When Naomi met Putin

Supermodel quizzes Russian PM about fitness and fighting for magazine

Supermodel quizzes Russian PM about fitness and fighting for magazine

"You're in pretty good physical shape. How do you manage to keep yourself so fit?" So began one of the potentially great political interviews of our time as Naomi Campbell grilled Vladimir Putin in what could have been a 21st century Frost-Nixon moment.

Given the opportunity to question the Russian prime minister for GQ magazine, supermodel Campbell refused to duck the key issues, interrogating Putin about his physical prowess, the "great impression" he makes on women, and his swimming ability.


Naomi asked Putin about the great impression he makes on women and about his macho man image

The Russian prime minister played Campbell's first question with a straight bat, answering that he kept fit "probably the same way you do" allowing her to reveal the secrets of her own enduring health.

"Actually, I don't work out as much as I should, but I do believe that it's a healthy mind as well as a healthy body that keeps me fit, sound and calm," she revealed, before Putin said that, as well as going to the gym and swimming daily, he meets friends to "do extra-curricular stuff".



Campbell said to Putin, "You obviously make a great impression on women. How do you feel about the students who posed for you in the calendar?" she asked, referring to a calender made by female students at Moscow University to mark Putin's 58th birthday.

"I like the girls a lot they're beautiful," he said, describing the women as "courageous and not scared" in their decision to publicly support him.

She asked Putin a black belt in judo who has been known to attend mixed martial arts fights ufffd whether he had ever been in a bare-knuckle scrap, prompting one of the more bizarre exchanges of what was a bizarre interview.

"No, it's not my sport since I was 14 I've done judo," he said. "But the bare-knuckle fight I attended was very impressive. These guys are tough. There are even women who do it." "Big women?", asked Campbell. "Not big, just strong women," Putin explained.