September 10th 2024.
Next time you have a rough day at work, just remember that it could be worse – you could have accidentally put Penélope Cruz in a headlock like Tom Cruise's former bodyguard did. That's right, Billy Billingham, a former security guard for A-listers like Tom and Angelina Jolie, admitted that he once struggled to keep up with the Mission: Impossible star's love life and who his actual girlfriend was.
During an appearance on The One Show, Billy shared some of his experiences as a bodyguard and the challenges he faced while protecting some of Hollywood's biggest names. Known for his no-nonsense approach on SAS: Who Dares Wins, Billy revealed that his job also involved protecting celebrities from obsessed fans and large crowds.
When asked by host Clara Amfo about his mindset while looking after high-profile clients, Billy replied, "You have to know your client and their potential threats. You may think that everyone likes you, but that's not always the case. It's important to identify those who may not like you and keep an eye out for them."
Billy then went on to share a humorous anecdote about his time as Tom Cruise's personal bodyguard. He recalled a time when he didn't know much about the Top Gun actor's girlfriend and mistakenly assumed she was a crazed fan. Billy ended up getting both Tom and his girlfriend in a headlock while trying to protect them from a chaotic crowd.
But who was this mystery girlfriend? It turns out, it was none other than Penélope Cruz, with whom Tom had a three-year relationship in the early 2000s. The couple met on the set of Vanilla Sky in 2000, while Tom was still married to Nicole Kidman. Although they always maintained that their relationship didn't start until after filming ended, the public was still fascinated by their romance.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Tom insisted that he has never fallen in love with someone he's worked with, always waiting until after the project is finished. However, he did share some sweet details about his relationship with Penélope, saying, "She'll come home, and I'll have her favorite kind of food made, have a bath drawn. I like doing stuff like that. She likes my food, so I cook for her. It's always the little things I like in a relationship."
Despite their seemingly happy relationship, Tom and Penélope eventually split, with his representatives stating that it was an amicable breakup. As for Billy, he joked that Penélope eventually forgave him for accidentally putting her in a headlock.
The One Show airs weeknights at 7pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. If you have a celebrity story, video or pictures, you can get in touch with The Agency entertainment team by emailing us, calling 020 3615 2145, or visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you.
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