When I’m not working, the earliest I like to get out of bed is about 11 — and even that’s difficult. I’m such a lazy bugger. Hit the snooze button and have another five minutes. Hit the snooze button and another five minutes. I’ll only get out of bed if it really is the last resort.
Breakfast is usually nothing more than an Actimel and a banana, but if I’m hung over, I’ll go for the full English. Then I brush my teeth and have a shower. I wash my hair every day, but at home I never use any products and I never blow-dry it. Same with my face. No make-up, no products at all. I get fussed over so much at work that it’s actually nice to look like a wreck for a change.
There was a time when I had an exercise routine, but now I’ve got the horses, the dogs and the house to look after, I get all the exercise I need. I’ve got two horses at the moment and they are the best workout in the world: mucking out, brushing and a lot of riding.
Sport has always been a huge part of my life. It’s what got me through school. Sport is in our family. Dad was an Olympic show-jumper, my sister Jemma represented Britain at dressage, my brother was a professional polo player and I was a show-jumper. I also used to represent the county in lacrosse, netball and swimming, and the whole family would go down to the Isle of Wight every summer for Cowes week. I went to Cowes this year, sailing with the Peroni Nastro Azzurro team on a Swan 45. Some people are quite surprised when they see me getting stuck in on deck — pulling up the sails, getting soaked to the skin — but I suppose I’m not what you’d call a normal model and never have been. I was just picked out of my 15-year-old world — riding my horses, falling off, breaking my arm, breaking my foot, gashing my leg — and presented with the world of modelling. I thought: “Wow! Let’s give it a go.” The main reason I started was to save up to buy a horsebox. That was my ultimate goal.
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If I’ve been out with the horses in the morning, I might treat myself to a pub lunch. My local is The Cricketers in Wisborough Green, a proper old English pub overlooking the village green, and I sometimes sit and watch a game of cricket while I’m eating my lunch. I can pretty much eat what I want but I’ve been overdoing the Guinness a bit recently. Probably a good idea to lay off the pizzas and maybe have fish and vegetables.
A lot of nasty things have been said about my figure over the years. But the fact is, I am very tall — 6ft. I was a very sporty child and when I started modelling I lost all my muscle. For a while, I looked very gangly, tired and grey — and I also had glandular fever. I tried to ignore it, but being called an anorexic drug addict does hurt. I just thought “Bollocks to this!” and took some time off. I wanted to be back home with my horses.
I was lucky enough to be able to buy my own home relatively young and I love the fact that, as soon as I walk in, I feel I’ve escaped from the mayhem. No car alarms, just total tranquillity. That’s why I don’t like living in London — too noisy and not enough trees. I love my little village. I love the fact that I know the people at the corner shop and that the man at the butcher’s used to mow our lawns. Living in a village is a team effort. You do get the odd arsehole, but that happens anywhere.
No matter what I’m doing, there’s usually music playing. I have ridiculously varied tastes — everything from System of a Down to Sizzla to Royksopp to Puccini. That’s why I think the iPod is the best invention ever. Bloody brilliant! There’s nothing better than sticking the iPod in the car — I’ve got a Maserati Gran Sport and a Ferrari 550 — and going for a drive. I’ll happily admit, I am a real poser in the car. It would be funny to go down Guildford high street with my arm hanging out of the window.
My husband works in Ireland a couple of days a week, and even when he’s at home, he’ll be on the computer. Mind you, we’ve got into the habit of vegging out in front of the TV in the evening. I’m a total TV whore: crappy action movies, war movies, Big Brother, Lost, 24 — anything except romcoms.
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I never thought I’d hear myself say this, but I also like to cook. Ever since I got the Aga, it’s actually been fun. I even have dinner parties. Not that I’m very good at them, but I find if you give people a couple of bottles of nice wine beforehand, they don’t really care what they’re eating. Give ’em prawn cocktail and everybody’s happy.
Like I said, I can sleep 24 hours a day, but my husband has one of those brains that starts ticking in the early hours. Very often we’ll go to bed and I can tell he’s getting twitchy, so I just say: “Get up. Do what you need to do.” The next thing I know, it’s 8 o’clock in the morning and he’s trying to explain some big plan he’s been working on all night.
My dreams are always very vivid and strange, usually about whatever I’ve been watching on TV. If it’s the grand prix, I’m a racing driver. If it’s Lost, I’m stuck on a desert island. The other morning, I was convinced I was Jack Bauer. I wasn’t just dreaming about him — I actually thought I was him.