Former skilled bodyguard to the celebrities Simon Newton has seen all of it, from serving within the British Military to working for the British authorities on safety in Afghanistan, to defending Michael Jackson and Kendall Jenner.
For 15 years he was one member of a extremely unique group – these trusted by worldwide superstars to maintain them protected across the clock. In all that point, he didn’t ever stroll out on a job, irrespective of how troublesome circumstances grew to become.
Mr Newton’s profession is outstanding in its selection as a lot as its content material, however 4 years in the past he got here to the realisation he had carried out the whole lot on this planet of personal safety that he needed. Now, he is an actor together with his personal clothes line on the best way.
MailOnline spoke to the 44-year-old about his years spent with a number of the most well-known faces on this planet, who his finest consumer was, and the way he managed to interrupt into such an elusive market.
‘I used to be in Iraq in 2006 which was most likely probably the most harmful years in Iraq,’ Mr Newton stated.
Simon Newton, from London, spent years within the British Military earlier than turning into a non-public bodyguard (Pictured in Baghdad, Iraq in 2004)
Mr Newton (left) had his first superstar job in 2006 when he was employed to affix Michael Jackson’s staff on his journey to the UK
For 15 years he was one member of a extremely unique group – these trusted by worldwide superstars to maintain them protected across the clock
‘It was tough at instances, however that is all a part of the job sadly.’
The bodyguard’s informal references to the risks of life in Iraq in the course of a worldwide battle could appear stunning – however regardless of travelling to the nation to start out working in personal safety, it was certainly not the primary time he had confronted a war-zone.
Initially from London, Mr Newton joined the Royal Corps of Indicators, one of many fight help arms of the British Military, in 2000.
He served in Canada and on operations in Iraq for 4 years, together with within the Center East in 2003, earlier than leaving the army in 2004.
He quickly moved on from his safety position in Iraq to change into a Shut Safety Officer with the British Overseas and Commonwealth Workplace in Afghanistan – an equally, if no more harmful place to be in.
However Mr Newton, who has additionally spent appreciable time defending oil ships from pirates within the Indian Ocean, described the transfer as a ‘pure development’ after his time within the military.
It was 2006 when he was catapulted into the world of superstar safety for the primary time, when he was requested to assist defend Michael Jackson on a go to to the UK.
He described the time as ‘hectic’, including: ‘Any time you moved him round it was so busy on a regular basis, in order that grew to become troublesome. However due to that you just would not transfer him round as a lot as another person.’
His respect for the star was plain: ‘I do not suppose you will ever get anyone like him once more. The world of celebrities, of music or movie and TV, it is so completely different now.
Mr Newton served in Canada and on operations in Iraq for 4 years (pictured), together with within the Center East in 2003, earlier than leaving the army in 2004
In 2007 Mr Newton labored as a Shut Safety Officer in Afghanistan earlier than he returned to the UK and arrange his personal firm in 2010
After guarding Michael Jackson, he flew straight again to Afghanistan and returned to his position as a Shut Safety Officer (Pictured: Simon Newton at a gun vary in Afghanistan, 2007)
After establishing his personal UK personal safety firm in 2010, Mr Newton labored with celebrities similar to Bella Hadid (pictured) and Rita Ora
Mr Newton described Bella Hadid as an important consumer to work for – ‘She was at all times good, we at all times acquired on, and she or he at all times made positive I had the whole lot I wanted. She at all times listened to what I needed to say’
Mr Newton additionally protected Kendall Jenner, together with in 2015 when she attended vogue reveals at London Style Week
In addition to Kendall (centre), he additionally protected fashions Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss
‘Michael Jackson, even the little African child within the small village with none water knew who Michael Jackson was. You do not get many individuals like that.’
Mr Newton was one in all a five-strong staff of bodyguards for the pop star, and would typically face lengthy days which started earlier than the singer awakened and ended after he had gone to sleep.
When he accomplished the job, he flew straight again to Afghanistan and returned to his position as a Shut Safety Officer.
It wasn’t till 2010, by which era Mr Newton had returned to the UK for good and had arrange his personal safety firm, that he started receiving requests from A-Listing shoppers.
He stated: ‘I did used to choose and select barely on who I used to be taking care of… however usually there wasn’t actually any job too large.
‘One of many first large ones I had after Michael was Kendall Jenner. I did quite a bit with the fashions as a result of the modelling companies used to at all times prefer to name the identical guys.’
In addition to Kendall, he additionally protected fashions Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss – though his most common consumer was Bella Hadid.
‘I adopted her for 2 to a few years and I had a extremely good time, it was a extremely good job,’ Mr Newton stated.
He described how he was recruited by so many A-Listers: ‘It is belief if something. ‘They like the identical individuals, so when you’re type of in that circle of doing celebrities you keep in it so long as you will have a great repute. But it surely’s very troublesome to get into within the first place.’
Though he doesn’t have a favorite consumer, he stated he significantly loved working with Bella – though he did typically defend her sister Gigi too.
‘I spent much more time together with her [Bella]. She was at all times good, we at all times acquired on, and she or he at all times made positive I had the whole lot I wanted.
‘She at all times listened to what I needed to say. Though I at all times attempt to not dictate an excessive amount of, on the odd event I did must say one thing she would pay attention.
‘It was at all times an easy-running job together with her. She’s good enjoyable and a pleasant lady.’
Exterior of the modelling world, Mr Newton spent durations of time defending singers Rita Ora (pictured) and Halsey
Typically photographed alongside supermodels similar to Bella Hadid (centre) and Stella Maxwell (left), Mr Newton’s personal vogue tastes didn’t go unnoticed by the media
Exterior of the modelling world, Mr Newton spent durations of time defending singers Rita Ora and Halsey, who he additionally accompanied throughout Europe. He was additionally employed by Dizzee Rascal.
He instructed MailOnline that being ‘papped’ is a part of the job for any safety guard. However what the ex-army safety officer didn’t count on was for the media to take a private curiosity in him as the principle story.
Mr Newton stated: ‘Whenever you take care of any superstar you count on to be papped in some description, so if you end up in a photograph within the background or something like that that is probably not a giant factor.
‘However then Vogue did an article on me fairly than on Bella. That was a bit unusual as a result of I used to be like, I am simply the safety man.
‘As soon as they did that one then they kind of stored doing it, different publications have been choosing it up and doing stuff. However that is not regular.’
Vogue picked up on Mr Newton’s vogue sense, which at all times matched his shoppers’ outfits in a roundabout way however have been all his personal garments. However in contrast to another safety officers, fairly than stick with black fits or uniforms, he opted for a extra various vary.
The bodyguard stated he first grew to become serious about males’s vogue as a younger grownup.
‘That is how I acquired seen [by the media] I suppose. It began once I was within the military, that is once I began taking a look at males’s vogue a bit extra.’
It was round 2019 that Mr Newton realised he was prepared to show to his ardour: appearing.
He described how he got here to the choice to drop his extremely profitable profession and take a threat: ‘I believed I nonetheless personal a safety firm, I’ve taken care of a number of the most well-known individuals you possibly can take care of, I have been in a number of the worst international locations you will be in, I have been on boats, I’ve carried out politicians, CEOs of banks, billionaires, I’ve just about carried out the whole lot I needed to do.
‘There wasn’t actually something left.’
Mr Newton gave up safety work, though nonetheless owns his personal safety firm, and went to review appearing. Now he is busy planning a visit to Cannes Movie Competition subsequent week and has his personal clothes line set to come back out this summer season.
The ex-bodyguard has already been concerned in American film Crossfire, and is because of begin filming one other challenge in January.
‘It was a bit bumpy because of Covid,’ Mr Newton joked. ‘It is taken me a short while however I have not carried out too dangerous.’
