagen Golf - the popularity in the UK of the Mk II drew from the [[1987]] advert. "''Changes"'' starred Hamilton, made up to resemble [[Diana, Princess of Wales]].<ref name=AutoBiog/> She is seen leaving her husband, posting her wedding ring back through the letterbox, and ditchingthrowing her minkpearl coat,necklace chuckingand thebrooch housetowards keys at thea cat, rejectingand theditching her fur coat and pearl necklace -– 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 (Armstrong 1998 p15).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.matey-matey.com/dis_6.shtml|title=Golf GTi Development – Part Six|access-date=2 October 2016}}</ref>

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

In the early 1990s, Hamilton participated in a television programme ''Back to the Present'' hosted by [[Eamonn Holmes]] and [[Esther McVey]], where celebrities are [[regression (psychology)|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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-L2rWO1qvU|title=YouTube|website=[[YouTube]] |access-date=2 October 2016}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead Youtube links|date=February 2022}}</ref>

Hamilton also acted, appearing in feature films such as ''[[Mad Dogs and Englishmen (1995 film)|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 (Bee Gees song)|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"''.<ref name=AutoBiog>{{cite book|title=Instructions Not Included|author=Paula Hamilton|publisher=Michael Joseph|date=6 June 1996|isbn=071814077X}}</ref>{{self-published inline|date=March 2013}}

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|date=May 2020}} 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 4845, hashad been re-signed by the leading agency Models1[[Models 1]], who hopehoped to capitalise on the popularity of more mature models, led by [[Twiggy]] and her successful advertising campaign for [[Marks & Spencer]].<ref>http{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/01/15/nmodel15.xml&sSheet=/news/2006/01/15/ixhome.html< | archive-url=https:/ref>/web.archive.org/web/20071204004438/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/01/15/nmodel15.xml&sSheet=/news/2006/01/15/ixhome.html She| hasurl-status=dead also| beenarchive-date=4 signedDecember up2007 to| work=The Daily Telegraph| ___location=London | title=20 years on from the VW advert, Paula Hamilton joins the ranks of the older models | first1=Richard | last1=Eden | date=15 January 2006 | access-date=22 May 2010}}</ref> Also in 2006 she becomewas a mentor and judge on the second and third series of ''[[Britain's Next Top Model]]'' on [[Sky Witness|Living TV]], to be presented by model [[Lisa Snowdon]]<ref>http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/showbiznews.html?in_article_id{{citation needed|date=380407&in_page_id=1773&ito=1490</ref>May 2020}}

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]].<ref name=Telg9709456/>

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.<ref>{{cite web|title=Celebrity Five Go To...|url=http://www.channel4.com/programmes/celebrity-five-go-to|access-date=25 May 2011}}</ref> 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.<ref name=Telg9709456>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/9709456/Former-supermodel-Paula-Hamilton-banned-from-driving-after-crashing-into-conservatory-drunk.html|title=Former supermodel Paula Hamilton banned from driving after crashing into conservatory drunk|author=Hannah Furness|work=The Daily Telegraph|___location=London|date=28 November 2012|access-date=8 January 2013}}</ref>

On 3 January 2013, Hamilton was revealed as a contestant on ''[[Celebrity Big Brother (British series 11)|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 Montag|Heidi]] & [[Spencer Pratt|Spencer]], and [[Frankie Dettori]].

In February 2013, Hamilton was found guilty of assaulting a police officer with a [[sunflower]] and was fined £400.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-21473254 Model Paula Hamilton fined for sunflower police assault]. [[BBC News]], 15 February 2013. Retrieved 16 February 2013.</ref>

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.<ref>Rebecca Hardy, "I lost my virginity to Simon Cowell at 16... but it was all downhill from there" in ''Thurrock Mail'', 18 May 2011</ref> After naked pictures of her had appeared in ''[[Mayfair (magazine)|Mayfair]]'', she moved to London and for two years lived with a boyfriend, Andrew, and his parents in [[Rutland Gate]], [[South Kensington]].<ref>Paula Hamilton, ''Instructions Not Included'' (Michael Joseph, 1996), pp. 15, 25–30</ref>

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.<ref>Hamilton (1996), pp. 81, 92, 118</ref>

In 2004, then living with her elderly mother in [[Farnham Common]], [[Buckinghamshire]], said: "My mother has sorted me out. She's put the brakes on the madness and I think I have got my drinking under control. It's a constant battle but I am determined to succeed."

In the 1990s, Hamilton met [[Michael Ashcroft]] at the [[Savoy Hotel|Savoy]], when he offered her £200 for her charity Tusk Force if she would dance with him,<ref>Fran Abrams, [https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/comment-the-tory-party-piranha-1099512.html “Comment: The Tory Party piranha Profile: Michael Ashcroft“] in ''[[The Independent]]'', 12 June 1999, accessed 26 September 2020</ref> and they went on to have a long affair.<ref>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</ref>

In 2006, it was announced that Hamilton, at the age of 48, has been re-signed by the leading agency Models1, who hope to capitalise on the popularity of more mature models led by [[Twiggy]] and her successful advertising campaign for [[Marks & Spencer]]<ref>http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/01/15/nmodel15.xml&sSheet=/news/2006/01/15/ixhome.html</ref>. She has also been signed up to become a mentor and judge on the second series of [[Britain's Next Top Model]] on [[Living TV]], to be presented by [[Lisa Snowdon]]<ref>http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/showbiznews.html?in_article_id=380407&in_page_id=1773&ito=1490</ref>

==TriviaFilmography==

{| class="wikitable"

*She often refers to herself in the third person, using the name Polly.

|-

! Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

|-

|1987|| ''[[Empire of the Sun (film)|Empire of the Sun]]'' || British Prisoner #5 ||

|-

|1995|| ''[[Mad Dogs and Englishmen (film)|Mad Dogs and Englishmen]]'' || Charlie ||

|-

| rowspan="2" |1998|| ''[[Monk Dawson]]'' || Jenny Stanten ||

|-

| ''[[Titanic Town (film)|Titanic Town]]'' || Mrs. Brennan ||

|-

|2000|| ''The Low Down'' || Cashpoint Woman ||

|}

== References ==

{{reflistReflist}}

== External links ==

* {{IMDb name|0358098}}

*[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0358098/ Paula Hamilton] at the [[Internet Movie Database]]

* {{Fashionmodel}}

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071204004427/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2006/05/19/fthamilton19.xml&page=1 Telegraph interview -– March 2006]

* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKQIUJOr1GA VW Advert]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamilton, Paula}}

[[Category:19581960 births]]

[[Category:Living people]]

[[Category:EnglishActresses modelsfrom Lancashire]]

[[Category:PeopleAutistic treated for drug addictionactors]]

[[Category:PeopleEnglish withexpatriates clinicalin depressionNew Zealand]]

[[Category:English expatriates in South Africa]]

[[Category:English female models]]

[[Category:English autistic people]]

[[Category:People educated at LVS Ascot]]

[[Category:People with Asperger syndrome]]

[[Category:People with bipolar disorder]]

[[Category:Models with dyslexia]]

[[Category:Models from Lancashire]]

[[Category:Actresses from Hertfordshire]]