Britain's Next Top Model Abbey Clancy

So there I was, scrolling through a random ’00s nostalgia feed, and a video popped up. It was Abbey Clancy, in a tiny dressing room, trying to squeeze into a pair of jeans while juggling a crying baby on her hip. She didn’t look like a supermodel. She looked like a tired mum who had just lost a fight with a denim button. And that, my friend, is exactly why I love her.

See, we remember Abbey as the girl who won Britain’s Next Top Model back in 2006. You know the one—the Scouse lass with the killer cheekbones and a laugh that could shatter glass. But if you only think of her as a “model,” you’re missing the whole point. This article isn’t about high fashion. It’s about a woman who accidentally became the most relatable celebrity in the UK by doing absolutely everything wrong in the best possible way.

The Reluctant Winner

Let’s rewind to 2006. Abbey was 20, she was broke, and she entered the show mostly because her mates dared her to. She didn’t have the “ice queen” look that judges usually love. She was too curvy, too friendly, and her accent made the panel wince. But she won anyway. Why? Because she was the only one who looked like she was having fun.

Watching her strut down the runway was like watching your weird cousin do the worm at a wedding. It was chaotic, it was real, and it was working. The show tried to teach her “model face.” She mostly just looked confused. And the public ate it up. She became the anti-model—the one who proved you don’t need to be a brooding statue to succeed.

The Peter Crouch Effect (AKA: The Glow-Up You Didn’t See Coming)

Then she married Peter Crouch. You know, the 6ft 7in footballer who looks like a giraffe who swallowed a stick. On paper, this was the oddest couple since a zebra and a flamingo decided to date. But somehow, they are the most functional marriage in showbiz. Abbey once said their secret is that they “fart in front of each other.” I can’t verify that, but I respect the honesty.

Supermodel Abbey Clancy on Britain’s Next Top Model | Express.co.uk

Here’s where it gets ironic. Abbey Clancy—the woman who was hired to look perfect—builds her entire post-model brand on not looking perfect. She posts selfies without makeup. She talks about the “c-section pooch” she can’t lose. She does interviews where she admits she’s terrible at styling her own hair. It’s refreshing, right? It’s like she’s constantly side-eyeing the fashion industry and whispering, “I know this is all a bit silly, lads.”

The “Anti-Influencer” Phase

Now, she hosts Britain’s Next Top Model again—but this time as a judge. And here’s the best part: she’s the nice one. She’ll tell a contestant, “Your walk is a bit wonky, hun, but your face is lovely.” She’s the mum on the panel. She even uses her own awkward runway moments as teaching points. “I tripped once,” she’ll say. “You’re fine.”

Top Abigail Clancy On Abbey Clancy Talks Autumn Style And Her Latest

But let’s be real for a second. Abbey Clancy is also worth millions. She has a football hubby, four kids, and a massive house. So why do we still feel like she’s “one of us?” Because she never forgot the girl who cried when she couldn’t afford a taxi home after a casting. She still sounds like she’s calling you from the kitchen while the kettle boils.

The Final Verdict (Spoiler: It’s a Yes)

Look, I’m not saying Abbey Clancy is a Nobel Prize winner. She’s a model. But what she accidentally did was dismantle the idea that models must be untouchable. She showed us that you can be a size 10, laugh at your own farts, win a reality show, and still be a fashion icon. If that’s not a legacy, I don’t know what is.

So next time you see her awkwardly posing in a magazine, don’t roll your eyes. Give a little nod. Because that woman is living proof that you don’t have to be perfect to be a top model. You just have to be yourself—even if yourself is a bit of a mess. And honestly? That’s way more interesting than a face that never smiles.