One of the best-kept literary secrets of the decade has finally been revealed after a 34-year-old British scientist claimed that she was the writer masquerading as call girl Belle de Jour.
Dr Brooke Magnanti, the author behind the bestselling books detailing her secret life as a prostitute, has revealed her identity , claiming that anonymity had become "no fun".
Dr Brooke Magnanti, the author behind the bestselling books detailing her secret life as a prostitute, has revealed her identity , claiming that anonymity had become "no fun".
Magnanti is a respected specialist in developmental neurotoxicology and cancer epidemiology in a hospital research group in Bristol.
Speculation about the author's identity has been rife for six long years. Belle is the blogger who was never busted, though nearly every media organisation in Britain has thrown its resources at outing her.
A professor and "literary detective" called Don Foster claimed in The Times that she was a Mancunian novelist called Sarah Champion. And so the rumour went on, for years.
Six years ago, in the final stages of her PhD thesis at Sheffield University, she ran out of money and turned to prostitution through a London escort agency, charging some £30 an hour.
An experienced science blogger, she began writing about her experiences in a web diary that was adapted into books. Her eye-popping online Diary of a London Call Girl has fascinated millions of readers worldwide. And adapted into a television series where her character was played by British actress Billie Piper.
"I was getting ready to submit my thesis. I saved up a bit of money. I thought, I'll just move to London, because that's where the jobs are, and I'll see what happens. I could not find a professional job in my chosen field because I did not have my PhD yet.
"I didn't have a lot of spare time on my hands because I was still making corrections and preparing for the viva; and I got through my savings a lot faster than I thought I would," Magnanti told columnist 'India Knight'.
In London, she found an escort agency and started her secret life. "I did have another job at one point, as a computer programmer, but I kept up with my other work because it was so much more enjoyable."
"I was getting ready to submit my thesis. I saved up a bit of money. I thought, I'll just move to London, because that's where the jobs are, and I'll see what happens. I could not find a professional job in my chosen field because I did not have my PhD yet.
"I didn't have a lot of spare time on my hands because I was still making corrections and preparing for the viva; and I got through my savings a lot faster than I thought I would," Magnanti told columnist 'India Knight'.
In London, she found an escort agency and started her secret life. "I did have another job at one point, as a computer programmer, but I kept up with my other work because it was so much more enjoyable."
There has been huge speculation about Belle's real identity, including a theory that she was a well-known author because of the quality of her writing. The blog and books were criticised for suggesting prostitution could be glamorous.
However, the scientist has no regrets about her 14 months as a prostitute. "I've felt worse about my writing than I ever have about sex for money. Anonymity had become 'no fun', however: 'I couldn't even go to my own book launch party," she was quoted as saying.
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