"I've spent 135k copying Britney's look"
Tuesday 16 June 2009
Working as a Britney Spears lookalike has cost Lorna Bliss a staggering £135,000 over the past 10 years. And she’ll stop at nothing to ensure she looks like her idol. Not only does she copy Britney’s hairstyles and outfits, she gains and loses weight according to the singer’s size, and even shaved her head when Britney did.
Lorna has just spent another £1,000 and lost 1st to copy the latest look unveiled by the star on her Circus tour. But Lorna says it’s worth it as she earns £45,000 a year, travels the world and regularly appears on TV.
“My job’s hard work, but it’s fantastic,” says Lorna, 27, from Cambridge. “I feel I owe Britney everything.”
Lorna was studying Performing Arts at university when Britney released Baby One More Time in 1998. She says: “My friends said I looked like her, but I couldn’t see it and didn’t like her squeaky clean image.”
In April 1999, Lorna saw two adverts for lookalike agencies. She says: “I thought it’d be an easy way to earn cash, so I sent in some photos. When both agencies offered me work, I started to believe I looked like her.”
Lorna signed up with Entertainment 2000, who paid for a singing coach and choreographers to help her sing, speak and dance like the star.
Lorna also borrowed £5,000 from her parents, Thomas, who recently died aged 71, and Carmel, 60, to get outfits made and have her hair dyed. And for a year, she toured UK nightclubs as a tribute act called Great Britney.
“I performed three times a week, earning £100 a night. It was exhausting, I had no social life and my parents thought I was mad as they’d never heard of Britney,” says Lorna.
Lorna was constantly asked to pose for photos or sign autographs.
She says:”I’d sign photos as if I was Britney. It made me feel like I was the one people loved.”
When Lorna finished her degree in May 2000, she started working for the agency full-time, performing at birthday parties, business functions and nightclubs.
“I was doing three jobs a week plus exercising and practising,” says Lorna.
“In December 2005, I landed my first job abroad at a club in New Delhi, India there were even paparazzi at the airport! Since then, I’ve worked in the US, Germany and Spain.”
Lorna has also been interviewed on chat shows and has only turned down eight jobs - mostly for pornographic magazines.
She says: “I won’t pose naked, but I’ve done some strange jobs. The weirdest was a live podcast from Radio One DJ Scott Mills’ house. I had to pretend to sleep in his bed and go through his drawers, but it paid very well.”
Although Lorna earns about £45,000 a year, she spends a third of that maintaining her look. She says: “My outfits are made to measure. My blue air hostess outfit cost £500, and my red catsuit was £300. I pay for stage equipment and, each month, spend £500 on my hair, £80 on waxing and £60 on getting my eyebrows plucked and tinted.”
When Britney famously shaved off her hair in February 2007, Lorna did the same.
She says: “I had to carry on working, so I shaved it. I liked it, but people teased me and, one day, a stranger asked: ‘How can you impersonate a train wreck?’
I said it was how I made money. It made me angry people were turning against her. She was depressed and, weirdly, I felt low too.”
Not surprisingly, Lorna’s parents were bemused by their daughter’s new look.
“Mum cried,” says Lorna. “Dad laughed, but he knew I was taking my job seriously.”
Lorna was single until 18 months ago, when she met Johnny Depp impersonator Danny Lopez, 45, on a TV show about lookalikes. She says: “He lives in LA, so we only see each other three times a year. We like going out to dinner or to a movie, but sometimes we go out dressed as Britney and Johnny to fool people. He understands how much of my life is dictated by Britney.”
Lorna, who is naturally a size 10, copies Britney’s fluctuating weight, and has yo-yoed from a size 8 to a 12.
“When Britney started gaining weight a few years ago, I started eating more and exercising less. I didn’t mind, as I like my body whatever size I am,” she says.
When Britney kicked off her Circus tour in June, Lorna went on a strict diet. She says: “I guessed she was a size 8 and, at the time, I was a 12. So I started working out, cut out carbs and lost 1st in three weeks. I was so relieved she didn2t have a six pack that would’ve been hard work!”
Lorna is now planning to spend £500 copying Britney’s nine tattoos, including a fairy on her lower back, dice on her left wrist and Kabbalah symbols on her neck.
“Although I’m worried about the pain, I can’t wait to have them. Britney will always be part of my life. I feel like we’re related like long-lost sisters. If she was to disappear from the limelight tomorrow, I wouldn’t regret a thing. But I wouldn’t have a clue what I’d do for a job.”
By Lisa Woollard
Posted by aimee_jane
RE: "I've spent 135k copying Britney's look"
i'm sorry but i don't see it! fair enough she looks similar but no way does she look identical to Britney, i don't understand how people can be fooled by it. I watched the Muarry show which she was on and the johhny Depp guy she mentioned was Mr Depps double and the others were average. I don't know how she makes money.
Posted 16/06/2009 11:51:48
Posted by bobo99
RE: "I've spent 135k copying Britney's look"
How could she have been doing a degree at 16years old?! Either she's lying about her age or you've got your facts wrong!
Posted 18/06/2009 11:09:22
Posted by alisha98
RE: "I've spent 135k copying Britney's look"
they do look similar but she wil never be as good as brit i mean come on. there are some desperate one-a-be's in this world get a grip and be natural its just not gonna work for you now hunni is it??? THINK WOMAN THINK
Posted 19/06/2009 09:45:12
Posted by cj cherry lips
RE: "I've spent 135k copying Britney's look"
in response to alisha98 not that im saying she may be trying to copy britney exact but she was in the same year as my hubby and he is 32 this year so not saying she is bending the truth but you do the maths. guess it helps with the bookings if your the same age.....
Posted 27/06/2009 18:45:56
Posted by terrie
RE: "I've spent 135k copying Britney's look"
dont listen to them your boonie omg i wish i looked like you have a good time your making money for it their just jeos xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Posted 03/07/2009 12:05:57
Posted by tracydarlin
RE: "I've spent 135k copying Britney's look"
omg how pathetic is this girl?get a real job n stop tryn 2b sum1 ur not.i dnt tink ders a huge simalarity btween hersef n britney.we cud all look lik 1 of d celeberitys if we spent 135k on our image.wat a joke.grow up girl its not guna last.....!!!
Posted 03/07/2009 19:15:55
Posted by beetharm.x
RE: "I've spent 135k copying Britney's look"
im sorry but HOW PATHETIC CAN YOU GET ! Britneys a pshyco and ur paying to look like her ? get a life and grow up lass ! the only people that actually love britney are little kids ! so how do u make ur money ?!
there are people out there struggling for jobs with real qualifications and dont have any money and your blowing all yours on looking like a tart from the USA your obviously not right in the head doll
Posted 13/07/2009 12:28:55
Posted by pigeon chest
RE: "I've spent 135k copying Britney's look"
i fink this girl brit wana be is amazing, she is the spit of the real britney spears, i think all of u lot are just jelous of her arnt u's?? i have read her amazing story 83 times now i fink she is fabalass, i really wud like to be her she is mint as out like, av even printed out her picture out so a can kiss her gudnite, wot ya's all been nasty for, jeslously gets u's no where u no. a fink she lukd fab with no hair and she shud of kept it like that
A LUV YA ALWAYS BRIT LOOK-ALIKE,
BRIT & PIGEON CHEST FOREVE XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Posted 17/08/2009 13:54:03
Posted by pigeon chest
RE: "I've spent 135k copying Britney's look"
i fink this girl brit wana be is amazing, she is the spit of the real britney spears, i think all of u lot are just jelous of her arnt u's?? i have read her amazing story 83 times now i fink she is fabalass, i really wud like to be her she is mint as out like, av even printed out her picture out so a can kiss her gudnite, wot ya's all been nasty for, jeslously gets u's no where u no. a fink she lukd fab with no hair and she shud of kept it like that
A LUV YA ALWAYS BRIT LOOK-ALIKE,
BRIT & PIGEON CHEST FOREVA XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Posted 17/08/2009 13:54:08
Posted by truueeshopping
RE: "I've spent 135k copying Britney's look"
well i think if thats your dream and she really means that much do you do it and your not pathetic your doing what you want to do and i think thats great and i love britanys music and i think she has gone through alot and has always come through and put it all behind her shes my idol to and though i like her music and her i would never do anything like that and thats whats so orginal aboult what you have done you havent just had a boreing normal job you have done what you wanted and i like that well done
Posted 21/08/2009 23:29:36
Posted by djxxx
RE: "I've spent 135k copying Britney's look"
i think you wasted your money honey
Posted 09/09/2009 13:13:00
Posted by Eggie breath
RE: "I've spent 135k copying Britney's look"
omg, this girl doesnt even look anything like her! she has made a fool of herself and wasted alot of money! and shaving her head!? thats just crazy. Everyone should be unique and love themselves for who they are, not try to be someone else.
Posted 04/10/2009 14:12:40