As the bodyguard to some of the world’s most famous stars, Simon Newton knows a thing or two about staying protected.
The London-based bodyguard, whose clientele included Kate Moss, Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner and even the late Michael Jackson, recently shared some tips on how to stay safe.
Simon Newton, 44, was in the army when he first ventured into the world of protection in 2003, and has since picked up some tips on how to stay safe.
His advice is easy for anyone to implement, even without hired protection, including making sure bags always have two straps and avoiding wearing headphones in public.
As the bodyguard to some of the most famous stars in the world, Simon Newton knows a thing or two about what to look out for
Simon has defended Kendall Jenner (pictured in 2015), saying he worked a lot with models ‘because the modeling agencies always liked to name the same guys’
He also stressed the importance of caution when using a cell phone and advised users to stand against a wall or in a place where other people cannot get around you.
“As soon as you look at that phone, anything can happen around you,” Simon said. “Someone might even snatch it out of your hand, which happens a lot here.”
According to the former bodyguard, the most difficult part of his job is crowd control, explaining that sometimes things can get hectic very quickly – so he always has a plan in mind if the situation gets out of hand.
“I always made sure we could get into a store,” he revealed.
“They’ve obviously been very accommodating and let you go in different ways that you wouldn’t normally go,” Simon said.
He said that even if it’s “100 happy fans” who just want to see what’s going on, they still need to be managed.
“Because that can be dangerous and also for the store,” he explained.
He said if it was a small store he would ask them to close the store for a period of time. “Nine times out of ten,” he said, people were very helpful.
“Be a nice person and you’ll be more likely to get what you want,” Simon advised.
“Large department stores are a little different, but for smaller stores we normally do that because it’s better for the store owner for safety reasons,” he added.
Simon’s stint as a celebrity bodyguard began by chance in 2003, when he was on a break from work in Afghanistan and at home in London, when he was asked to take a job protecting Michael Jackson (pictured)
After founding his own British private security company in 2010, Simon has worked with celebrities including Bella Hadid (pictured)
Simon, 44, was in the military when he first ventured into the world of bodyguarding in 2003
When it comes to providing protection to clients, Simon says there are notable differences between the way he protects men and women
When it comes to providing protection to clients, Simon says there are notable differences between the way he protects men and women.
If it’s a man, he explained that he would go into the bathroom with them, but for women he would close the bathroom.
“I used to just stand outside the door for a few minutes, and if a woman didn’t want me in, I’d say, ‘Sorry, but you’ll just have to wait outside,’” he explained.
Simon acknowledged that closing spaces may be inconvenient for the general public, but that it is necessary to protect celebrities.
“Unfortunately, we had to do that because people don’t realize what you’re trying to do, and they don’t realize how unsafe it is sometimes,” he said.
He also provided some context as to why celebrities are often seen dressed up when they leave the house, even just to run errands. He points out that many of them have a brand to protect.
He used Kylie Jenner and her cosmetics line as an example, pointing out that if she stopped looking and acting a certain way, it could damage her label.
“You may not care what other people think, but you will care if you lose a million on makeup,” he explained.
Simon recalled his rise from military man to celebrity security detail, which ultimately led to him protecting the rich and famous.
He explained that he was with the military in Iraq when he was offered a job with a private security company.
After leaving the army to make a career change, he returned to the Middle East to work for the security company before returning to London to take a job as a bodyguard for high-profile celebrities.
His first stint as a celebrity bodyguard began by chance when he was on a break from work in Afghanistan and was home in London, and was asked to take a job protecting Michael Jackson.
“I had just returned home for a four-week holiday and happened to get a phone call during that period,” he recalls.
In a previous interview with MailOnline, he described being the King of Pop’s bodyguard as “hectic”, adding: “Every time you moved him it was so busy all the time, so that became difficult.” But that wouldn’t mean you’d move it as much as someone else would.”
In addition to Kendall (middle), he also protected models Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss. In the photo 2014
His soft fashion has led to him being interviewed by Vogue, and he will soon be launching his own line of bomber jackets. He is pictured in 2017 with Bella Hadid (center) and Stella Maxwell
Simon has also attracted interest for his fashion sense, with Vogue even writing a piece about the bodyguard’s trendy attire in 2018
Even though Simon only worked with the Thriller star for a short period while he attended the World Music Awards, it sparked his interest in the world of high-profile celebrity bodyguards.
It wasn’t until 2010, when Simon returned to Britain for good and set up his own security company, that he started receiving requests from A-list clients.
“I used to have a bit of a choice about who I cared for… but generally speaking, no job was too big,” he said.
“One of the first big ones I had after Michael was Kendall Jenner. I did quite a lot with the models, because the modeling agencies always liked to call the same guys.’
In addition to Kendall, he also protected models Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss, although his most regular client was Bella Hadid.
“I followed her for two to three years and I had a really good time, it was a really good job,” said the expert bodyguard.
Although his job is to protect celebrities, Simon is now on his way to becoming a star himself.
He has starred in a number of films and TV shows, including Final Score and Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows.
Simon has also attracted interest for his fashion sense, with Vogue even writing a piece about the bodyguard’s trendy attire in 2018.
He has also delved into fashion and is preparing to launch a streetwear collection featuring classic bomber jackets that ‘never go out of style’.
Simon, who is now an actor, said that despite his client’s worldwide fame, he wasn’t in starring roles that often.
“I usually have to Google people I don’t know,” he admitted.