Leighton Denny's nailed it!

8:17am Friday 7th March 2008

A smiling Leighton Denny poses with his arms wrapped around a giant Brit award.

The boy from Bradford may not have written an award-winning pop song, but posing with a model of the silver gong at the recent awards ceremony recognising the Who's Who' of the British rock and pop industry reflects the type of company Leighton, left, keeps as the UK's leading celebrity manicurist.

While the Osbournes were out front hosting the glitzy occasion to a live audience and millions of television viewers, and introducing celebrities handing out the gongs, Leighton was pampering the celebs backstage and getting in on all the gossip. Sadly, his lips are tightly sealed!

Leighton has come a long way since the days when, as a boy, he would be fascinated by watching his mum have her nails done as a child. He went on to style the talons of stars including Sir Paul McCartney, Joan Collins and Kate Moss.

From the first interview I did with Leighton - who I remember from our primary schooldays in Birkenshaw - I have found his modesty and down-to-earth attitude endearing and typical of his Yorkshire upbringing.

For someone who spends his working days mingling with A-listers, he never forgets his roots. I had contacted him for a quote on what he was going to be treating his mum to on Mother's Day and, as I'd heard about his backstage work at the Brits, I was hoping he'd fill me in. When he was too modest to mention it I wasn't going to let it go without a prompt!

"Yep it's true!" he says. "And I also did the UK leg of the Spice Girls tour."

Because of client confidentiality Leighton is unable to offer any snippets of gossip from the Spice camp but he did provide a rare insight into what goes on backstage at the Brits where he and his team worked with some of the greats of the rock and pop world.

He has a range of nail care products, called Leighton Denny Expert Nails, and he tells how singer Rihanna wore his vibrant purple varnish from his Rebel range for her stage performance, while rising British songstress Adele showed off Funky French when she received her Brit award for Critics' Choice.

Actress Denise Van Outen, who presented an award with West End musical maestro Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, sported Leighton's Cuti-Lips balm for lips and cuticles.

Even Beatles legend Sir Paul McCartney, recipient of the Brit's biggest accolade - the Lifetime Achievement Award, was happy for Leighton to pamper his hands with a gentlemens' manicure', ensuring Macca's nails were in tip top condition when he tickled the ivories and played the banjo during his closing medley of hits.

Many of other stars and music producers also sported Leighton's specially developed Brit manicure.' He says the signature look is based on his Miss Behavin' brand, a metallic navy blue painted in the Naked Moon style' leaving the moon-shapes at the base of the nail naked.

How exciting it must be to style celebrities at the Brits. "The music industry is synonymous with style and artistic flair, so I was thrilled to be asked to work at the Brits and offer the every latest manicure trends to today's top music stars," says Leighton.

"It was a great evening. I particularly enjoyed working with Rihanna and Adele - the top female music stars of today."

Such high profile assignments are all in a day's work for Leighton. I nearly choked on my cup of tea when he told me in a previous interview how he had been styling the nails of one of his favourite celebrity clients, Big Brother presenter Davina McCall.

Actress Joan Collins, supermodel Kate Moss, Spanish actress Penelope Cruz and TV sports presenter Gaby Logan who, like Leighton, hails from West Yorkshire, have all had their nails tended by him.

Leighton also works as a session manicurist on magazine shoots and has had his creations showcased in Vogue and Harpers Bazaar.

He has come a long way from his first job in a boutique salon in Bradford, where he honed his techniques after deciding that fork lift truck driving wasn't for him!

Leighton had considered becoming a hairdresser but seeing his mum have her nails done on a family holiday in America gave him the inspiration to learn a new skill. He opened his first boutique salon in Tong Street.

Since then his award-winning expertise has earned him the title of the UK's leading celebrity manicurist. He is also the first manicurist to enter the British Beauty Hall of Fame.

He has salons in Harrods's Urban Retreat and in Manchester's Harvey Nichols, and he has developed his own nailcare range. Leighton initially launched Leighton Denny Expert Nails for retail on the shopping channel QVC. The range is now available at more than 50 accredited salons throughout the UK including Fine Fettle in Horsforth.

Leighton's rapport with his clients has brought him success. "Nothing is more powerful than word of mouth communication. If your clients love you they will be sure to spread the word," he says.

His products have been recognised at beauty awards and he regularly contributes talon tips on TV and in glossy magazines. He has appeared on ITV's This Morning and Lorraine Kelly Today and was filmed hopping from yacht to yacht tending the hands and feet of the celebrities in TV fly-on-the-wall documentary, St Tropez Summer.

But despite the glitz and glamour of it all Leighton remains homely at heart and travels back to Bradford as often as he can.

He was spending the weekend with his family when we spoke and he tells how daily conversations with his family keep him abreast with the goings-on back home. He says it also keeps him grounded.

I asked how he relaxes away from the glamour and was delighted to learn he's very much like the rest of us!

He loves keeping fit, roller-blading and cooking but my favourite quote from him is: "When I do get time to myself I just like to lig out on the couch catching up with the soaps!"

• For more information visit leightondenny.com

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