British actor, author and former glamor model Keeley Hazel has spoken openly about the emotional impact her years as a Page 3 model had on her, saying the experience left her feeling “voiceless”, despite becoming one of Britain’s most recognizable faces in the mid-2000s.Speaking to The Guardian ahead of her performance at the Edinburgh Fringe, an exhibition based on her memoir Everybody Saw My Boobs: Stories and Reflections from an Impossible Feminist, Hazel reflects on the highs and lows of her modeling career, the exploitation she experienced as a teenager, and how writing the book helped her rediscover her voice.
‘topless look never really stuck with me’
Hazel said that while her modeling career brought fame, travel and financial success, it also brought shame and a disconnect from her public image.“There’s a lot of excitement, but there’s also a lot of shame and embarrassment,” she said. “Nude modeling never really fit who I am as a person.”She explained that writing the memoir became a form of healing after years of being unable to express her feelings.“It’s a release,” she said. “I was able to give myself a voice during a time when I felt voiceless.”
From London Parliament Estate to Page 3 Fame
Hazell recalled that her modeling career began unexpectedly after leaving school at 16 and working in a hair salon. A colleague encouraged her to submit photos to modeling competitions, one of which was the Daily Star’s “Beach Babe” competition.After winning that contest, she went on to win The Sun’s “Page 3 Idol,” launching a career that would quickly change her life.“I went from growing up on a council estate to having a luxury apartment overlooking the Thames,” she said.Despite her charm, Hazel believed she was too young for the industry.“I was too young and too exploited. I was emotionally and mentally unprepared.”She added that there were few guarantees for young women entering the world of glamor modeling at the time.“There are so few protections for women coming into this industry. I didn’t know what I needed, and neither did my family.”
‘I regret not having more control’
Looking back, Hazel said she still finds it hard to believe how normalized the Page 3 culture once was.“It’s a crazy thing to grow up with,” she said, referring to the ubiquitous topless photos in newspapers and newsstands across Britain.While she cherishes some memories, including traveling the world and making more money than she ever imagined, she regrets not having more control over her career.“A lot of the time I was just numb. I would drink a lot and tell myself to enjoy the party,” she admits.
Therapy helps her deal with past trauma
Hazell also spoke of the emotional toll caused by the sex tape, which was later sold to Sunday Sport, and described reliving the incident as “horrible” in his memoir.She said therapy played a key role in helping her process the experience.“A lot of women in any field have experienced some form of sexual assault and abuse; I needed to get rid of that stigma,” she said.
Returns to the stage with an autobiographical performance
Inspired by her memoir, Hazel is now preparing a stand-up comedy show for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The production began with her auditioning to play Keeley Jones, and the character of Ted Lasso was reportedly inspired by her.While Hazel didn’t have a starring role, she later joined the Emmy-winning series as a recurring cast member and as a staff writer.She said the stage show blends humor with deeply personal experience.“Trauma and humor are intertwined,” she said. “Even in the spiral of it all and the PTSD, it’s supposed to be a humorous retelling.”For Hazel, the project represented something she said she lacked during her time as a glamor model: complete ownership of her own story.“Having a voice is very powerful,” she said.
