I was UK’s first Wag & blew money like toilet paper – now I’m £500k in debt, says ex-glamour model Suzi Walker

AS Britain’s first Wag, she as soon as loved a lavish lifetime of champagne, Gucci attire and nights out with Victoria Beckham.

Former mannequin Suzi Walker admits she and her fellow England wives and girlfriends blew cash like they have been “getting by way of rest room paper”.

Suzi Walker says she is now half a million in debt and has had to sell her possessions
Suzi Walker says she is now half one million in debt and has needed to promote her possessionsCredit score: Channel 4

Suzi says her life changed when Ian Walker was called up into the England squad - the pair pictured at home in 1997
Suzi says her life modified when Ian Walker was known as up into the England squad - the pair pictured at dwelling in 1997Credit score: Information Group Newspapers Ltd

However immediately she tells how she has been pressured to pawn 1000's of kilos of cherished jewelry after ending up with £500,000 of debt.

Suzi, 52 — former spouse of Spurs goalie Ian Walker and ex-partner of former Crystal ­Palace boss Simon Jordan — informed The Solar on Sunday: “Ending up round half one million in debt and never having the cash I as soon as had has modified me as a human being.

“I now know greater than ever what’s vital in life.”

The previous Web page 3 lady says a expensive court docket case and continual well being ­issues have left her having to dump belongings.

Suzi, who married businessman Mark Pitman in 2018, and now lives in Ashtead, Surrey, ­continued: “I pawned and offered the whole lot I might simply to maintain going.

“Final yr it was the engagement ring Mark gave me, which broke my coronary heart, and a few diamond earrings and a hoop that have been items from him.

And I additionally pawned a diamond tennis bracelet value 1000's that Simon gave me.

Cristal champagne

“They have been offered for one thing ridiculous, a few thousand, however have been value a lot extra.

"I can see individuals may assume after I’ve had such rich companions that I’d at all times have cash however I’ve by no means wished to lean on anybody. I’ve by no means married for cash.”

Suzi, who divorced Ian in 2007 after he bedded a Las Vegas lap dancer, was threatened with repossession of her £950,000 home simply final week as a result of she owes £20,000.

It's cash she now doesn’t have.

The money owed racked up after she and financier Mark needed to shell out greater than £600,000 in authorized charges two years in the past, attempting to recoup ­hundreds of thousands that he claimed an organization owed him in work charges.

She says they received the case in 2021 however have nonetheless not recouped the cash.

Suzi, the inspiration for the character Chardonnay in Noughties ITV drama Footballers’ Wives, additionally spent £60,000 on well being payments combating a continual sickness that went un- identified for years and which she remains to be satisfied will in the future kill her.

She mentioned: “I knew I used to be dying, however I couldn’t get a ­prognosis from my native hospital. I paid to get personal exams.

“I’ve been so in poor health that I’ve barely been ready to have a look at the publish.

“I used to be ignoring calls from the mortgage firm, and the home is in my identify.

“It’s a couple of yr’s value of ­funds — I owe over £20,000 — however I’ve been capable of present them GP notes as proof of my in poor health well being and now I've somewhat extra time to search out the cash.

“It’s wonderful my electrical energy and different issues haven’t been lower off.”

Suzi married her current husband Mark Pitman in 2018
Suzi married her present husband Mark Pitman in 2018Credit score: Oliver Dixon

Wags used to swap expensive watches and drank only the finest Cristal champagne
Wags used to swap costly watches and drank solely the best Cristal champagneCredit score: Oliver Dixon

It’s all a far cry from her Wag years within the Nineteen Nineties and 2000s.

She turned buddies with Coleen Rooney, Alex Gerrard and Victoria Beckham as they noticed their husbands Wayne, Steven and David play for England.

She mentioned: “We loved the best of the whole lot when it was Euro 96.

"We had some wonderful occasions and Coleen, Victoria and Alex have been beautiful. It was the Wag fairytale.

“However we used to blow cash like we have been getting by way of rest room paper.

“We’d spend 1000's at Gucci and Prada, drank solely the best Cristal champagne.

"Coleen, Alex and I cherished swapping Jacob and Co watches for different kinds or Cartier diamond-encrusted ones.

"I can’t bear in mind the costs however they have been value 1000's and 1000's.”

When Suzi obtained engaged to Ian in 1994 he was taking part in for Tottenham and he or she was an aspiring mannequin.

They went on to have daughter Sophie, now 24.

Suzi mentioned: “We weren’t wealthy then. I purchased the engagement ring for about 20 quid from the division retailer Allders.

“We rented our TV. Our ­relationship was not about cash.

“However when Ian obtained into the England staff it turned a special life.

"He purchased me an attractive, pear-shaped diamond — God is aware of how a lot that value.

“I didn’t take into consideration cash. I’d get blow-dries to my hair each week. I had Botox. I might spend 1000's each month on garments.

“I had pretend tan, I had my boobs made larger, smaller, then larger once more — I can’t even bear in mind what number of I had however I feel they value about £8,000 every time.

“We flew first-class. I’d spend 1000's having floral preparations in our home at Christmas.

“Ian gave me these wonderful Cartier love bangle bracelets which have been value at the very least £10,000. I had a tennis diamond ankle chain.

“I’d have a private shopper at Selfridges. It appears loopy however it's simply the life you bought used to.

"A pal joked we’d change automobiles extra occasions than he’d change his underwear.”

Suzi describes Ian as a “great” dad and is adamant she would by no means flip to him for money, regardless of the scenario she is in.

She mentioned: “After I divorced him I obtained about £800,000. I put that in the direction of a brand new dwelling and getting my daughter into the most effective faculty.

“I by no means went after him financially for extra as a result of I’m simply not a type of grasping cash individuals.”

Suzi fell for then Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan and share a daughter together
Suzi fell for then Crystal Palace proprietor Simon Jordan and share a daughter collectivelyCredit score: Oliver Dixon

Not lengthy afterwards, in 2007, Suzi fell for a fair wealthier man in Simon Jordan.

She mentioned: “Simon would spend £50,000 on effective wines.

He had a limo driver who would take me to Dior. It was on a special stage.

“One evening on the Grosvenor Home Lodge he obtained me a vodka and tonic.

Set within the ice within the drink was a diamond necklace. I used to be blown away.

We have been so in love and I knew he wished a toddler.

So my present again to him was to current him with my contraceptive coil to say: ‘I'm blissful to attempt’.

“One other time there was a brand new Vary Rover ready for me outdoors the Grosvenor.

“One evening we went for dinner and he actually wished me to have a starter. When it arrived there was a diamond bracelet on the plate.”

‘I feel I’m going to die’

The couple cut up in 2008 and Simon is paying upkeep for his or her daughter Cameron, now 15.

Suzi has been tormented by in poor health well being for years and practically died giving delivery to Sophie.

Then she was identified with ME, which she now believes was a misdiagnosis.

Suzi has struggled with ill health in recent years and been in and out of hospital
Suzi has struggled with in poor health well being in recent times and been out and in of hospitalCredit score: Oliver Dixon

She mentioned: “I’ve had a long time of in poor health well being however I feel the stress of the 2021 court docket case made it worse.

"Final October my face swelled up so I used to be unrecognisable. I saved falling unconscious.

"I used to be getting lesions and bruises throughout my legs and knuckles. I known as dozen of ­ambulances as a result of I felt so in poor health.

“They’d say it was psychological heath issues. Even Mark didn’t consider I used to be bodily in poor health at one level, which actually harm.

“There was a degree final yr I mentioned to my mum, ‘I feel I’m going to die’. And I simply didn’t wish to dwell any extra.”

Lastly, earlier this yr on the personal Levitas Clinic in Guildford, Surrey, exams revealed Suzi has a uncommon and continual variant of Lyme illness — the bacterial an infection brought on by ticks — known as babesiosis.

She mentioned: “Getting a prognosis was such a reduction and I'm talking out to attempt to assist others who could really feel in the identical scenario. It has been completely dreadful.”

The situation has led to Suzi struggling a bunch of different diseases, together with meningitis, mind irritation and discharge behind her eyes.

She says: “The clinic has actually saved my life as a result of I used to be put straight on to some very sturdy medication to assist cut back the irritation in my mind and physique, and I used to be on IV drips each day. I’ve no thought the way it obtained this continual.

"I don’t bear in mind being bitten by a tick however it might have been a long time in the past.

“Recently I’ve felt worse and there's no remedy. I really feel so in poor health I mentioned to my mum just lately, ‘I’ll be amazed if I’m alive by the top of this yr’.

“I nonetheless really feel unwell and the cash worries don’t assist. But when this has taught me something, it’s that cash isn’t an important factor.

“I don’t know what the long run holds. I simply need my well being again.”

Suzi has been forced to sell off her jewellery to attempt to pay off her debts
Suzi has been pressured to dump her jewelry to aim to repay her money owedCredit score: Oliver Dixon

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