Meet writer Martha Stewart, whose hot bikini pics at 81 give models run for their money, is oldest swimsuit cover model

On Monday, Martha shared some sweltering pics of herself in the swimsuit and announced that she was gracing the cover of SI Swimsuit Edition. “Trying new things is very good. Being fearless is very good. Don't be afraid of anything,” the 81-year-old wrote in the caption.

The shoot took place in January this year and Martha was informed about it in November. The magazine article stated that despite getting ‘roughly three months to prepare’, she walked into the experience with confidence.

Born in 1941 in New Jersey, Martha was 10, when she began working as a babysitter for the children of baseball players Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, and Gil McDougald, all of whom played for the New York Yankees.

At 15, she began modelling in New York, going on to appear in TV commercials. In 1961, she married Andrew Stewart and a few years later, inspired by her father-in-law, she became a stockbroker.

In 1976, she began a catering business in New York. The following year, she developed a cookbook, which eventually released in 1982. Following its success, she began releasing several other cookbooks and made numerous TV appearances on popular shows like Oprah. In 1993, Martha began hosting a TV show.

In 2003, Martha Stewart was indicted by the US government on charges of securities fraud and obstruction of justice, which led to her stepping down from her company. She spent five months in prison from 2004-05.

Martha Stewart rejoined her company called Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia in 2011 and served as the chairperson once more.