// Workers AI · dad joke modeWho's Lauren Harries? A star with harrowing prices.
Lauren Harries | |
|---|---|
| Born | James Charles Harries 6 March 1978 Surrey, England |
| Occupation | Media personality |
| Years active | 1988–present |
| Website | laurenharries |
Lauren Charlotte Harries (born James Charles Harries; 6 March 1978) is an English media personality. As a child, she was known for her knowledge of antiques and appeared on numerous television shows including Wogan (1988), After Dark (1991) and The Oprah Winfrey Show (1991), as well as writing an antique guide Rags to Riches (1993)
In later life, following her gender reassignment surgery, she starred in a documentary Little Lady Fauntleroy (2004), and became known for her appearances on reality television programmes, including The Salon (2004), Trust Me – I'm a Beauty Therapist (2006), Big Brother's Bit on the Side (2011–2014), Naked Attraction (2019) and most notably, as a housemate on the twelfth series of Celebrity Big Brother (2013), in which she reached the final and finished in third place. She also released the singles "I Am a Woman" (2015), "All Dressed Up" (2015) and "Upadoo" (2018).
Early life
[edit]Lauren Charlotte Harries was born James Charles Harries on 6 March 1978 in Surrey to Kathleen and Mark Harries.[1] She has an older brother Adam, and a younger brother, Patrick.[2][3] Harries' father worked in the hotel business and catering trade.[4] Her mother worked as a stripper in South Africa and previously owned an escort agency in Soho.[5][6] The family moved to Cardiff when Harries was still a baby. From the age of five, she enjoyed art and antiques and had an apparent ability to spot bargains at local jumble sales and second-hand shops.[6]
Career
[edit]
Harries began making television appearances in August 1988 on Terry Wogan's chat show, Wogan.[1] The then ten-year-old[1] demonstrated a good knowledge of antiques, and appeared on other shows including After Dark and The Oprah Winfrey Show. At 13, she wrote an antique guide, Rags to Riches.[7][8][9]
In 2004, after Harries had undergone gender reassignment surgery, Channel 4 broadcast a documentary Little Lady Fauntleroy, fronted by actor Keith Allen in which Allen interviewed the Harries family.[10] The documentary aimed to make a mockery of the Harries family, however revealed that they had falsified and exaggerated some of their claims, notably that the counsellor who looked after Harries during her sex change operation was named Lesley Stewart, which was revealed to be an alias of Kaye Harries, her own mother. They were also accused of faking their qualifications, doctorates in metaphysics and counselling degrees, that had been issued by the Cardiff College of Humanistic Studies, located at Tudor Cottage, their own house.[11] The documentary was released on DVD on 4 July 2005. In October 2006, Harries appeared in the Channel 5 television series Trust Me – I'm a Beauty Therapist,[12] which was filmed on location in a beauty therapist's in Swansea, Wales. In November 2008, Harries was featured as a cover girl in the specialist lifestyle magazine Transliving.[13] In 2010, Harries starred in a Showcase TV series Lauren Harries: Working 9-5, in which she spent five days working different jobs.[14]
In August 2013, Harries became a housemate on the twelfth series of Celebrity Big Brother.[15] She finished in third place.[16] In September 2013, she appeared on Celebrity Juice.[17] Her debut single "I Am a Woman" was released in January 2015.[18] Harries released a follow-up single, "All Dressed Up" in May 2015.[19] In March 2018, Harries appeared on The Jeremy Kyle Show alongside Lisa Appleton after the pair fell out whilst on holiday in Benidorm.[20] Her final single, "Upadoo" was released in May 2018.[21] In August 2019, Harries made an appearance on the Channel 4 dating series Naked Attraction, becoming the first celebrity to appear on the series. She was rejected by the contestant, who said that Harries was too old for him. Harries said she felt empowered doing the show and did it to show herself off as a transgender woman.[22][23] In late 2025, Harries released an autobiography, Becoming Lauren, in collaboration with Edward Payne. Harries is also an artist and sells paintings via her website.[24]
Personal life
[edit]Harries' schooling suffered from the heightened publicity. By the age of 14, Harries suffered depression and agoraphobia, which led to a nervous breakdown and suicide attempt.[25] Media opportunities and resulting business reduced as Harries grew up.[6] In the recession of the early 1990s, the family's businesses failed. One family shop was destroyed by fire, and her father was convicted of insurance fraud. Harries sold some of her collections to assist in the support of the family.[6][8] Harries then took three GCSEs after home tutoring.[26]
As a child, Harries had been taken by her family to see a doctor because she displayed feminine mannerisms. Later, Harries decided to transition from male to female, change her name to Lauren Charlotte,[7] and investigated gender reassignment surgery, which was carried out in 2001.[1] Funding for this was generated from publicity arranged by Max Clifford.[6] In July 2005, a group of five to seven men attacked Harries, her father and her brother in the family home.[27] One 17-year-old boy was later fined and given a supervision order for his role in the incident.[28]
Health
[edit]In April 2023, Harries underwent an emergency brain surgery for an undiagnosed illness.[29] In June 2023, Harries was placed in an induced coma for several days.[30] In July 2023, Harries underwent an additional emergency spinal surgery. Following the surgery, Harries posted to social media for the first time in three months, thanking fans for their support.[31] Harries was released in December 2023, after seven months in hospital.[32]
Filmography
[edit]| Year | Title | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Wogan | Guest | [33] |
| 1991 | After Dark | Guest | [34] |
| Ring My Bell | Guest | [34] | |
| The Oprah Winfrey Show | Guest | [34] | |
| 1993 | Terry Wogan's Friday Night | Guest | [34] |
| 1992 | Between Ourselves | Guest | [34] |
| 2001 | Live Talk | Guest; 1 episode | [34] |
| 2002 | After They Were Famous | Guest; 1 episode | [34] |
| Open House with Gloria Hunniford | Guest; 1 episode | [34] | |
| 2004 | Little Lady Fauntleroy | Documentary | [34] |
| The Salon | 1 episode | [34] | |
| 2005 | The Child Star Jinx | Guest; 1 episode | [34] |
| 2005–2006 | Big Brother's Big Mouth | Guest | [34] |
| 2006 | Wogan Now & Then | Guest; 1 episode | [34] |
| Trust Me – I'm a Beauty Therapist | 10 episodes | [34] | |
| 2009, 2013–2014, 2017 | This Morning | Guest / Antiques expert; 7 episodes | [34] |
| 2010 | Lauren Harries: Working 9-5 | Main role | [34] |
| 2011–2014 | Big Brother's Bit on the Side | Guest; 32 episodes | [34] |
| 2012 | World's Greatest Body Shockers | Guest; 1 episode | [34] |
| 2013 | Celebrity Big Brother | Housemate; series 12 | [35] |
| Celebrity Juice | Guest; 1 episode | [34] | |
| 2014 | Bodyshockers | Guest; 1 episode | [34] |
| TV Od | Guest; 1 episode | [34] | |
| 2017 | Celebrity 100% Hotter | Guest; 1 episode | [36] |
| Loose Women | Guest; 1 episode | [37] | |
| 2018 | The Jeremy Kyle Show | Guest; 1 episode | [38] |
| 2019 | Celebrity Fry-Up | Guest; 1 episode | [39] |
| Naked Attraction | Contestant; 1 episode | [40] |
Discography
[edit]Singles
[edit]| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "I Am a Woman"[41] | 2015 | Non-album single |
| "All Dressed Up"[19] | ||
| "Upadoo"[21] | 2018 |
Bibliography
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 "Transsexual to move to 'safer' LA". BBC News. 6 September 2005. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008. Retrieved 13 April 2008.
- ↑ "Two Programmes – Where Are They Now?, Lauren Harries". BBC. Archived from the original on 5 September 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
- ↑ "James Charles Harries". FreeBMD. Archived from the original on 7 September 2022. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
- ↑ Flett, Kathryn (3 July 2004). "Shattered Innocents". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 March 2026.
- ↑ Wollaston, Sam (29 June 2004). "House of the surprising son". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 March 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Seaton, Matt (13 April 2001). "Just call me Lauren". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 31 December 2013. Retrieved 16 August 2011.
- 1 2 "Interview: James Harries, teenage antiques expert". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 28 November 2018. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
- 1 2 Stuart, Julia (13 April 2001). "The boy in the made-up world". The Independent (subscription required). Retrieved 31 March 2013.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ↑ Harries, James Charles (1991). Rags to Riches (2nd ed.). Cardiff: Adviser and Weekly News. ISBN 1873798008.
- ↑ Joe Joseph (29 June 2004). "TV Review". The Times. London. Archived from the original on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2008.
- ↑ Wollaston, Sam (29 July 2004). "House of the surprising son". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 12 January 2016. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
- ↑ Rachel Mainwaring (15 October 2006). "Sweet link for sexy Welshies". icWales. Retrieved 13 April 2008.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ↑ "Stacy gets up close and personal with TS celebrity Lauren Harries". Transliving. No. 27. Transliving International Magazine. November 2008. ISSN 1746-8329. Archived from the original on 26 April 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2009.[page needed]
- ↑ "Lauren Harries to star in new reality show". Digital Spy. 8 February 2010. Archived from the original on 11 February 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2026.
- ↑ "About Lauren". bbspy. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
- ↑ "'Celebrity Big Brother' Final: 'Geordie Shore' Star Charlotte Crosby Crowned Winner". HuffPost. 14 September 2013. Archived from the original on 16 September 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
- ↑ "Celebrity Juice 2013: Lauren Harries talks about 'having sex' with Russell Brand". One News Page. 19 September 2013. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
- ↑ "YouTube". Archived from the original on 13 December 2014. Retrieved 21 August 2018 – via YouTube.
- 1 2 "All Dressed Up – Single by Lauren Harries on iTunes". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 6 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
- ↑ "Lisa Appleton and Lauren Harries clash on Jeremy Kyle Show". Coventry Live. 5 March 2018. Retrieved 26 March 2026.
- 1 2 "Upadoo – Single by LAUREN on iTunes". Apple Music. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
- ↑ "Lauren Harries to be first celebrity on Naked Attraction". FemaleFirst. 9 August 2019. Archived from the original on 29 August 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
- ↑ Welsh, Daniel (9 May 2021). "Channel 4 Reportedly Shelves Celebrity Edition Of Naked Attraction". HuffPost. Archived from the original on 15 September 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
While a full star-studded edition of Naked Attraction is yet to be given the go-ahead, the show has featured a celebrity in a past episode, when reality star Lauren Harries took part.
- ↑ Eklund, Zahna (19 September 2023). "Lauren Harries' life - child antique star, health woes, Russell Brand 'fling'". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 26 March 2026.
- ↑ Anna Hammond, South Wales Echo (13 July 2005). "Sex change ex-child star in brutal attack – Wales News". WalesOnline. Archived from the original on 7 November 2011. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
- ↑ "Interview: James Harries, teenage antiques expert". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 31 December 2013. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
- ↑ Anna Hammond (13 July 2005). "Sex change ex-child star brutally attacked". icWales. Archived from the original on 17 February 2009. Retrieved 4 April 2007.
- ↑ Gareth Llewellyn (19 September 2005). "Youth who attacked transsexual spared jail". icWales. Archived from the original on 17 February 2009. Retrieved 4 April 2007.
- ↑ Chilton, Louis (18 May 2023). "Lauren Harries' mother issues plea after Celebrity Big Brother star has brain surgery". The Independent. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
- ↑ "Celebrity Big Brother's Lauren Harries placed in induced coma after major brain surgery". ITV. 6 June 2023. Archived from the original on 5 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
- ↑ Woodcock, Zara (28 July 2023). "Big Brother's Lauren Harries shares health update after 'painful' spine surgery". The Mirror. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
- ↑ Willix, Pierra (6 December 2023). "Lauren Harries' family gives huge update after coma and brain surgery". Archived from the original on 6 May 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
- ↑ "Lauren Harries – Filmography". Kinorium. Archived from the original on 5 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 "Lauren Harries filmography". Plex.tv. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
- ↑ Jenkins, Saffron (23 August 2013). "Lauren Harries revealed as Celebrity Big Brother 2013 housemate". Wales Online. Retrieved 26 March 2026.
- ↑ White, Peter. "Celebs get C5 makeover". Broadcast. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
- ↑ "Lauren Harries on her 21-year-old toyboy boyfriend: 'He sees me as a woman and is very accepting'". ITVX. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
- ↑ "Lauren Harries and Lisa Appleton's Benidorm row on Jeremy Kyle". Manchester Evening News. 7 March 2018. Archived from the original on 7 March 2018. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
- ↑ "Lauren Harries talks Russell Brand Romp, Celebrity Big Brother & Naked Attraction | Celebrity Fry-Up". YouTube. 24 November 2019. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
- ↑ "CBB star Lauren Harries throws an EPIC tantrum after she's snubbed on Naked Attraction". Heart. Archived from the original on 7 February 2026. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
- ↑ "I Am a Woman – Single by Lauren Harries on iTunes". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 21 August 2025. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
- ↑ WalesOnline, by (12 July 2005). "Lauren Harries' amazing story". Wales Online. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
- ↑ "Becoming Lauren Book". bestbookprice.co.uk. Retrieved 31 March 2026.