On screen, she was a French cocktail of kittenish charm and continental sensuality.
One publication called her “the princess of pout and the countess of come hither”, but it was an image she grew to loathe.
The cinema icon – “BB” as she was known in her home country – acted in almost 50 films, including And God Created Woman, but retired in 1973 to devote her life to animal welfare.
She died in her home in St Tropez December 2025
French President Emmanuel Macron said the nation was mourning “a legend of the century”, Later in life, Bardot’s reputation was damaged after she made homophobic slurs and was fined multiple times for inciting racial hatred.
The animal welfare organisation said she was “a world-renowned actress and singer, who chose to abandon her prestigious career to dedicate her life and energy to animal welfare and her foundation.”
The Brigitte Bardot Foundation she established said in a statement that it was announcing her death with “immense sadness”.
Whatever her politics and philosophies she was loved by millions of boys who had her picture on their bedroom walls.

Click on the image of BB to see more.

Story behind the pictures
I was lucky enough to be able to ‘gatecrash’ BB’s 39th birthday party in a secluded restaurant in Paris.

Celebrities have never been ‘my thing’, but I was persuaded to go by our agency’s, director Goksin Sipahioglu, as there was literally no one else around !
I had only just returned from another assignment and was not dressed for partying – I think I was wearing torn jeans and a scruffy jacket but Goksin could charm the birds from the trees, so I walked off in the rain to the restaurant address.
It was thronged with crowds and cameramen and I could see nothing.
BB’s arrival in a horsedrawn carriage came and went in a blur. No pix.
Slowly the crowds and photographers dispersed and the rain became more insistent.
But as I had achieved nothing so far and Goksin was relying on me, I waited for an opportunity.
Got wetter and colder as I walked around outside the restaurant, trying to peer through the windows, but the shutters had been lowered and I could see nothing.
To cut a long story much shorter – I had a stroke of luck.
A couple of weeks earlier I had photographed an aspiring young actor called Laurent Vergez … Imagine … he came out of the restaurant for a ciggie break and saw me standing in my little puddle of despair. He recognised me and came over and we chatted a bit, he finished his cigarette and went back inside only to re-appear moments later with a plate and some birthday cake. “Hang on” he said, “Wait a bit more and I’ll get you in”.
True to his word some while later he came out and beckoned me in, warning me to be discrete and play it cool !
The restaurant was filled with celebrities in fancy dress – I think the theme was the Court of Louis XVl ,or something equally grand, , and I looked like a “clochard” or perhaps a “sans culottes” !… so I fitted right in.
However I got some pictures !! A little scoop.
In the half hour that followed I made more money from the future picture sales than any other assignment I did that year, including the more dangerous ones !!
Turns out young Laurent was Brigitte’s latest beau ! (He features in the pictures) Thank you Laurent.
PS Brigitte looked stunning !!
As a female sex symbol she always ranked among the very top.