Charley Speed: Kate Moss was a 'laugh'

The male supermodel Charley Speed landed his big break alongside a young Kate Moss on a Calvin Klein ad campaign in 1997 and  fun-loving Kate Moss put him at ease almost immediately.

 

Speaking exclusively to BANG Showbiz ahead of BINTM Live at the Clothes Show Live next month, Charley said: "I was so new and young and I had no idea, I didn't even recognise her when she walked into the fitting room and she was late. She was lovely, she was good fun to work with, we actually had a great laugh on set. 

 

"She was already huge and I was a little new face on the job. But she was certainly very civil to work with, she didn't make you feel uncomfortable. She was good fun."

 

Kate recently admitted she suffered a "nervous breakdown" at the start of her career when she had to straddle a shirtless Mark Wahlberg for a Calvin Klein photoshoot aged 16, and Charley expressed his concern about young models feeling forced into uncomfortable situations without supervision.

 

He explained: "It's difficult because when you're that young, you don't realise that you can say no, but that's when your management comes into play. You can phone your agent any time in a shoot and say, 'I'm not comfortable doing this.' 

 

"I've worked with nothing but nice people. I've never been asked to do anything I didn't want to do. Maybe she's looked back and thought, 'I'm surprised about that.' "

 

When probed about whether the fashion industry over-sexualises young girls, the 33-year-old former 'Britain and Ireland's Next Top Model' judge insisted most agencies are very strict about making their young clients feel comfortable.

 

Charley said: "It's a really difficult thing. I think kids should be allowed to grow up in their own time, you see really young girls and guys dolled up to the max, skimpy clothing... There should certainly be an age limit and there is - most of the time."

 

The Clothes Show Live kicks off on December 7 at Birmingham's NEC and fans will be able to get up close and personal with the 'BINTM' series 8 models.