What A Difference A Year Makes
From Britney to Madonna, from R-Patz to Cheryl: check out how drastically the lives of these celebs have changed within a mere year
PA Photos/Bigpicturesphoto.comBritney Spears
We must admit when Britney Spears shaved her head in June 2007 we thought all was lost for the former teen-dream star. So we were more than pleasantly surprised when, a mere year later, she was back on our TV screens (with a full head of hair!), winning prize after prize at the MTV Video Music Awards – with a bangin’ body to boot, might we add. After the ‘shaving incident’, which Brit later mentioned was caused by too-tight hair extensions, the pop star sported a pink wig for a while and some rather dodgy looking extensions. In 2008, she was back to her fighting self, telling off all womanizers and making us wish we looked like her yet again.
PA Photos/Rex FeaturesNicole Richie
It’s fair to say that Nicole Richie has worn many different hats in her life so far – and she’s only 29. Who could forget her days as Paris Hilton’s BFF, or those pap pictures of her jogging on a beach in a bikini? When she was arrested for driving on the wrong side of the motorway under the influence of drugs, we thought of Nicole as ‘just another party girl’. But a year later she was pregnant with her first child Harlow, in a relationship with Good Charlotte frontman Joel Madden (whom she is now married to), was designing her first fashion line and had founded a children’s charity together with beau.
PA Photos/Rex FeaturesRussell Brand
For a man who had a sexual award named after him (The Russell Brand Sh*gger Of The Year Award, in case you were wondering), a steady girlfriend - let alone fiancé - seemed a far cry for the Essex-born funnyman. When Katy and Russ started dating in 2008 and went on a holiday to Thailand together briefly after that, the media world shook their heads at Ms Perry, thinking that she was to be just another notch. But, always one to surprise, the former sex addict proposed to Katy after only three months of dating, and the pair got married less than a year after that.
PA Photos/Rex FeaturesJennifer Lopez
Back when Jenny was still ‘from the block’ and Ben insisted on co-starring with his then-fiancée in most films, we were blessed with the constant red carpet presence of Bennifer. They gave each other extravagant gifts, smooched in public and seemingly shared their entire work life. But, shortly before their wedding, it was all called off. You’d think that a girl would need some time to recuperate from a near-failed marriage, but not J.Lo. Less than a year later she was married to Marc Anthony, a long-time friend and collaborator.
PA Photos/Rex FeaturesTake That
Anyone over 20 years of age will surely remember the drama surrounding Take That when Robbie left the band and they soon after dissolved. We guess those sobbing ladies were overjoyed when Take That a) reformed as a super-successful four-piece and b) Mr Williams decided to join the gang, too. Rumours of a reunion had been floating about for a while, so when it was officially announced that Rob was back no one was taken by surprise - but we all rejoiced, none the less.
PA Photos/Rex FeaturesBrad Pitt
We have to admit, we feel a bit nostalgic when we remember the days that Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston were in love – in the present days of Brangelina it’s so hard to imagine! Back in 2005, Jen and Brad were Hollywood’s golden couple. When they were papped on holiday in Anguilla, no one could have guessed that it was set to be a make-or-break situation – a few weeks later, the pair announced their mutual decision to separate. Rumours about Brad having started an affair with then-co-star Angelina Jolie soon started, but were rebutted by all parties. Fast-forward one year and we find Brad and Angelina very much together – with three children!
PA Photos/Rex FeaturesSandra Bullock
When Sandra Bullock married heavily tattooed motor cycle enthusiast Jesse James in 2005, more than a few eyebrows were raised. The two, however, defied all cynicism for five years, living a quiet life in Texas with Jesse’s children. Sadly, all was to end five years later when, after Sandra swiped all awards for her role in The Blind Side - including the much coveted Best Actress Academy Award - it was revealed that Jesse had been a serial cheater. The pair announced their divorce, and the world threw a pity party for Ms Bullock, until she revealed in early 2010 that she had secretly adopted a baby boy from New Orleans, and was now going to raise him as a single mum. As sad as Sandra Bullock’s situation seemed at the time, we think it’s fair to say that all’s well that ends well.
PA Photos/Rex FeaturesMadonna
It seems that Madonna has gone full circle in her life – from touting a Toy Boy belt in the early 80s, to dating actual toy boys in the late 2000s. When Guy Richie and Madonna got married in 2000, we all thought the Queen of Pop had (finally) settled down. All was well for two years – the couple had a baby and adopted two others – until 2008, when they announced their divorce almost exactly 8 years after their wedding day. The reasons behind the divorce were never revealed, but Miss Madge was not one to wallow in self pity. In 2009, she bounced back into the world of men (err...) with model Jesus Luz, no less than 28 years her junior. The relationship didn’t last, but Madge’s appetite for younger men did.
PA Photos/Rex FeaturesTaylor Momsen
Back in 2009 Taylor Momsen was just another Gossip Girl star, with cookie-cutter looks and a shy smile (yes, she really used to smile!). If this comes as a surprise, then you’re thinking of a post-2009 Taylor, as front lady of the Pretty Reckless and neo-goth. Who would have thought that this same girl once starred as the oh-so cute kid in The Grinch Who Stole Christmas? We’re not sure whether Taylor’s newfound style should be labelled as ‘just a phase’, or whether we have a new Courtney Love on our hands.
PA Photos/Rex FeaturesRobert Pattinson
It’s hard to imagine Twilight fans hating Robert Pattinson, no? But when it was announced that he would be playing the role of Edward Cullen in 2007, Twi-hards booed and hissed and demanded a recount. Stephenie Meyer, the author of the series, even made public that she would like to see Henry Cavill take the role. We hardly need to remind you how fans felt once they had seen the first film; it grossed nearly $400million worldwide, and R-Patz was officially a hunk, declared the Sexiest Man Alive in various polls (including GLAMOUR) and was set for super stardom. We wonder what those naysayers say now?
PA Photos/Rex FeaturesCheryl Cole
Back in 2007, Cheryl Cole was a cute-looking member of Girls Aloud and a footballer’s wife - her biggest fashion moment thus far was having a chunky, bold fringe cut. But all was to change in 2008 when Mrs Cole accepted Simon Cowell’s offer to take Sharon Osbourne’s place as a judge on The X Factor. Cheryl’s act won in her first season AND in her second, the Geordie had us running to the shops trying to recreate her style, and she was declared a national treasure.
PA Photos/Rex FeaturesRihanna
It’s hard to remember a non-edgy Rihanna but trust us, there once was one. Back when she was tattoo- and (relatively) hair dye-less, Rihanna could have easily slotted in next to the likes of the countless other pop starlets around. It’s likely that, had she followed along those lines she would have soon been forgotten, but thankfully for us, Rihanna a curveball, chopped off her hair, dyed it black and instantly became an icon of rocker-chic. Since then, her style and music have evolved, evolved, evolved, and we love it, love it, love it.
PA Photos/Rex FeaturesKate Moss
When it first emerged that Kate Moss and indie bad boy Pete Doherty were an item, we all gathered that this may mean trouble. It was during her time with Doherty that Kate was involved in a cocaine scandal, causing her to lose many endorsements and modelling contracts. After two years of being an on-again, off-again couple, Pete declared during a concert that the two were engaged to be married that summer, but lo and behold, the couple never actually made it to the altar. Shortly before their split, Kate launched the first collection of her-ultra successful Topshop line, and soon started dating Jamie Hince, who she is now (supposedly) engaged to.
PA Photos/Rex FeaturesKatie Holmes
In 2004, Katie Holmes was best known for being ‘that girl from Dawson’s Creek’. Fast-forward one year and Ms Holmes has transformed into Mrs Cruise. Tom and Katie’s courtship was blink-and-you’ll-miss-it – one moment they were dating, the next he was jumping on Oprah’s couch, then he announced that he proposed to her on the Eiffel Tower, Katie became pregnant and gave birth to daughter Suri, and, bang, they were married – all in 2005 and 2006!
PA Photos/Rex FeaturesAngelina Jolie
Always the mysterious one, Angelina Jolie has surprised the media on various occasions. In 2002, she was married to fellow actor Billy Bob Thornton, often telling the media where and when they’d had sex and wearing each other’s blood in vials around their necks. Despite their rather wild reputation, the couple decided to adopt Cambodian son Maddox together. The responsibilities of being a Dad seemed to become too much for Billy Bob, and the pair soon split leaving Angelina as a single mum. Fast-forward ANOTHER six years, and Angelina is now mum of six and living with Mr Sexiest Man himself, Brad Pitt.
PA Photos/Rex FeaturesKelly Osbourne
No matter how stylish Kelly Osbourne looks now, we could never forget her fashion past. In 2008, Kelly had started to find her style and wore some fabulous outfits, thanks to hosting Project Catwalk we bet. But, personally, Kelly was still battling with a substance abuse problem and personal weight issues. In 2009, however, she took part in mega US TV show Dancing With The Stars, and, whilst on the show, transformed her body – literally in front of our eyes. Her body shrunk from a size 14 to a size 6, and she hugely credited her dancing partner for teaching her how to eat right and the joys of working out – and as we all know, Kelly has since gone from looking fabulous to looking even more FABULOUS.
PA Photos/Rex FeaturesLily Allen
When Lily Allen first broke into the music scene, she was most famous for wearing prom dresses, ghetto gold and trainers. But in 2009, Lily’s fashion world was totally turned around when Karl Lagerfeld chose her to front the new Chanel Handbag ad campaign. Lily has since been seen wearing
Chanel more and more frequently, sitting front row at shows and looking generally fabulous.
PA Photos/Rex FeaturesPeter Andre & Katie Price
Ahh, Katie and Peter. When these two split up, we almost mourned more for their joint reality TV show than the relationship itself. Who could forget Katie on Eurovison, Peter struggling to get back into the music business, and the (we know now, rather serious) catfights? In 2008, they were at their promoting best, kissing and cuddling in front of the cameras, on magazine covers and on our TV screens. But all was not well, and a year later the pair got divorced with the full reason still yet to be revealed. True, they both went on to film many seasons of their own reality TV shows, but it’s just not the same.
PA Photos/Rex FeaturesKerry Katona
When a video of Kerry Katona taking cocaine was made public, we saw Kerry as a Reality TV dream gone wrong. So who would have thought that, a year onwards, Kerry would be single, back to her I’m A Celebrity looks, and once more a star of her own TV show and a magazine columnist? Since then Kerry has progressed even further, celebrating over a year of being clean, bringing out her own fitness DVD and starring in Dancing On Ice. We wonder what’s next – a fashion range, perhaps?
PA Photos/Rex FeaturesTiger Woods
The name ‘Tiger Woods’ was once synonymous with talented golf-playing. Nowadays when the name’s mentioned you’re more likely to think of countless scandals and mistresses. Up until late 2009, there were no inklings of any marital problems between Tiger and his wife, Elin. In November, a newspaper uncovered an alleged affair Tiger had been having with Rachel Uchitel, which they both denied but was later to be found true. Soon after the story broke, over a dozen other women claimed to have had an affair with Woods during his marriage. Tiger held an apologetic press conference and withdrew from golf for a while, and he and Elin divorced a year later.
