View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. People
May 12, 2009

Which celeb is getting his revenge on the paparazzi?

By Dominic Ponsford

Footballer turned film actor Vinnie Jones got his giant hands around the necks of Splash News owners Kevin Smith and Gary Morgan after the LA-based agency struck a sponsorship deal with Jones’ “Hollywood Allstars” team.

The deal means that some of Jones’ celebrity friends will soon be stepping out on the pitch wearing the logo of one of the paparazzi agencies which is often snapping them.

Jones said: “I got a real kick out of taking money from the paparazzi… and if they hadn’t paid up I would have been delighted to give them a kick.”

Splash has already bagged one story as a result of the deal when it revealed how Allstars striker Danny Mountain has become a top US porn star after being tipped for soccer stardom with Southampton Football Club.

Splash co-owner Kevin Smith said: “We had initially looked into Formula One sponsorship or perhaps putting our name to Polo or Premiership football.

“But after some thought we thought Vinnie’s image was far more suitable to our corporate image.”

Smith said they decided to abandon plans to stunt up Vinnie’s famous Paul Gascoigne pose for the promotional pictures.

Content from our partners
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it
Impress: Regulation, arbitration and complaints resolution

“Although we’re currently on Vinnie’s good side we didn’t want to push our luck.”

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network