Gail Porter reveals she didn’t make a penny from THAT infamous FHM nude shoot that was projected onto the Houses of Parliament in the 90s

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Gail Porter has revealed that she didn’t earn a penny from her infamous FHM nude shoot in the 90s.

Now 54 years old, the celebrity was a hugely popular face on television during the nineties and graced the cover of magazines like Loaded.

In 1999, a publicity campaign for FHM magazine’s ‘Sexiest Woman’ issue involved projecting a nude photo of her onto the Houses of Parliament.

The stunt helped the magazine sell more than one million copies within just two months.

On Wednesday’s episode of the Skin, Unfiltered podcast, Gail shared that she was surprised to learn the photos were displayed on the building and clarified she wasn’t paid for the shoot.

She said: ‘FHM pocketed all the cash and they made a fortune. 

It was the most prominent issue of FHM, generating a lot of attention and debate. But after that single issue, I was left to deal with everything that followed.

People assumed I was part of it, that I had prior knowledge, and that I profited from it.

I faced a lot of harassment, including criticism from feminists, stalking, and unwanted attention from men outside my home. It was a really frightening experience.

She continued: ‘But yeah, that was quite a strange time. And nobody to help you at all.

‘And everyone was just on me as if to go, ‘Yep, you knew all about it.’

‘I was like, ‘I saw it on the news, same as you.’ That was it, and I didn’t get paid.”

After bravely sharing her story of overcoming years of hardship – including heartbreak, homelessness, and health problems – Gail has announced she’s now completely happy.

After struggling with mental health, hair loss, and financial difficulties, the television personality lost her home, job, and self-assurance.

Now, she says she’s found peace – and even fallen in love again.

Everyone recognized her as the host of ‘The Big Breakfast’ in the 1990s, but by 2011, she was struggling with personal difficulties and her life had become chaotic.

When Gail was 40, she experienced a mental health crisis and was admitted to a psychiatric unit. There, she was housed with patients who were either very disturbed or had demonstrated violent behavior.

She described the experience to The Mirror as terrifying, explaining she was heavily medicated and sharing a hospital ward with men who believed they were Jesus, as well as patients who were sometimes violent. She said it felt similar to the movie *One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest*.

Just three years after that, she found herself homeless, sleeping on a bench in Hampstead Heath after trying to stay with friends didn’t work out long-term.

She tried repeatedly to find a job at places like charity shops and libraries, but kept getting rejected. She explained, ‘I just wished someone would give me an opportunity.’

When things were at their worst, her family and friends called the police, who brought her to the hospital for treatment. This was the start of a gradual but determined recovery.

Let me tell you, watching someone navigate a sudden change in their career is always tough, and I remember following this actress’s story closely. Back in 2005, she started losing her hair to alopecia, and she made a really brave decision – she refused to hide it with wigs, wanting to be true to herself. Sadly, that’s when things got difficult. Work offers just stopped coming in, and she ended up being asked to appear at events, not for her talent, but just to *talk* about her hair loss. It was a really disheartening situation, and a powerful reminder of how much pressure there is to conform to certain standards.

Gail also battled anorexia and depression, and eventually filed for bankruptcy in 2017. 

She said: ‘I lost everything – my house, my career, my confidence.’

She’s since turned her life around by focusing on helping others, getting active, and finding new meaning in her daily life.

She even picked up a BAFTA for her 2020 documentary Being Gail Porter.

Currently, she dedicates her time to helping people through groups like the Samaritans and Prince William’s campaign to end homelessness in the UK, called Homewards.

I’ve been following Gail for years, and she’s always been refreshingly honest. She’s made it clear she’s not interested in traditional relationships – she doesn’t date, and honestly, she’s said she just doesn’t have the energy for it after being married once, which was enough for her! But it’s so lovely to see she’s found happiness – and it’s something totally unexpected! She’s fallen for… a wig! It’s a bit quirky, but I’m thrilled she’s found something that makes her happy.

Okay, so after *years* of hoping, she finally did it! She teamed up with this amazing, ethical wig maker, Amber Jean Rowan, and they created ‘The Gail’ – it’s basically a perfect replica of her hair, and honestly, she’s completely obsessed with it! She says she’s ‘fallen in love’ and I totally get it – it looks incredible!

She explained it wasn’t about hiding anything, but about expressing herself. She now feels free to change her appearance whenever she wants, and feels like she can have the best of both worlds.

Okay, so Gail is AMAZING. She’s totally single and doesn’t even *need* dating apps, honestly. She’s just living her best life, hanging out with her friends, cuddling her adorable cat, and spending time with her daughter, Honey. It’s just… perfect. She’s so self-sufficient and happy, it’s inspiring!

And after years of turmoil, she says the future finally feels hopeful.

She shared that she’s experienced incredibly difficult times, going from being homeless and sleeping on a park bench to performing on a cruise ship stage. She sees this journey as evidence that people can overcome challenges.

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2025-09-25 03:05