Maria Whittaker
Encyclopedia
Maria Whittaker is a former English glamour model
and Page Three girl
.
in 1985, at the age of 16. With her brunette hair, good looks and natural 36DD breasts, she became one of the most celebrated glamour models of the 1980s alongside Samantha Fox
and Linda Lusardi
.
In 1987, Whittaker appeared on the cover of Palace Software
's computer game, Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior, along with Michael Van Wijk
(also known as Wolf) from the Gladiators television show. In 1988, they appeared again on the cover of Barbarian II: The Dungeon of Drax
. In an interview, Palace Software stated that should Barbarian 3 have been released, they would have used model Debee Ashby
, for reasons that were not given.
Whittaker was also the star of Maria Whittaker's X-Mas Strip Poker, a computer game released in 1988 for the Commodore 64
and 128
.
She soon became one of the most popular models to appear in the feature and was named Page 3 Girl Of The Year in 1989. Her younger sister Lisa (b. September 1970) also appeared on Page Three, and the sisters posed together for topless photo shoots.
Maria is ranked as Glamour Girl No. 80 in Glamour Girls: An Illustrated Encyclopedia.
(1983). In 1986, she appeared in the movie version of Whoops Apocalypse
. She made her second screen appearance in the film Tank Malling in 1989.
Whittaker was a singer in the band The Rhythm Zone. In 1990, following in the footsteps of fellow Page Three girl Samantha Fox
, she attempted a music career with a single called Stop Right Now. The single unceremoniously flopped and Whittaker returned to modelling, doing nude pictorials for Mayfair
and other men's magazines.
Now married to rapper Michael West
, Whittaker has two children. She has an older brother David who is an accountant in the City of London.
Glamour photography
Glamour photography is a genre of photography whereby the subjects, usually female, are portrayed in a romantic or sexually alluring way. The subjects may be fully clothed or seminude, but glamour photography stops short of deliberately arousing the viewer and being pornographic photography.Glamour...
and Page Three girl
Page Three girl
Page Three is a tabloid newspaper feature consisting of a topless photograph of a female glamour model, usually printed on the paper's third page...
.
Modelling career
Whittaker made her début as a Page Three girl in British newspaper The SunThe Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
in 1985, at the age of 16. With her brunette hair, good looks and natural 36DD breasts, she became one of the most celebrated glamour models of the 1980s alongside Samantha Fox
Samantha Fox
Samantha Karen "Sam" Fox is an English dance-pop singer, actress, and former glamour model. In 1983, at the age of 16, she began her topless modeling career on Page Three of The Sun, and went on to become a popular pin-up girl...
and Linda Lusardi
Linda Lusardi
Linda Lusardi is an English actress, television presenter and former Page Three Girl. She is married to the actor Samuel Kane; they have two children, both born in Enfield, London: Lucy Anne and Jack Francis ....
.
In 1987, Whittaker appeared on the cover of Palace Software
Palace Software
Palace Software was a British video game publisher and developer during the 1980s based in London, England. It was notable for the Barbarian and Cauldron series of games for 8-bit home computer platforms, in particular the ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC and Commodore 64...
's computer game, Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior, along with Michael Van Wijk
Michael Van Wijk
Michael van Wijk , is a professional sportsman, bodybuilder, actor and TV presenter in the United Kingdom. van Wijk is most well known for his role as Wolf on British TV endurance sports game show Gladiators, a role he held for seven years, eight series...
(also known as Wolf) from the Gladiators television show. In 1988, they appeared again on the cover of Barbarian II: The Dungeon of Drax
Barbarian II: The Dungeon of Drax
Barbarian II: The Dungeon of Drax is a video game first published in 1988 for various home computers. It was also released as Axe of Rage in North America. The game is the sequel to Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior , which was published in 1987...
. In an interview, Palace Software stated that should Barbarian 3 have been released, they would have used model Debee Ashby
Debee Ashby
Debee Ashby is a former English adult model and actress. She is also known as Debbie Ashby or Debby Ashby.Ashby became well known at the age of 16 years when she was expelled from King Henry VIII School, Coventry on 16 December 1983 because she had posed topless in her school uniform for the...
, for reasons that were not given.
Whittaker was also the star of Maria Whittaker's X-Mas Strip Poker, a computer game released in 1988 for the Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
and 128
Commodore 128
The Commodore 128 home/personal computer was the last 8-bit machine commercially released by Commodore Business Machines...
.
She soon became one of the most popular models to appear in the feature and was named Page 3 Girl Of The Year in 1989. Her younger sister Lisa (b. September 1970) also appeared on Page Three, and the sisters posed together for topless photo shoots.
Maria is ranked as Glamour Girl No. 80 in Glamour Girls: An Illustrated Encyclopedia.
Music and television
Before breaking into modelling, Whittaker appeared as a Hill's Angel in two episodes of The Benny Hill ShowThe Benny Hill Show
The Benny Hill Show is a British comedy television show starring Benny Hill.There were various incarnations of the show between 1951 and 1991, and it aired in over 140 countries. The show is generally sketch-based with heavy use of slapstick, mime, parody and double-entendre...
(1983). In 1986, she appeared in the movie version of Whoops Apocalypse
Whoops Apocalypse
Whoops Apocalypse is a six-part 1982 television sitcom by Andrew Marshall and David Renwick, made by London Weekend Television for ITV. Marshall and Renwick later reworked the concept as a 1986 movie from ITC Entertainment, with almost completely different characters and plot, although one or two...
. She made her second screen appearance in the film Tank Malling in 1989.
Whittaker was a singer in the band The Rhythm Zone. In 1990, following in the footsteps of fellow Page Three girl Samantha Fox
Samantha Fox
Samantha Karen "Sam" Fox is an English dance-pop singer, actress, and former glamour model. In 1983, at the age of 16, she began her topless modeling career on Page Three of The Sun, and went on to become a popular pin-up girl...
, she attempted a music career with a single called Stop Right Now. The single unceremoniously flopped and Whittaker returned to modelling, doing nude pictorials for Mayfair
Mayfair (magazine)
Mayfair is a British adult magazine for men. Founded in 1965, it was designed as a response to U.S. magazines such as Playboy and Penthouse, which had recently launched in the UK. For many years it claimed the largest distribution of any men's magazine in the UK.-Fisk Publishing era:Mayfair was...
and other men's magazines.
Now married to rapper Michael West
Conquering Lion
Michael West , better known under the aliases Conquering Lion, Congo Natty, Rebel MC, Blackstar, Tribe Of Issachar, X Project and Ras Project, is an English jungle producer and toaster...
, Whittaker has two children. She has an older brother David who is an accountant in the City of London.