Melinda Jayne Messenger (born 23 February 1971 in Swindon, Wiltshire) is an English television presenter and was one of the country's most successful glamour models.
Biography
Born in Swindon, Wiltshire, the middle child between two brothers, Jamie and Warren. Her parents Terry and Avis divorced when she was aged 5.1 After attending local schools, she spent six months working as a flight attendant for Britannia Airways, Messenger joined a local marketing company, rising to become customer services manager overseeing a staff of 50.1
Modelling career
Deciding she wanted to become a model,2 her agent at the Jason Paul Modelling Agency suggested she enhance her breasts - which she enlarged to a 34DD cup.3 She then took a job modelling for Gloucester-based double glazing company Glevum Windows - dressed only in knickers and bra.4 After being put up as part of an advertising campaign with the slogan "Class Behind Glass," the posters quickly began disappearing from bus stops, taken by local lads. After a complaint at the level of lack of dress of Messenger, the Advertising Standards Authority banned the campaign, claiming they were not as "classy" as they claimed to be.2
After local newspapers picked up on the story, The Daily Star ran the story on January 28, 1997 as a photo-shoot of Messenger,4 under the headline, "Move Over Eva Herzigova."2 Soon after Messenger shot to fame, her mother Avis, publicly denounced her for her glamour career choice, and the two became estranged. It wasn't until the birth of Melinda's first son that the two were reconciled.1 Later in 1997 she won The Rear of the Year.
Signed by modeling agent Yvonne Paul - who had earlier steered Samantha Fox to fame in the 1980s3 - Messenger's career took off. Posing for artistes including Vivienne Westwood, she was poached for exclusive appearance in the The Sun newspaper's Page Three, they later hailed her as the "Girl of the Thrillenium!"1 Her work for the newspaper entailed visiting the Spanish costas, as well as visits to English seaside resorts - an assignment known as "Mel's Big Bus Tour."2 She continued working for The Sun until readers voted to ban models with breast implants.
As of August 2008[update], Melinda is the face and body of the D-G Cup range for designer lingerie brand Ultimo.
Move from modelling
The resultant publicity brought her to the notice of various producers, which Messenger took advantage of to increase her public awareness while reducing her glamour workload - although much of her early non-modelling work played greatly on her existing topless modelling fame.
She appeared in a cameo role in 1999's Virtual Sexuality as Superbra Girl, and co-starred in the 2000 cult movie "The Mumbo Jumbo" in the role of Princess Vanilla. She worked on Channel4 cult show Eurotrash and became a popular pantomime actress, such as Cinderella (2004–2005) and Aladdin (with Bobby Davro and John Rhys Davies, Woking, 2005–2006).
Mum and presenter
Following the birth of her first child Morgan on April 7, 2000 - during which she suffered from pre-eclampsia, which resulted in a birth by caesarian section;5 Messenger finished undertaking topless work and concentrated on developing her career as a television presenter and celebrity personality.
Undertaking a great deal of DVD work which she could manage around being a mother, Messenger released "Back Into Shape Workout" after the birth of her first child. It was a six week fitness programme designed to get mothers back into shape after the birth of their baby. She appeared on video release "Noel Edmonds - Gotcha!", in which she was one of the unwitting victims receive the treatment from Noel and his gang.
Messenger had her own issue of ‘At Home With…” magazine called 'At Home With Melinda Messenger", which was aimed at parents. Melinda joined with chef Antony Worrall Thompson in May 2008 for the recipe book “The Sweet Life”, in which she contributed some recipes.
Television
Messenger's TV career began in 1997 on Channel 4's Eurotrash. That same year she was given her own show on Channel 5 called Melinda's Big Night In.
From 1998, Messenger became assistant in Fort Boyard on Five which ran for five series. She initially joined ex-Eastender Leslie Grantham and later Catweazle star Geoffrey Bayldon in the game show which tested contestants physical agility and brainpower on the similarly named sea fortress in France.3
In 2002, she appeared on Celebrity Big Brother where she was described as a "blonde Vulcan" by fellow contestant Sue Perkins, who questioned her apparent lack of range of emotions.4 She has since presented many TV programmes, including "Loose Lips" (with Richard Arnold), "Baby Baby", "Can We Still Be Friends", "Beat The Dealer" and "Beat The Crusher."
In 2008, Messenger has presented a host of programmes including for the BBC To Buy or Not to Buy, ITV1's Bingo Night Live.6, the current 'A Garden For Eden' for ITVWestcountry, and the forthcoming 'Cowboy Traders' for Channel 5.
Personal life
Having dated since they met at his local Swansea night club,7 Messenger married Welshman Wayne Roberts in Bali on 26 November 1998.3 The couple have three children: Morgan (April 7, 2000), Flynn (2002) and Evie (December 2003). As she suffered from post-natal depression after the birth of her second and third children, although she planned a large family of five/six children she has decided not to have any more. In 2003, Messenger won Quality Street "Celebrity Mum of the Year."8 Roberts runs a Swindon-based electronics company which Messenger is a director of.1
In 2005, Messenger became concerned for the education of her children, and although the couple had just completed renovation of their Wanborough based 25-room rectory, Messenger insisted that they move closer to a Steiner-Waldorf school in Reading, Berkshire.1 This brought tensions into the couples relationship, and they resultantly separated on 15 April 2008,4 later bizarrely re-uniting that same month to discuss their split for a photo-spread in Hello! magazine.9
References
External links
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