I was eaten alive by the whole fame game
ALEX REID TELLS GABRIELLE FAGAN HOW ACTING HELPED HIM AFTER BEING THRUST INTO THE CELEBRITY WORLD
ALEX REID fast-tracked to fame when he won Celebrity Big Brother and became Katie Price’s second husband in 2010. Their marriage only lasted a year but it changed the life of the former cage fighter from Hampshire, catapulting him into the celebrity realm – although that hasn’t all been plain sailing.
Ten years on, the 44-year-old reflects that he was “naive and eaten alive in the celebrity world” when he joined it.
Now, an older and wiser Alex prefers the focus to be on his work as a fitness trainer and actor – he’s starring in adult panto, Jack And His Giant Big Stalk, this winter.
He’s now engaged to personal trainer Nikki Manashe, 34. Here, Alex opens up about his experience of the fame game...
How are you enjoying your latest acting role? PANTOMIME is fabulous because it’s great escapism. I’m playing Daisy the Cow and love throwing myself into the role because it’s so silly, such fun, and there’s plenty of opportunity for ad-libbing. Performing is what I love and comes naturally to me – I used to perform as a fighter and now I perform on stage. When life’s hard, it’s good to escape into characters and become different people. It’s a wonderful way of getting a bit of respite from what’s going on in your own life for a bit.
How do you look back on your career in fighting now?
I GOT into martial arts as a teenager and it went from there. Of course, some of it was enjoyable – there’s nothing like the roar of the crowd when you win – but out of the 300 fights I took part in, only around three were real fights. In that game, it’s really all about performance.
But during my last few years fighting, I was often just pretending to be a tough guy. Secretly inside, I was a scared little boy wanting love, validation and acceptance. Putting myself through physical pain was a distraction from the butt of hurtful stories and criticism from the media and people who didn’t know me.
At one stage, the most peaceful place in the world for me was in a cage up against a well-trained killer who was trying to beat me up. Looking back, entering fights without even doing the proper training was my version of selfharming and was very unhealthy.
You are having a heartbreaking struggle to have a baby with Nikki – how are you coping?
WE’RE both extremely sad, because being pregnant five times and having five miscarriages is horrendous. I can see how it can split couples up because it’s so tough. For us, going through the struggle together has made us even closer but it’s put us under pressure as a couple at times.
Nikki’s changed my life and I love her to pieces. She’s very good about making sure we talk about how we feel all the time, which is a real help. You have to accept the sadness, try and deal with it, and move on positively.
Will you keep going with your dream of a family together?
WHERE there’s a will there’s a way and I’m sure we will have a child. I’ve totally changed almost everything about myself, including my diet, to improve our chance of successful fertility.
How do you feel about being a celebrity?
I DON’T really see myself as a celebrity nowadays. I’d describe myself as a jobbing actor and a fitness trainer. If I had my time again, I don’t think I would have got involved in it, because now I look back and think: ‘What price did you pay for getting into that world?’
I was young and very naive about the whole thing and got seduced by the idea of it and really I got eaten alive by it. I wanted acclaim for having accomplished something, not just for being famous for being married at one point to someone well known. I think getting famous like I did shut a few doors for me in the acting world, but I’ve come to terms with that now. Modern celebrity just seems to focus on who’s sleeping with who and how big people’s boobs are, which is awful and silly. Of course, my ego loved the glory and adulation I received when I was successfully fighting, and when I won Celebrity Big Brother in 2010 and got the biggest audience vote in its history, but now I look for fulfilment elsewhere.
How do you see yourself now?
MY passions are acting and training and helping people through my mind, body and spirit camps and boot-camp sessions. Both those roles make me feel I’m being true to myself. I feel I’ve regained my integrity, my credibility and my sense of self-worth through that.
As an ex-paratrooper and former fighter, I know exactly how to take people physically and mentally to another level, whether they’re average Joe’s or elite level athletes.
How do you look after your wellbeing?
I HAVE regular therapy. I never understand why people should feel embarrassed in some way about admitting to it. We get a trainer to help with our muscles, so why not have a therapist to help your mind become stronger so you’re fit to deal with life? I’m a big believer in meditation to calm the mind and help you step outside yourself. I often cringe at myself at what I’ve done in the past. If I could go back, I wouldn’t rush in. I would stop, take a deep breath, think about it and then talk. I’ve learnt that now.
■ Alex Reid is in adult pantomime Jack And His Giant Big Stalk, at the Karma Sanctum Soho Hotel until January 5. Visit icketsource.co.uk for tickets.