Former glamour model and reality TV star Nicola McLean has stated she harbours 'no regrets' about her decision to skip school at the age of 16 to pose in her underwear, launching a career she says lifted her out of her council estate upbringing.
A Platform for Escape and Opportunity
Now 44, the star of I'm A Celebrity... and Celebrity Big Brother reflected that the advantages of her early choices far outweighed the negatives. Her modelling work, which began after winning a teen swimsuit competition and led to shoots for Playboy, GQ, Loaded, and FHM, provided a crucial escape route. McLean told The Sun she believes she would never have been asked to join I'm A Celebrity at 19 or enjoyed her subsequent TV career without that initial platform.
'I will never not be proud of my choices even though I was probably too young to make them,' she said. 'I feel like the reason I'm thick skinned and don't take any s**t is because of the situations I navigated so young in a male-dominated industry. I held my own and didn't get forced into doing anything I wasn't comfortable with.'
Contrasting Views and Personal Costs
Her positive reflection comes after fellow former glamour model Kelly Brook recently expressed discomfort at being 'sexualised' at a young age. While McLean respects Brook, her own perspective is more focused on the doors modelling opened. However, she acknowledged the downsides, including battling an eating disorder and undergoing breast augmentation surgery at 22, procedures she feels were influenced by the industry.
McLean also briefly addressed a past rift with Kelly Brook, revealing she helped Brook deal with a cheating ex-boyfriend, only to be 'brutally snubbed' and unfollowed afterwards. Despite this, she described Brook as 'the most beautiful person.'
Modern Fears: The 'Addictive' Pressure of OnlyFans
Now a mother to two teenage sons, McLean has voiced significant concerns about the modern landscape for young women in similar industries, particularly on platforms like OnlyFans. She worries that the financial allure pushes creators to constantly push their boundaries beyond comfort.
'I just worry that girls... get addicted to the money and get pushed into extreme behaviour because there's always someone ready to take their place,' she told the Daily Mail. She contrasted this with her Page Three era, where she says the 'girl next door' image was standard and the pressure to escalate content was absent.
McLean pointed to content creator Bonnie Blue as an example of the extreme behaviour now promoted, fearing teenage girls might feel compelled to engage in acts they don't want to do, thinking 'if I don't do this they will queue up for someone else.' She stated unequivocally that if she were starting out today, she would not be tempted to join OnlyFans or go beyond topless modelling.
Nicola McLean's career trajectory—from a 15-year-old model to a 16-year-old on the Daily Star's front page in underwear, and a top TV personality—remains a defining part of her identity, one she views with defiant pride despite its complex challenges.
