Anatomy of a showmance: Why Kelly Brook plus Danny Cipriani equals glamour
Take two young stars, add the perfect styling, and what do you get? An A-list couple
By Sophie Morris
Thursday, 11 September 2008
Mark Borkowski, founder of Borkowski PR and author of The Fame Formula
“The picture strikes me as an experiment from their publicists and agents to see whether these two have the commercial potential of a relationship. What makes this shot valuable is that there is a price on both their heads as individuals, but together the price trebles. The body language means zit. All it says is that someone has carefully chosen a picture that can create a buying frenzy. Cipriani is a very potent brand. He’s got the looks and he’s got the talent, and those two things are very powerful.”
The Paparazzo
Trevor Adams, co-owner of Matrix Photos, which sold the pictures
“This is more to do with her than with him. If he was pictured without Kelly Brook, I don’t think we’d have had the same sort of response for the picture as we have today. Brook recently split up with Billy Zane, got back with him again and then split up with him again. There was a media frenzy a few weeks’ back about her getting back with him, and now she has a new man in tow – the first since the break up. They are all very good shots. They’re very clear and they give you all the information you need in the picture.”
The Celebrity Agent
Gary Farrow, whose clients include Sir Elton John and Gordon Ramsay
“This is a media darling couple. They’re a very good-looking pair and each is incredibly talented in their own right. I think they’re both thoroughly decent human beings who conduct themselves exceptionally at all times. If this is part of a long term thing, they are going to command a lot of column inches. If they are an item we can expect to hear more from them.”
The Fashion Expert
Melanie Rickey, fashion news editor, Grazia
“I looked at him and thought: ‘You know how to dress. For a 20-year-old you know what you’re doing.’ She looks good, too, very pretty, but demure. They look like the “perfect couple”. But no 28-year-old woman who has just been out with older men would go out with a 20-year-old. I just can’t see it. And going to The Ivy and Bungalow 8 is courting press, because that’s where the paparazzi are. He’s out of action because he had a horrendous ankle injury. He’s got other plans now; getting positioned with her is obviously part of the plan.”
The Gossip Columnist
Richard Kay, Daily Mail
“The press have been quite protective towards Kelly Brook. They feel like she got badly treated by Billy Zane and now she is out with a thrusting young British success story in Danny Cipriani. He appeals to men and women because he’s a good-looking guy and everyone’s invested great hope in him as the future of British rugby. He’s a professional sportsman and not part of the celebrity circuit. I just think he likes dating good-looking women.”
The body language expert
Robert Phipps, regular commentator for BBC, Five and Sky
“These smiles are genuine. When you smile for real there are two muscles that come into play which don’t work if you’re putting it on, at the corners of the mouth and eyes. He’s leading because his hand is in front. She’s got her head tilted and is obviously quite happy being with him. He’s keeping his head down, which means he’s shying away from the publicity.”
The Rugby Expert
Dick Best, former England coach
“Lucky boy! They’re two young, good-looking people who have met somewhere and like each other. Danny’s been brought up in the school of hard knocks at Wasps, and I think Martin Johnson can manage him very well. Even if they lead a celebrity lifestyle off the pitch, rugby players tend to look after themselves. He was brilliant last season, but has to be careful of ‘first season syndrome’. When he comes back from his injury, he’s going to be heavily marked, as everybody knows what he’s capable of. I believe he has the potential to become one of the greatest.”