Inside Peter Cook’s Affair: Christie Brinkley Tells All in ‘Uptown Girl’

In her newly released memoir Uptown Girl, Christie Brinkley opens up like never before, recounting the pain, betrayal, and resilience that followed the highly publicized affair between her then-husband, architect Peter Cook, and an 18-year-old assistant.

The affair, which made headlines in 2006, marked a turning point in Brinkley’s personal life and public persona. While the tabloids covered the basics, Brinkley’s book reveals the emotional weight behind the headlines—and how discovering Peter Cook’s affair just moments before delivering a high school commencement speech changed everything.

“It was as if the floor fell out from under me,” she writes, describing the moment a concerned father approached her with the bombshell news that Cook was involved with his teenage daughter.

A Marriage Derailed

Brinkley and Cook had been married since 1996, raising two children together—Sailor and Jack—in what many believed was an idyllic East Coast family life. Behind closed doors, however, Brinkley describes their marriage as “a tormented experience,” citing controlling behavior, infidelity, and emotional manipulation.

Uptown Girl doesn’t just chronicle the affair; it paints a fuller picture of the disintegration of their relationship, including a six-year-long custody battle and Cook’s alleged attempts to tarnish her reputation in the media.

“Every time I tried to move forward, he would find a way to drag me back into the chaos,” Brinkley writes. “It was an odyssey of frustration and heartbreak.”

The Fallout and Custody War

Following the discovery of the affair, the couple's divorce proceedings became one of the most closely watched celebrity breakups of the decade. Brinkley was ultimately awarded sole custody of their children, with Cook receiving limited parenting time.

According to the memoir, Brinkley’s legal strategy focused not only on protecting her children from media scrutiny but also on shielding them from what she describes as “a manipulative narrative” pushed by Cook.

Though the court battle is long behind her, the emotional scars linger. Brinkley admits that even years later, moments of joy are sometimes shadowed by memories of betrayal.

Why She’s Speaking Now

Brinkley has largely remained private about the affair in recent years, occasionally alluding to it in interviews. So why revisit it now?

“I wrote this for women who’ve felt blindsided, humiliated, and exhausted by someone who made them feel less than,” she explains in the book’s preface. “It’s not just about Peter—it’s about reclaiming my story.”

The memoir also delves into Brinkley’s childhood, her modeling rise in the ‘70s and ‘80s, and other relationships, including her marriage to Billy Joel—whom she praises for his support during her most difficult years.

A Cautionary Tale—and a Comeback

While Uptown Girl is rich in celebrity gossip appeal, its deeper message is one of survival and personal growth. Brinkley isn’t just telling a story about Peter Cook’s affair; she’s offering readers a front-row seat to her emotional recovery.

And as far as Peter Cook is concerned? Brinkley makes it clear she has no intention of ever rekindling contact.

“I’ve moved on,” she says. “I just hope this story helps someone else feel less alone.”

Final Thoughts

Christie Brinkley’s revelations about Peter Cook’s affair in Uptown Girl offer a rare, vulnerable look into the private life of a public figure. With emotional honesty and sharp clarity, she transforms a tabloid scandal into a story of resilience that resonates far beyond celebrity culture.