WHILE her Oxford University classmate Liz Truss went on to become the country’s Prime Minister, life turned out a little different for Melissa Todd.
The 47-year-old, from Hertfordshire, has spent three decades working in the sex industry, first as a stripper and now as a dominatrix – although she describes herself as a ”submissive” one.
In sexual terms, a dominatrix is a woman who has power or control over her partner (who she doesn’t have to be in a committed relationship with).
Some examples of this BDSM kink may include pinching the partner aggressively, prohibiting them from speaking, ordering to have your feet licked and making them crawl across the floor.
However, Melissa – aka Miss Matthews – has been paid for even more bizarre requests, such as bouncing on a space hopper whilst munching on artichokes.
”Yes, he has a farting fetish. I found I couldn’t fart in front of people – but apparently, artichokes is the way forward,” she told on Joe Marler’s Things People Do podcast.
Before earning a fortune as a dominatrix, Melissa was a student at one of the world’s leading establishments – Oxford University.
”I was at Oxford reading Philosophy, Politics and Economics along Liz Truss, we were the same age.
”But I got bored, so I became a stripper and I was at Piccadilly doing dancing. It was just meant to be a year-out and I thought eventually I will go back and obviously get a proper job.
”But it just never happened. So, a model scout came in and asked if I wanted to make spanking porn and I went ‘Yeah, alright’,” she shared the bizarre journey.
”I just never stopped really […]. Then I met girls who were making a fortune and offering one-to-one sessions and they were living in detached houses, driving Range Rovers and kids at private school.
”I thought ‘I could do that’ – and I could. And here I am.”
Melissa, who’s managed to build a loyal clientele, explained that a large portion of those with the kink find her on social media where she is ”quite open and out there”.
”They do keep coming back, it’s true. I have a little book where I write down the names of their grandchildren and how they like their tea and things – and they think I care.”
Although it’s been decades since she started raking in as a dominatrix, Melissa still recalls her first-ever client – a man who had just had a triple heart bypass surgery and had found her on a newspaper ad.
”He was very experienced – been everywhere, seen everyone. I spent about four minutes hitting him, he said I was rubbish […] and he spent the rest of the hour just telling me what I was doing wrong, how to advertise […] – I was so grateful for it.”
On top of this, Melissa also runs two ”adult school days”, one in Portsmouth and one in Norway, where a bunch of ”naughty school boys and girls” do lessons together.
What your sexual fantasies say about you
By Emma Kenny, a TV presenter and psychologist
Raucous Role Play: If your partner enjoys dressing up for fun, it shows creativity and a desire to keep things exciting. However, it might signal that he struggles with responsibility.
Multi-Partner Fantasies: Craving variety doesn’t always mean he wants to cheat. However, it could indicate deeper feelings of unfulfillment.
Power & Control: A little dominance is normal, but if it’s always about control, it may hide insecurities.
Adventure: Men seeking thrills may push boundaries, so be sure your comfort zone is respected.
Passion: If he’s romantic, he’s emotionally tuned in—though occasionally avoiding tough conversations.
Flexibility: Openness to new experiences is great, but constant novelty-seeking could mean avoiding emotional connection.
Red Flag: If control is his ultimate fantasy, it may signal a deeper struggle with power dynamics.
”They all come to the front and get caned once – it’s good fun.”
Other ”common” kinks that seem to be a major hit are ”naughty nephew and angry aunt” and clients wanting to stroke her feet and ”getting wacked with slippers”.
However, for Melissa. who confessed she doesn’t ”believe in safe words”, there are also some big no-nos.
”Farting and s**t – I can’t go near it. I can’t poo if I think somebody else is in the house, nevermind if someone is laying there with their mouth open.”
‘Let people do what they want to do’
The dominatrix said that whilst of her clients, mainly in their 60s and 70s, are men, women make up for 10% of her clientele, especially for the naughty school days.
Although there’s less stigma around being a dominatrix, Melissa said that there’s still a common misconception the submissive clients are usually ”fat, pathetic laughing stock”.
Hitting back at the abuse, Mellissa said: ”Your sexuality is a tiny part of your life and as long as you explore it and enjoy it… Let people do what they want to do.”
But while the professional dominatrix may be working to break the stereotypes, the legalities of this type of sex work is still ”a grey area”.
Melissa added that one of her pals once run into trouble with the authorities: ”She was running a school day and a chap was canes in a way he didn’t enjoy, and he went to the police and reported her.
”But the police, luckily, went ‘Do you really want this in the papers, mate?’
”So, it’s not legal to hurt people for fun, unless it’s in a sporting capacity.”
