Jodie Kidd: Movies & Box Office

Jodie Elizabeth Kidd (born 25 September 1978) is an English fashion model, racing driver, and television personality who has been a prominent figure in the public eye for over three decades. Named after actress Jodie Foster, she was born in Guildford, Surrey, to businessman and former show‑jumper Johnny Kidd and Wendy Madeleine Hodge, linking her to a notable lineage that includes the Canadian press baron Max Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook, and the aristocratic Aitken family. Raised on a farm, she was a talented show‑jumper in her youth and attended St Michael’s School in West Sussex. At age fifteen she was discovered on a beach in Barbados by photographer Terry O’Neil, launching a modeling career that sparked controversy because of her extreme slenderness; critics described her as a “locuste model” and warned that her figure encouraged unhealthy dieting among teenage girls. Despite the early backlash, Kidd persisted, eventually gaining stature as a versatile runway and editorial model for houses such as Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, and Gianni Versace, and appearing on the covers of Elle in numerous countries. In 2014 she fronted Jaeger’s autumn‑winter campaign alongside fellow icons Jasmine Guinness and Kirsty Hume, reaffirming her status as a British fashion staple.

Beyond fashion, Kidd pursued a passion for motorsport, driving a Maserati to a first‑place finish in the 2004 Bologna Trofeo Pro‑Am and becoming a regular participant in the Gumball 3000 rally. Her television résumé includes Strictly Come Dancing (2008), Celebrity MasterChef (2014), The Jump (2015), and co‑hosting the classic‑car series The Classic Car Show. She also contributed to ITV4’s Isle of Man TT coverage and appeared on Big Star’s Little Star with her son Indio, raising funds for charity. As a producer, she and her father brought the musical Yarico to the stage, celebrating their Barbadian heritage. Kidd’s multifaceted career, aristocratic roots, and personal resilience have cemented her as a dynamic figure in British popular culture.