“I was so stunned that I froze” — Christie Brinkley reveals how she learned ex-husband Peter Cook was cheating on her

Supermodel Christie Brinkley recently revealed how she learned her ex-husband Peter Cook was cheating on her with a teenager in 2006. In her memoir Uptown Girl, published on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, the 71-year-old details the scandal and divorce after a decade together.

In her memoir, the supermodel detailed how she first found out about Cook's affair. She recalled giving a speech at a local high school in the Hamptons when a man approached her. Brinkley wrote:

"'Excuse me,' he said softly. 'I need to tell you that arrogant husband of yours has been having an affair with my teenage daughter.'"

Brinkley continued:

"I was so stunned that I froze."

Christie Brinkley married architect Peter Halsey Cook in September 1996, and they share a daughter, Sailor Lee, born in July 1998. He also adopted Brinkley's son with businessman Richard Taubman, Jack, born in June 1995. According to a report by People magazine, the estranged couple's split ended in a six-year-long custody battle over the two children.

Christie Brinkley describes her "exhausting and scary" custody battle and finding strength in friends and children in her memoir

Elaborating on the incident in her memoir, Christie Brinkley noted that she immediately turned to the audience, where Peter Cook was sitting with their son, Jack. She continued:

"As soon as I saw him, Peter’s eyes were already trained on my face, as he began shaking his head, 'No.'"

Brinkley explained that her whole world (fell) apart, adding:

"When your whole world falls apart and you realize in a heartbeat you’ve suddenly become the cliche middle-aged woman whose husband is having an affair with a much (much) younger woman, what do you do?"

The supermodel noted that she found strength in her female friends, two of whom urged her to go through the family computer to gather evidence of the affair. She recalled a night when they came over to help investigate, describing the scene as one right out of the movie Charlie's Angels.

 

 

 

 

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Christie Brinkley explained that they found a "labyrinth" of files, including "incriminating photos" and accounts on adult websites. Writing about the "insane" moment trying to print all the files they gathered, she revealed:

"It was so insane that it was almost funny and soon enough, the three of us were doubled over in laughter, as printouts of girls in X-rated poses began piling up on the floor faster than trash outside a greasy takeaway."

Learning of the affair, the couple called it quits, with Christie Brinkley calling it the "most tortured relationship" she'd ever had. She described their ensuing court battle as "exhausting and scary," leaving her questioning the point of having a prenup. The supermodel elaborated that she was under a "constant threat" that they might take her children away.

Elsewhere in the book, Christie Brinkley explained she initially never spoke of the divorce. But after she referred to Cook as a "narcissist" while leaving the courtroom one day, letters began "pouring in." She found out other women had similar experiences and realized she was not "alone."

 

 

 

 

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Despite the "terrifying" ordeal that often made her wonder if she would ever recover, Brinkley wrote that she always "looked inwards" and counted her blessings. She added that the list always started with her children: Alexa Ray, Jack, and Sailor. The supermodel added that her kids supported her and even urged her to tell her story.

Notably, Brinkley shares Alexa Ray (born in December 1985) with singer Billy Joel, whom she described as her "soulmate" in the memoir.

Christie Brinkley's memoir Uptown Girl is available for purchase online and in bookshops.