NYC- Supermodel Christie Brinkley plans to call 44 witnesses – including two gorgeous girlfriends of her cheating husband – in her divorce battle royal, which kicks off Wednesday.
One of the first witnesses will be Diana Bianchi, the then-teen cutie whose affair with hubby Peter Cook sparked the explosive Hamptons breakup.
One of the later witnesses will be another Cook gal pal, Carri Lyn Ciamarra.
Brinkley, 54, is battling for full custody of the couple’s two kids. Cook, 49, who wants to share custody, will counter with 20 witnesses to push his case that he is a good dad, even if he cheated.
Divorce lawyers scratched their heads over the Uptown Girl’s scorched-earth strategy, but both sides said there was little chance of a last-minute settlement.
“It looks like there are going to be two fireworks displays in the Hamptons this year,” said divorce lawyer Raoul Felder, who’s not involved in the case.
The feuding couple have a prenuptial agreement and they have only minor financial disputes over some properties they own.
They are mostly fighting over custody of their two children, Jack, 12, and Sailor Lee, who turns 10 today.
Cook’s lawyer said his client has already apologized for cheating and the case should have been settled long ago.
“She’s said he’s a good father but now since the affair, all of a sudden he’s not a good father,” lawyer Norman Sheresky said. “I’m not sure what more we can do. She wants to punish him.”
Brinkley won the right to have the trial open to the public, meaning their dirty laundry will be bared for all to see, including the kids.
Bianchi, now 21, who hooked up with Cook when she worked at his architecture firm in the Hamptons, is scheduled to take the stand at 2 p.m. today.
Brinkley and Cook also are expected to testify.
Felder called Brinkley’s strategy “unfathomable.”
Manhattan divorce lawyer Robert Moses said Brinkley may want to use the trial to shame Cook, even though a judge is unlikely to see his affairs as a factor in the custody fight.
“It’s about vindication for her,” Moses said. “She was wronged and she wants the American justice system to address that.”
The only person who may come out unscathed is Brinkley’s ex-hubby Billy Joel – he’s not on anyone’s witness list.
Brinkley won custody of their daughter, Alexa Ray, now 22, but Joel saw her regularly as she grew up.