Gail Porter

Gail Porter (born 23 March 1971 in Edinburgh) is a Scottish television presenter.



Contents
[hide]  *1 Life and career  ==Life and career[ edit] == Porter attended Portobello High School. She studied a BTEC HND in Media Production at West Herts College.[2]  After making an unsuccessful bid to join the presentation team of the BBC children's show Blue Peter,[3]  Porter has tended to present family-friendly television programmes, or ones aimed directly at children. This includes The Movie Chart Show,Top of the Pops, and Live & Kicking, work for CITV, and other programmes such as The Big Breakfast and Gail Porter's Big 90s for VH1.
 * 2 Alopecia
 * 3 Charitable work
 * 4 Comedy
 * 5 Personal life
 * 6 References
 * 7 External links

In the late 1990s she began to pose for photos in men's magazines such as FHM. Probably the best-known product of her many photo sessions is one particular still in which she is seen completely nude from behind. The image became well known due to the events of one night in 1999, when FHM, along with guerrilla marketing company Cunning Communications and projectionist/artist Malcolm Litson and Jason Bridges, beamed an enormous projection of her onto the exterior of the Houses of Parliament, with an accompanying message urging people to vote for Porter in the FHM Top 100 Sexiest Women Poll.[4]  In her autobiography, Porter claims that she did not know about the stunt until it was reported in the news the following day.[5] [6]

In 2001, Porter took part in the Reality TV show Celebrity Blind Man's Bluff [7]  and in 2003, she was a contestant onChannel 4's The Games, although injury truncated her participation.

In 2004-2006 she presented three series of Dead Famous and in 2009 presented several episodes of The Gadget Show,temporarily replacing Suzi Perry. In 2008-2011, Porter was a regular panellist on Channel 5's The Wright Stuff.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:17.9200000762939px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14.3999996185303px;">In early 2009, Porter's mother died of lung cancer, aged 60.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-8" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[8]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:17.9200000762939px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14.3999996185303px;">In 2010 she was a celebrity guest team captain on What Do Kids Know? along with Rufus Hound, Joe Swash and Sara Cox on Watch. In August 2010, Gail launched the Two Way Street campaign on behalf of national solicitors Russell Jones & Walker: an initiative to develop the relationship between HGV drivers and cyclists on the road, keeping them safer. In October 2010, Porter hosted a documentary on Current TV titled Gail Porter on Prostitution<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-9" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[9]  which investigated prostitution laws.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:17.9200000762939px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14.3999996185303px;">In 2014, it was announced Gail will be making her debut in the fashion industry as the Celebrity Guest Editor for new London-based publication Fashion Plus Magazine.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-10" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[10] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-11" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[11] ==Alopecia<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:17.9200000762939px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14.3999996185303px;">In 2005 Porter started suffering from alopecia totalis, causing her to lose all of her hair.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-12" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[12]  She refused to wear a hat or wig, deciding instead to maintain a public profile and raise awareness of the condition. She became ambassador for the Little Princess Trust, a charity which provides wigs to children with hairloss.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-13" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[13] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-14" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[14]  On an appearance on the Richard & Judy show on 15 February 2006 she showed that her hair, eyebrows and eyelashes were beginning to grow back.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-15" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[15]  On 12 April 2006 Porter said "It is possible that I'm going to get my hair back."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-16" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[16]  As of May 2010, hair had grown back on over 75% of her scalp, and she was beginning to colour and style her hair.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-17" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[17]  By the end of the year, her hair had started falling out again.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-18" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[18]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:17.9200000762939px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14.3999996185303px;">Porter's experience with alopecia totalis was the subject of the BBC ONE Life series documentary Gail Porter Laid Bare on 31 May 2006.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-19" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[19]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:17.9200000762939px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14.3999996185303px;">Her autobiography, Laid Bare: My Story Of Love, Fame And Survival, was published in September 2007. ==Charitable work<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:17.9200000762939px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14.3999996185303px;">She is a vice-president of The Children's Trust, a UK charity for children with brain injury. ==Comedy<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:17.9200000762939px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14.3999996185303px;">Porter tried stand-up comedy<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-20" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[20]  and appeared at the Comedy Store on 23 November 2009, as part of the Laughing Point event in aid of the youth homelessness charity Centrepoint.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-21" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[21] ==Personal life<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:17.9200000762939px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14.3999996185303px;">Porter married Toploader guitarist Dan Hipgrave in August 2001<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Split_1-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[1]  and gave birth to their daughter Honey on 3 September 2002.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="line-height:1;font-size:11.1999998092651px;white-space:nowrap;">[citation needed]  She revealed in February 2005 they had separated eight months earlier.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Split_1-2" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[1]  Before they met, Porter was in a relationship with Keith Flint, the vocalist from The Prodigy.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-22" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[22]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:17.9200000762939px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14.3999996185303px;">She's been dating guitarist Jonny Davies from late 2009.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-23" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[23]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:17.9200000762939px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14.3999996185303px;">Porter has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-williams_24-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[24]  and says she suffers from insomnia.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:17.9200000762939px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14.3999996185303px;">On 8 September 2011 Porter gave a radio interview to BBC Radio 5 Live's Phil Williams (a first for Porter) in which she stated that she had been detained (under theMental Health Act of 2007,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-25" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[25] ) for 17 days of treatment against her will.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-williams_24-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[24]  Porter also stated that one of the signatures on the documents to have her sectioned was that of her (at the time) boyfriend, after sending a text to him stating that she was feeling suicidal, even though she says she had no intention of acting on it, she admits to "being very frail, so who knows". She claimed to have felt no benefit from the stay at all. Porter praised the staff at the facility, but stated that the resources and facilities are under-funded, and she was only seen briefly by three doctors in those 17 days.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-williams_24-2" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[24]