How Rosie Jones went from taking Page 3 pics to becoming Mrs Joe Wicks
SHE must be the most glamorous supply teacher the country has ever seen – and Rosie Jones certainly had her online class paying full attention.
The mum of two is standing in for husband Joe Wicks and giving his YouTube PE lessons this week while he recovers from surgery on a broken hand.
Her first appearance as his super sub on Monday saw viewing figures for #PEWithJoe rocket by 50 per cent. But Rosie, 29, has always been a fan favourite — ever since she took her first steps to fame in The Sun.
The beautiful brunette was one of our most popular Page 3 girls ever, first appearing in the iconic spot in 2009, when she was 18.
Rosie grew up in Sunbury-on-Thames in Surrey, where she attended St Ignatius Catholic Primary School, then St Paul’s Catholic College, where she passed four A levels.
Ironically she originally wanted to become a primary school teacher, but after watching a TV programme about Samantha Bond Management — the glamour agency which discovered Katie Price — she decided to try modelling instead.
After reaching the top she said: “I guess I should thank my boobs for getting me to where I am — so thanks, boobs.”
While some woke types might sneer at Rosie’s story now, being a Sun stunner was about so much more than just having a pretty face.
During her time with the paper she helped to raise tens of thousands of pounds for charity, campaigned on issues such as breast cancer and dog cruelty, and even set a world record.
In 2009 Rosie, who is a size 30F, led a protest against M&S’s hated decision to add a £2 “bra tax” to bigger sizes.
Her Hands Off Our Boobs campaign resulted in bosses at Britain’s favourite underwear store backing down. Rosie praised our loyal army of readers for their support, saying she was “proud” to have been involved.
She also threw her weight behind The Sun’s support for Help for Heroes, the military charity we have backed since 2007.
Along with other Page 3 girls, Rosie annually shot calendars in aid of charity and posed regularly in their T-shirts at events.
She said: “It’s more important than ever to show support for our troops. A donation to Help for Heroes shows we won’t be beaten.”
And to set an example she climbed Mount Toubkal, in Morocco, raising £5,000 for the charity.
In 2014 fitness fan Rosie took on another gruelling money-raising challenge when she cycled 310 miles across India alongside fellow Page 3 beauties India Reynolds and Holly Peers to get cash for breast cancer charity CoppaFeel!
Rosie was one of the first to back our Check ’Em Tuesday campaign with the charity, encouraging women to check their boobs regularly for abnormalities.
She said: “The best defence against breast cancer is catching it early, so you need to start checking today.”
Big-hearted Rosie has also worked with Thai charity Soi Dog, which rescues mutts which had been destined for the dinner table.
Alongside her campaigning, Rosie has racked up plenty of accolades — some more bizarre than others.
In 2009 she set a world record for the most bras taken off, then put back on in one minute. She managed seven.
Nuts magazine crowned her No1 Sexiest Babe two years running and in 2012 FHM named her the world’s fourth sexiest woman in its annual list.
Rosie has also appeared in a number of music videos, including You Can Dance by Bryan Ferry in 2010, and Just Be Good To Green by Professor Green in the same year.
In 2014 she stopped Page 3 modelling but continued to pitch in on behalf of Sun readers, consumer-testing everything from the burkini to Nike’s notoriously flimsy tennis dress. She even took to a trampoline to assess the “bounce factor” of various high street bras.
With her girl-next-door looks and bubbly personality, Rosie won the hearts of millions of readers — though up to then, no man had won hers.
She once said: “I think people assume if you are a glamour model you have a footballer boyfriend.
“I guess they have fit bodies but they cry too much. They’re a bit wimpy, aren’t they? Rugby players aren’t such wimps.”
But rather than a rugby player, her dream man turned out to be fitness sensation Joe. They were introduced in 2016, and began dating, secretly at first.
But they were rumbled when they posted a series of near-identical Instagram pictures from Richard Branson’s Necker Island in September that year, revealing they were on a romantic getaway.
Once the news was out, Joe confirmed it was serious, saying: “She’s definitely The One.”
But he added that they would not be playing out their relationship in the spotlight, saying: “I live on social media every day, so the only thing I have that’s private really is me and my girlfriend.”
In fact, the couple didn’t post a picture together until 2018, when they announced they were expecting their first child.
Daughter Indie was born in July that year, and four months later Joe announced he and Rosie were engaged.
In an emotional statement he said: “My mum and dad never got married when I was growing up and spent my whole life separating and getting back together. I always thought I didn’t believe in marriage.
“But I now know what it means to want to stick together and to love someone enough to want to marry them. It’s my goal in life to be committed and loyal to Rosie and Indie and always be there for them.”
Last June the pair wed in sunlit woodland, surrounded by close family and friends. Rosie, who wore a plunging white gown and floor-length veil, described it as “the happiest I’ve ever been in my whole life, ever”.
Last December she gave birth to their son Marley, and Rosie said: “I’m so obsessed and in love with this strong, brave little man already.
"It’s unbelievable how much your heart can instantly grow to fit both children.”
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She and Joe had never planned for her to front his PE videos, which have been receiving more than a million views during lockdown.
But with Joe having to rest his hand she’ll front the lessons all week — so in a way, her one-time teaching ambition has finally been realised.
Joe said: “This is way out of her comfort zone and I love her so much for it,” while Rosie said after her first session: “I’m so sweaty, I’ve realised how hard it is!”
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