Caprice Bourret
Caprice Bourret talks reality TV, getting back into acting and why her family comes first
When we catch up with Caprice Bourret, she’s upbeat as she tells us about the “quality time” she’s been spending with her family in their stunning London home.
But despite her positivity, the 48-year-old businesswoman admits there have been some ups and downs in the past few months. Her financier husband Ty Comfort, 54, and their six-year-old sons Jax and Jett all had coronavirus in March and recently tested positive after taking a Covid-19 antibodies test.
“It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster,” she tells us.
“The homeschooling was very difficult for me. I’m not going to paint this lovely picture –
I’m not meant to be a teacher. I found that very challenging.”
But it sounds like Jax and
Jett enjoyed having lessons from their mum, as they weren’t thrilled about heading back to school.
“They were like, ‘No, Mummy, we love homeschooling. We don’t want to go!’” Caprice says.
The glam star also tells us about her recent dash to the vet after her 19-year-old chihuahua Stinker began suffering from kidney failure.
“I gave her hydration shots to ensure she didn’t get dehydrated,” she explains. “I spent three hours a day feeding her and she’s now started to eat from her bowl. I just can’t let her go quite yet.”
The last we saw of the California-born star was when she took part in ITV’S Dancing On Ice earlier this year. She quit the show after parting ways with her skating partner Hamish Gaman amid rumours of a major personality clash.
Unsurprisingly, Caprice reveals that she’s been put off reality TV for good and says she still gets stereotyped because of her time as a model.
Here, the star, who has graced more than 300 magazine covers, reflects on her time in the industry, her recent weight gain and why she won’t be signing up for an Onlyfans account any time soon…
Hi Caprice! We hear your family suffered from the coronavirus.
How did you find out?
We’ve just had the antibodies test, so I now know the whole family has had it apart from me. The signs were there, but you couldn’t say definitively. Ty couldn’t smell or taste and Jett had a temperature of 41 and a dry cough. Jax’s eyes were burning. Everyone’s now totally fine and fully recovered.
Was it scary at the time?
It was quite early on in the pandemic and we didn’t know a lot about it, so I wasn’t too concerned. If they contracted Covid now I would feel differently. When my husband was sick I kissed him. How did I not get it?! But the antibodies tests showed me as negative and everybody else positive.
How strange! Have you had work cancelled because of the crisis?
Everything! There’s nothing happening and it’s really scary. My homeware brand, By Caprice Home, has done OK because everyone wanted to decorate their houses – thank God – so I can feed the family. On the flip side, and speaking of something positive, I’ve spent some great quality time with my children and they’ve loved it, too.
Would you ever do a reality show again?
No. I used to love reality TV, and I loved Celebs On The Farm, but I’ll never do reality again – ever!
Do you think it has a dark side?
Of course, because it sells! People don’t want it all fluffy. They want the grit, the drama, the scandal and the dark side.
There are shows like The Mummy Diaries that are quite positive…
That’s a different kind of reality TV, which I love. Hopefully TV, especially after all this Covid-19, will become a bit more positive, uplifting and inspirational.
Is there a pressure in the showbiz industry to stay relevant?
Of course there is. That’s half the battle and if people disagree they’re full of shit. It’s the sad reality of TV – not just reality
TV, but movies and other TV, too. There’s a lot of pressure there. It’s such a different world because when I was in my heyday it was more organic.
I was in the press, but I wasn’t calling up editors or paps – it just happened. Now everything is preplanned and making phone calls to stay relevant.
‘STAYING RELEVANT IS HALF THE BATTLE IN SHOWBIZ’
Do people see the real you on TV?
No. I’m not that active on Instagram, so it’s whatever people interpret me as. A lot of people stereotype me. Because I’m a model and I’ve been successful in business, they tear me to pieces. It’s all their interpretation and it’s not real.
What’s the biggest misconception about you?
People will automatically, because of my modelling days, think I’m a bitch. I really think a lot of people stereotype me, until they meet me and their perception changes.
Do you ever miss your modelling days?
Erm, no. I’m able to say that because I did it to death and
had such an awesome, long run. I killed it 10 times over. I went crazy and wild and was mischievous and sometimes careless and I wouldn’t take anything back – except a few of the guys I dated! I really loved the ups and downs and it was all so exciting. But now I love being a mum and my life as it is now.
Have you seen that a lot of celebs are running Onlyfans accounts now?
What is it?
It’s a site where you upload saucy pictures and people pay a subscription fee to see them…
Oh my God. I guess people just have to think of ways to make money now, but you won’t see me do that. That’s mad!
‘MY MODELLING DAYS WERE WILD AND CRAZY, BUT NOW I LOVE BEING A MUM’
You recently posted a picture of yourself and Aquaman star Jason Momoa on Instagram from when you were filming Baywatch in 2001…
I saw those pictures when I was cleaning my house. We were actually really good friends when we were shooting Baywatch. And my mum loves him. He’s so stunning it’s not normal and he’s a really nice guy.
Do you keep in contact with any other Hollywood stars?
Not really. I used to be friends with Vin Diesel and I had dinner a few times with Brad Pitt. When I lived in LA I met a lot of people. A lot of the entertainment industry is socialising and meeting new people and contacts and I just don’t do that any more because I’ve got a family.
By Caprice Home recently won a legal battle against Kylie Minogue At Home after it accused you of copying its designs. Are you glad it’s over?
I wouldn’t wish going to court and going through that on anyone! That was a pretty horrible experience. But I always condone sticking up for yourself. I didn’t do anything wrong and I wouldn’t back down. It paid off in the end, but ultimately no one is the real winner. The winners are the lawyers. Even if I get my legal fees back, it’s the time I put in. I wish her company well.
Were you shocked when you found out her company was suing you?
I’d never heard of that company before. I don’t know if Kylie even knew about the court case. She’s a lovely person and I’ve spent time with her. It’s more the company that has the licence deal than it is her. And she wasn’t in court.
You had a stressful time after quitting Dancing On Ice and revealed you’d lost a lot of weight…
I’ve put it all back on [laughs]. I went down to 126lb [9st] and my husband did not like it. It was the tiniest I’d been in my entire life – even as a teenager. When I stopped doing that show it all came back. I’m now 139lb [9st 13lb]. I love the curves and my husband beyond loves the curves.
Have you been indulging in lots of nice food?
Let’s be real, if there’s one thing I love, it’s food. But then again I’ve been exercising a lot. I’m much happier with the way I look now, because I’ve put the weight back on. I’ve been working out a lot so I’m very toned. I’m much happier being more voluptuous, but with a stronger core. I do Barrecore every day and I’ve started running.
Last time we spoke you were keen to get back into acting. Is that something you still want to pursue?
Honey, I’m so excited about that. I’m full steam ahead, so it’s an exciting time for me. You’d think, “To shift things back into acting at 48, are you mad?” But for most people of 48, if they haven’t succeeded then they’ve gone and got a normal job, so there’s a lot less competition now and there are a lot of roles out there, which is brilliant. Everything has been at a standstill until the economy gets started up again.
What kind of roles are you looking to play?
I could play the mum. I’ve already played the bitchy CEO – quite a few times! I played a character alongside Richard Blackwood in Mybad! I was his wife and we were like Simon and Yasmin Le Bon. I want really
meaty, interesting roles, because when I was in my early thirties I was only given the babe stuff. Now those days are over and the roles are so interesting to me.
Back to family life… Were you worried about sending the boys back to school back?
They’ve both had Covid-19 so I wasn’t particularly worried. There have been very few cases of a child having serious repercussions from it. But it’s a crazy time.
Jax and Jett are growing up fast. Are they quite different in personality?
When they were younger they were very different, but they’re becoming more similar – although Jax is a bit more gentle, he’s very considerate. Whenever I come home from grocery shopping, he rushes down to help me with the bags. Jett is much more boisterous, very talkative and loves to do speeches in front of his class. He was the first school counsellor and that was so sweet. Jax is a bit more reserved, but he has so much kindness. All I want is for them to be happy and kind.
Are they well behaved?
Are you kidding me?! When they fight they punch each other, but they’re really good kids. It’s a lot of work, but I couldn’t imagine my life without them.
Is Ty a hands-on dad?
No. Ty will step in when they get older and start learning about business.
What do they think about their mum being famous?
Oh, they love it [laughs]. Jax is not so interested, but Jett always wants to do the magazines.
I said to him, “No, you’ve got to get into business – not the entertainment business!”
Will he follow in your showbiz footsteps?
He’s got the personality for it, but I hope not. I’ll be supportive whatever he chooses.
Why do you hope he doesn’t?
Because the entertainment industry is tough. I love it and I’m so grateful for it, because I didn’t have the money to put myself through college and it’s given me so much opportunity. Because I’ve come from a totally humble background, I’m so grateful to do what I’ve done for over 20 years and be successful. But it’s too unpredictable and you have to be really thick-skinned. But then to make this kind of money just by looking at a camera, I’m grateful.
When we spoke before you said no to having more kids. Have you had second thoughts about adopting?
I’d love to have 10 kids, because I love having children and the chaos and the little ones running around going, “Mummy, Mummy.” But I don’t think my husband will jump on that gravy train.
We’re sure he’d be up for trying…
He’d totally be up for trying, but he had his tubes tied two days after I gave birth. So that boat has sailed!
Has your relationship with Ty changed since you got married last December?
I always said, and I really believed this, “I don’t need a piece of paper to validate my relationship.” I never wanted to get married – I thought it was old-fashioned and a financial liability. But after you have kids it changes and Ty is a great guy. I ended up marrying one of the most incredible human beings I’ve ever met. Not only is he drop-dead gorgeous, but he’s kind and we just gel. We’re total opposites, but we work. When you get married your relationship 150 per cent changes – even more so than having kids.
Why is that?
It’s psychological. Whatever it is, it changed for me and changed for us. It really solidified our relationship. We’re definitely going to be together forever.
‘I’D LOVE TO HAVE 10 KIDS – I LOVE THE CHAOS’