Celebrities Crazy in Love?

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Through Thick & Thin

No we’re not talking about David Beckham’s intellectual capacities and Victoria’s waist size, but this is one couple who have certainly come through more than their fair share of marital upsets – most often in the form of salacious tabloid stories regarding David’s fidelity. Or alleged lack thereof. Victoria has stood by David through tabloid rumours of “secret romps” with former PA Rebecca Loos, now a household name after cashing in on her dubious claim to fame, and Malaysian model Sarah Marbeck. Becks spoke out about the claims in May 2004 after a two month silence, stating that: “the way I and my family have been treated is an absolute disgrace. At the end of the day, I'm a nice person and loving husband and father”. During this time the media seemed to portray public opinion as somehow blaming Victoria for all this, for not spending enough time with her man. A surprisingly Victorian take on matters if ever there was one. The couple have remained steadfast in their denial of the authenticity of such claims and, whether or not any infidelity did take place, they have stayed together as a seemingly happy couple; later on in the same year they announced Victoria’s pregnancy with their third child.

Interestingly, there has never been so much as a sniff of a rumour regarding Posh cheating on David. Make of this what you will but it might suggest that there is more to the rumours of Beck’s extra marital activities than a simple attempt to sully the Posh/Becks brand or make money out of false tabloid stories. Of course, it could equally be said that footballers are much easier targets for Kiss and Tell stories, what with their reputations for playing away from home, and that this does not necessarily mean all such stories are true. Whatever the truth, Victoria and David’s marriage along with Brand Beckham seems as though it will be going strong for some time yet.

Another couple at the slightly lower end of the celebrity spectrum, but who have also had to endure tabloid stories of infidelities of late, is Jade Goody and Jack Tweedy. Although in the public eye more recently for the Celebrity Big Brother furore and Jade’s subsequent stint in The Priory for depression, last year the couple took up column inches as a result of rumours questioning Jack’s loyalty. In October 2006 tabloid paper The Sun reported that Jade had an “explosive public spat” with her boyfriend over Jack’s alleged decision to invite glamour model Anna Houghton to a party the couple were attending. The relatively unknown glamour model had previously sold a story claiming she had had a “sordid session” with Jack in an Essex alleyway – classy! And soon after, The Sun printed a picture of Jack in bed with a seemingly naked woman in the Spanish holiday resort of Marbella. The couple stayed together however and strongly denied all allegations of infidelity and it is not too far fetched to believe that the girl in question may have simply sold her story for money and to further her career in the glamour fame game by getting her name in the rags. Jade and Jack have, to date, stayed together even through the CBB scandal and Jade’s brief Priory stint. Many may have doubted Jack’s loyalty or his motivations for staying with the financially well-off Jade. But recent pictures have shown the two enjoying time with Jade’s kids at Jack’s millionaire Uncle’s pad. So the guy clearly isn’t in it for the short run or simply for the money. And his time on CBB didn’t put him across as desperate for fame either, judging by his less than charismatic/extrovert personality and attitude.

Whether true or not, it is clear that Kiss and Tell stories benefit the teller in more ways than one; money and publicity. Just look at Rebecca Loos and Faria Alam. Both have gone on to appear in reality TV shows, with Faria popping up in last year’s Celeb BB and Rebecca clocking up a spate of appearances in The Farm, Celebrity Love Island (now just Love Island) and Celebrity X Factor (in which she received a mauling from friend of the Beckhams, straight-talking Sharon Osbourne). Anna Houghton has yet to achieve such levels of notoriety, but such behaviour doesn’t add to the authenticity of such claims and it is clear that, rightly or wrongly, celeb couples are easy targets and have to face a lot if they want to stay together.

In & Out of Love

Some celebs are, it would seem, in love with the idea of being in love. Falling out of one relationship, straight into another, declaring their undying love followed by their intense hatred is commonplace for some celebrities. We’re thinking especially here of one Jodie Marsh. The glamour model is no stranger to jumping in and out of relationships and is happy to declare her everlasting love for whichever boy she is currently being pictured with and has herself admitted to being a sucker for love, always hoping each new relationship will be The One.

Her most recent romantic episode summed this attitude up perfectly. Jodie got engaged to an unknown House music DJ David Doyle after a whirlwind romance of only eleven days, with Jodie cementing her commitment to their engagement with a large tattoo of her lover’s name on her hand. Her enthusiasm was shared with the world via her online blog in which she raved: “I am engaged to the most beautiful and sexy man in the world.. I have found the man of my dreams - my perfect man! Yes I FOUND HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” And that was just a taster. Other prime cuts included: “suppose I should really go back to talking about Dave Doyle - the love of my life. What can I tell you? He's got the most beautiful face, the BEST body ever, the nicest teeth (the sort you wanna run your tongue along every time you kiss), the sexiest eyes, the most kissable lips, the most INCREDIBLE arms and shoulders and back…” and on she goes. All of which must have made things all the more embarrassing when just a couple of months later she found of Dave had cheated on her. So, in true Jodie style she dumped him via her blog on the 16th of January – less than two months after she’d announced their engagement in the same place. The blog was entitled Dave Doyle You Are Dumped; simple but effective!

The latest news in Jodie Marsh Land is that her new boyfriend, “Lashes”, has had a huge tattoo emblazoned with the words Meat is Murder across his arm as a result of a bet he made with Jodie. He had been a vegetarian for all of three days. Ah well, at least it won’t be her taking a trip to the tattoo parlour for a fix-job when things go wrong this time!! In all seriousness though, Jodie seems to be exercising more caution this time round, saying in one of her most recent blogs: “People keep telling me he is "The One" but I'm not getting my hopes up”. We all know what men are like.” So perhaps Jodie is one celeb who has learnt her lessons in love the hard way.

One celeb who is probably past learning however, is Joan Collins. Unlike Jodie, Joan has actually gone the whole hog and got married – a breathtaking five times. Mind you, at 74 years of age Joan has had significantly more time than most to rack up the marriage and relationship count. She now appears to be happy and settled with her current husband Percy Gibson, a man 32 years her junior who she met in 2001 and married in 2002.

Even Joan’s marriage count pales in comparison however when we look at the celebrity Queen of Marriage, Elizabeth Taylor. Only one year older than Joan, Elizabeth Taylor has been married a staggering eight times – to seven husbands. Yes that’s right, two of Elizabeth’s marriages were to the same bloke, one Richard Burton. Elizabeth and Richard were first married in 1964, divorced in 74, remarried in 1975 and divorced in 1976. Elizabeth remarried a further two times after Richard, who many believe to have been Liz’s soul mate, and is currently single. Who knows, maybe love and a ninth marriage will be on the horizon for Liz this Valentine’s Day?

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