Davinia Taylor

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Davinia Taylor

Born	Davinia Murphy November 11, 1977 (1977-11-11) (age 30) Wigan, England
Spouse(s)	Dave Gardner (2003-present)

Davinia Taylor (born Davinia Murphy on 11 November 1977 in Wigan, Greater Manchester) is a British actress and socialite.

After attending Rossall School and then Winstanley Sixth Form College from 1994, studying Theatre and Performing arts A Level's^[1] she left before finishing her course to work as a model before joining the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks in 1997, playing party girl Jude Cunningham on the soap. During her time on the show, Jude set up a fake wedding before leaving the country using her dead sister's passport. She was sacked after one year for "persistent bad timekeeping".^[2] In 2006, The Sunday Mirror reported that Taylor was returning to the cast of Hollyoaks,^[3] but she has since withdrawn from the opportunity due to "personal problems"^[4]

The original Hollyoaks part led to roles in the television movies Bostock's Cup, Is Harry on the Boat?, the comedic film, Soul Patrol, as well as a spot on an episode of Urban Gothic, presenting work on The Big Breakfast and Top of the Pops @ Play and an appearance in the documentary series Young, Hot and Talented for Five.^[5] She appeared in Maxim magazine in February of 2003,^[6] and has been named in FHM's "100 Sexiest Women in the World" list in 1996 (56), 1997 (97), and 1998 (86).

[edit] Personal life

Her father, Alan Murphy (sometimes referred to as "The Bog Roll King") is one of the UK's wealthiest men.^[7] He ran the AM Paper toilet roll factory in Skelmersdale.

Davinia was involved in controversy in November 1997 when her then-boyfriend Ryan Giggs allegedly assaulted her in a nightclub, punching her in the stomach and face^[8]

After numerous tabloid reported romances, including Ryan Giggs and James Gooding (Kylie Minogue's ex-boyfriend), she married football agent Dave Gardner (best friend of David Beckham) in a lavish £875,000 wedding in July, 2003. Beckham was best man, while Taylor (in a £50,000 gown) arrived with bridesmaid Jenny Frost, a singer in Atomic Kitten. Sister Sledge performed at the reception, and Gardner showered his new bride with gifts, including a £40,000 engagement ring and a £89,000 Mercedes-Benz.^[9] They separated for a third time in 2005,^[10] but soon got back together.^[11]

Since giving up acting around the same time as her marriage in 2003, Taylor has become well known for frequently being a target of the British tabloid press, as part of the Primrose Hill set with Sadie Frost (actress and ex-wife of Jude Law), and supermodel Kate Moss. Moss's boyfriend Pete Doherty was photographed smoking cocaine on Taylor's father's yacht in Summer 2005.^[12] In 2006, when Moss was exposed for taking cocaine, Taylor was mentioned as one of those that had been involved in drug fuelled lesbian sex sessions with Moss and Frost at Claridges hotel during the model's 31st birthday, and had become a "Moss Disciple."^[13]^[14] In September 2005, Taylor booked into rehab suffering from "acute depression", after tabloids reported that Taylor had slept with Frost's boyfriend Barry Smith.^[15]^[16]