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Date with Kate

DATE WITH KATE: LARA BINGLE

25th March, 2012
Dining with Lara Bingle.

Dining with Lara Bingle.

Model Lara Bingle has signed a lucrative deal with Channel Ten to star in her own reality series, Being Lara Bingle. Kate Waterhouse caught up with the 24-year-old to chat about the show, her negative publicity and rumoured weight gain.

Can you tell us about the plot of your new show?

I’m working on a number of things throughout the show, like sunglasses, skincare, jewellery . . . I’ve had to find manufacturers and everything and the personal life stuff, you can’t script that. I’m moving into a house with [my best friend and manager] Hermione and my brother – that will be a show in itself.

Do you feel the media create a negative image of you?

Yes, 100 per cent. I don’t take it too seriously but it can be very annoying when something is printed and it’s not right. It’s little things. If I turn up to a Louis Vuitton function dressed in Louis Vuitton, the media will say, “Why isn’t she supporting Australian designers?” There is always a negative angle. I’m going to get criticised either way but I’ll never let it stop [me] from going forward.

What do you make of claims you’re an attention seeker?

I don’t care that much. In the past, I didn’t care about the consequences, so when people say I was creating drama, I wasn’t, I was just living. But now I feel like I’ve matured and I take responsibility for what I do. The only time I’ve ever cared is when they said I’d put on weight.

How did you feel about that?

That got to me. I cry all the time . . . I try not to read [stories about me] but it’s hard not to, whether it’s on TV . . . or your nan rings you and says, “Are you all right?” It’s not even that it’s being written, it’s just that everyone on the street feels like they have the right to tell me their opinion; everyone felt like they could weigh in on my weight.

Do you have any regrets?

No not really. For example, if I stayed with Michael, I would not be the person I am today. Everything was given to me on a silver platter, I had no moral values, I was not a nice person. I had a money tree out the back, clothes, cars, everything was [too] easy . . . but now I put it all in perspective. I took everything for granted, even with my weight. I now train 10 times harder than I ever did. I used to be able to eat whatever I wanted but it all catches up with you.

Are you still in contact with Clarkey?

Yes, I speak to him sometimes but no one wants their ex-girlfriend calling them. He is always very supportive.

What do you look for in a man?

Humour and also protection, like that’s your man and you could tell them anything. For me, I’ve always had boyfriends that . . . “jealous” is not the right word but they just can’t cope [with me being] very strongly driven. They are like, “Where do I fit in?” I’m not very good with relationships [laughs]. I’ve had a failed engagement, I’ve had Danny [Cipriani], who dropped me on my arse. The magazine was still on the stand about how [we] had fallen in love, and he had told me we were over. Danny had done to me what I had done to every guy in my life. The moment he gave it back to me I was like, “Wow, OK . . . ” It was the lesson I had to learn.

BITE SIZE

WE WENT TO Fratelli Paradiso, Potts Point.

WE ATE Olives; prosciutto and figs; veal and a rocket and parmesan salad.

WE DRANK Sparkling mineral water.

LARA WORE Bassike top, Scanlan & Theodore skirt and Christian Louboutin heels.

smh.com.au