Model, actress and radio presenter Kelly Brook has got married in a lavish fairytale ceremony in Italy.

But it was KentOnline reporter, Nicola Jordan, who helped get a young Kelly noticed.

Kelly Brook hit the headlines this weekend after tying the knot with her sweetheart of seven years Jeremy Parisi after a string of well-documented romances with the likes of Jason Statham, Billy Zane and Danny Cipriani.

But the nuptials, set in a stylish 19th century villa, were worlds apart from the shy 13-year-old schoolgirl I remember, whose mum entered her into the Medway Carnival princess competition.

At the time, working in public relations for the council, I was part of a team tasked to organise the contest after councillors decided the idea of a carnival queen had become "old fashioned".

The response was poor, I think we only had a couple of hopefuls put their names into the hat. But Kelly Ann Parsons, Kelly's real name, was one of them. With her long auburn locks and angelic looks, she was the outright winner.

It soon became known the former pupil of Thomas Aveling School, which is near to Kelly's Rochester family home, had aspirations for greater things.

She won a place at the Italia Conti Stage School, whose alumni include Naomi Campbell, Russell Brand and Sharon Osbourne.

But after three years, at the age of 16 she was forced to leave because her parents – mum Sandra who worked in a pie factory and dad Ken a scaffolder – couldn't afford the fees.

With little experience, she was unable to pursue her dream of becoming an actress, so she channelled her famous assets into modelling.

In no time she secured contracts promoting Fosters lager and Walkers crisps and became a familiar figure in the glamour model circuit featuring in the tabloids.

Her fame soared in the late 1990s and along with her photo shoots and interviews came television appearances. By the time she was 22 she landed the role on Channel 4's early morning show The Big Breakfast, co-hosting with Johnny Vaughan.

This proved to be the low point of Kelly's up-to-now glittering career, with critics ridiculing her intellect.

She was spectacularly fired from the programme, but she allegedly had the last laugh defiantly leaving the message: "Kelly gone to Hollywood."

She re-located to the States with her then boyfriend, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels actor Jason Statham, who she met on a Greek island when she was a teenager.

Despite spending much of her time rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous in LA, Kelly has remained well-grounded and faithful to her Medway roots.

While the 42-year-old now has a farmhouse in Lenham, near Maidstone, she makes regular visits to the place where she grew up and where she still has friends,.

There have been sightings of her having breakfast at a cafe in Victoria Street, Rochester.

She was spotted having a drink at back street local The Prince of Wales not far from her childhood home in Breton Road.

She's been seen eyeing up a sauce for her beloved pasta at the Asda superstore in Gillingham.

And enjoying a night out with girlfriends at the Odeon in Chatham Maritime, giggling and buying sweets.

Away from the glare of publicity, she wears little make-up and sports casual gear, shunning high heels for trainers and fancy frocks for jeans.

She makes no secret that her weight has fluctuated over the years and admits she piled on the pounds during lockdown.

After a roller-coaster of a career, the world's eyes were on our Kelly as she wed Jeremy, a judo instructor and personal trainer in a stunning white gown at the bash reportedly costing £500,000.

Not bad for a teenager whose journey may have started on a float on the streets of Chatham.

Did you compete against Kelly in the Princess competition? Email njordan@thekmgroup.co.uk.