AFTER Katie Price won the reality TV show Celebrity Big Brother, FLORA THOMPSON looks back at the Brighton glamour girl’s rise to stardom.

BEFORE she was ever known as Jordan, Patcham-born Katie Price was making a name for herself in the city.

Although she later became known for her celebrity life, as a child she emerged at Patcham High School as a keen sportswoman.

She was the only child of Amy (née Charlier) and Ray Infield, who left when she was four. Her mother married builder Paul Price in 1988.

As a girl Ms Price competed in regional contests for swimming and developed a passion for horses and horse-riding before her modelling career began, aged just 13. She left school at 16.

She adopted the name Jordan aged 18 in 1996 after featuring as a topless glamour model on The Sun’s Page 3. She continued to make frequent appearances in the feature, and in men’s lifestyle magazines, throughout her career.

But she was later barred from The Sun when it decided to only feature women with natural breasts. She had her first succession of breast enhancement surgeries aged 19. She went on to have more surgery, and breast reductions, as well as liposuction on her hips and thighs, a nose job and had fat implanted in her lips to boost her pout.

She ran as an independent candidate in the Stretford and Urmston constituency of Greater Manchester during the 2001 General Election promising free breast implants for all, more nudist beaches and a ban on parking tickets. She won 713 votes, 1.8% of those cast.

In 2002, she was treated for a leiomyosarcoma on her finger. The cancerous tumour was removed at a Nuffield Hospital near her Brighton home. In 2003 she appeared as part of supermarket chain Kwik Save’s advertising campaign and made cameo appearances on television shows in 2004, and released an exercise DVD in 2005. In that year she also put herself forward to represent the UK in the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest.

She dated several celebrities including footballers, actors and singers, with the most high-profile being Another Level boy band member Dane Bowers, cage fighter Alex Reid and singer Peter Andre.

She met Mr Andre while taking part in competition I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! who she went on to marry. They performed together, released an album, hosted a chat show together and produced a series of reality television programmes before divorcing in 2009. In 2005 crowds swarmed around Clinton Cards in the Churchill Square Shopping Centre when she arrived to sign copies of her calendar. It was the same year she appeared on stage at Party in the Park, at Preston Park, joining her fiancé Peter Andre. And fans returned again to Argos in Western Road, Brighton, as she launched her range of jewellery.

In 2006 she returned to the city when she performed on stage again with her then husband Peter Andre at the Radio One Chart Show live at the Brighton Dome. They released a cover of Whole New World.

She has also released a lingerie collection, hair care range, various perfumes and equestrian clothing.

Although being almost constantly in the spotlight, with her relationships often commented on and scrutinised, she still returns to her home city.

Last year she took to complaining about the amount of roadworks in Brighton and Hove clogging up the streets. Now 36, she lives near Horsham with her husband Kieran Hayler and five children, the youngest of which – Bunny – was born last year. Ms Price has just published her tenth novel.

She was visibly shocked to be announced as the winner of this year’s Celebrity Big Brother this month after entering the show part way through the series. She continues to write a column for The Sun on Sunday.