This year's model

Apart from the obvious attribute of her being one of the most beautiful models in Ireland, what do you really know about Katy French? OK, I should have added: what else do you know apart from that cringe-worthy, over-publicised break-up with her restaurateur fiancé, Marcus Sweeney, which was played out live on Joe Duffy’s radio show?

That episode aside, most people probably know very little about the blonde bombshell who is constantly splashed all over the tabloids. Well, all that’s about to change.
Did you know that the 24-year-old (her birthday is on October 21) with the sweet Dublin accent is not even technically Irish? She was actually born in Basle, Switzerland to a mother from Manchester and a father from Australia. “I have a British passport and my family are Manchester United mad,” she reveals. “I arrived in Ireland when I was three. If I go away, I say I’m Irish. I pretty much am – I grew up here. I only have a small amount of German left in me.”
Or how about the fact that she studied psychology at college? Would you like to know more – a lot more – intimate details? Such as whether she ever sexually experimented with other girls as a young teenager? Or how old she was when she lost her virginity? Or even if she enjoys using a vibrator?
Well, read on…
During a very enjoyable two-hour conversation, Katy unashamedly answered all my questions. “There aren’t a lot of models who would answer these questions,” she giggled at one stage. “I have confidence in who I am and what my opinions are. I don’t think they are bad – but, at the same time, I don’t expect everyone to agree with them. I have got comfortable in my own skin, to be able to voice that.”
And so she has. It’s time for the real Katy French – arguably Ireland’s best known model – to stand up.

JASON O’TOOLE: How does it feel to be perceived as one of the sexiest women in Ireland?
KATY FRENCH: It is a great compliment. I’d never knock it. There are some beautiful women in this country. I’m just one that is in the limelight. You see them everyday walking down the street. To get something like that, it is important to be more than just two-dimensional. Even the word sexy – if you were to describe someone as sexy, would you just talk about their physical attributes? No. There would be a whole thing encompassing that and part of the reason you are up there is because there is a personality behind it. I’m not saying that has anything to do with being sexy, but it makes you real. I think that was the whole fascinating thing with the break-up (of her relationship with restaurateur Marcus Sweeney) because it was a very real thing. It was like a soap opera.
You must get a lot of men throwing themselves at you?
A lot of the wrong men. Probably because of my tabloid image, the only men who approach me are pretentious and egotistical and naturally have the balls to approach you and say “Do you want to go out?”. You don’t get the nice, everyday, normal guys. Maybe I don’t appeal to them because all they know is what’s in the newspapers. I don’t have a first impression – my first impression is already out there.
How old you were you when you lost your virginity?
Sixteen. I thought I was in love, that this is it and this is the right thing to do, but in hindsight it was totally the wrong thing to do. It kind of just happened – it wasn’t really a conscious decision, you know that kind of way? You kind of get over it though, don’t you?
Were you disappointed with your first time being intimate?
My first time having sex? Oh, yeah, of course (laughs). Who wasn’t? You only get disappointed by sex when you have better sex (laughs). It is all relative. I suppose the more you have it the more you can judge it. Sex for me, the first time around, wasn’t a particularly pleasant experience, I have to say. Also, I think, you don’t fully understand it first time around. It is more of a fumble. It is more nervous, it is more physical. The more comfortable you get with someone it kind of just flows better. Obviously, some people are better in the scratcher than others (laughs), but it’s not all about being deep or better endowed than others – size isn’t everything anyway. It is not, I am telling you now. It is not. Moving swiftly on (laughs).
They say that you remain in love with the first person you had sex with.
Not at all. I hate his guts to this day. If I see him walking down the street I just hide and go, ‘Oh, God!’ He was just a little bit older – two or three years older than me – and I think it was a case of coming under a bit of pressure more than anything. Even though I felt madly in love with him, which you do when you’re that age, I think you kind of succumb to the pressure. So that really wasn’t too pleasant for me. It would have been nice if maybe I wanted it more, rather than feeling like I had to. I think that’s the way a lot of girls have it now, but it is getting younger. Shockingly younger.
Did you ever question your own sexuality growing up?
No, never. I have kissed a girl. I did it when I was 10; I think I did it when I was 12 or 13 or something. You kind of did it before you were kissing boys and when you were really young it was like a peck, and then you are like, ‘OK, what’s it like to snog?’ So you kind of try and then you go, ‘Oh, God! That’s not right.’ But all girls do it! Most of my friends have kissed a girl at one stage. No, we didn’t do it when we were older! If I need boobs and a pussy to play with I have my own! (Laughs) Why would I want someone else’s?
Hot Press sex columnist Anne Sexton likes to regularly discuss the virtues of sex toys in her column. Do you have any favourites that you would like to share with our readers?
I suppose a good old vibrator. A girl can’t live without it. I have one. I don’t know many who don’t. I have been single for nine months, 10 months nearly now…you’ve got to get it somewhere! Other than that, I have been in the shops and you would go, ‘Jaysus, what are half of the things’ – ass beads and all this kind of crap, you know? Crazy looking things. How many areas can you stick something into? This is the longest I have been single. I’m really starting to revel in it now. I’m starting to enjoy it – although not because I can go out and score guys. I’m brutal at dating.
What is your view on friends of the opposite sex being intimate with each other?
Do you mean like the ‘friends with benefits’ kind of thing? I think it’s okay. It is not something I’d do, but I’m not going to condemn someone else for doing it. I’m not a believer – and it is an awful thing – women have now got like men where they go out on a Saturday night and they score. I have a lot of friends who do that and I don’t hold it against them. I don’t think any less of them for doing it, but I just think that you are losing something sacred and special about sex. We are misplacing a lot of our values nowadays and a lot of things have got a bit blurred. There are a lot of grey areas instead of black and white.
So you think sex has become cheapened?
Much more cheapened and it is less special and it is less meaningful. The saddest thing of all about it is: it is the most personal thing that you can do with someone physically – apart from falling in love and giving your heart – and by giving it away so much, or so freely, you’re losing your own value, your own self-worth. But I don’t condemn people for doing it. I think if you practice safe sex in a controlled environment then I can’t condemn them for it. Different strokes, different folks.
Is it true that you had a fling with Jonathan Rhys-Meyers?
Do you know what? They said that on the Dustin (the Turkey) show and they cut it out. Honest to God! I don’t even know the guy. I have never spoken to him. He wouldn’t even be my type! He looks like a boy.
So have you ever had something going with somebody famous?
Nay. I had a couple of encounters or opportunities. I was propositioned by Robbie Williams. Mind you, he would have propositioned the tree that was standing next to me. In fact, he probably was and I thought it was me (laughs). I am not a celebrity kind of hag.
Is there any famous Irishmen you would fancy?
Who would I want to score? Em, who do I think is cute? Stuart Townsend is very cute. Gordon Darcy is cute. I am trying to think now if there is anybody I want to give a big-up to. Name a few hotty Irishmen? I don’t think Colin Farrell is good looking. I just think he looks like he needs a wash. I have a hygiene thing. But the rugged look is cool as long as you look like you’ve washed.
You come across as a woman who wants more than just looks in a man?
Hello! Have you seen my track record? Do you think I just go for looks? (Laughs). I have a thing for men in suits. It is a terrible thing. I have a thing for pilots. That runs in my family though. I think it’s in the bloodstream – all the men in my family were pilots, so I think it is my genetic makeup. What do I look for in a man? Confidence. I love positive attitude. I can’t stand moaners. I can’t stand people who bleat on and bleat on. My opinion of someone like that is, “You have a problem with it, change it, otherwise shut up.” I like people that make me laugh. I like people that are deep thinkers – not even deep thinkers, just people who are willing to understand rather than being ignorant.
And visually?
Looks-wise: someone that is taller than me. Body is not a big thing. A lot of the time I find myself getting attracted to people through their personalities, not by their physical appearances. I think that is maybe something to do with working in a world that is so based on physical appearance. You usually find the ones who think they’re really gorgeous are not nice people. Obviously you want a certain amount of looks. In the long running, you’ll be going – genetically right? – “I don’t want my kids to have big goofy ears.” Women do that. You look at a partner genetically. It doesn’t mean that they have to be a George Clooney – though he is something else – but as long as they are not like ogres. But then again, look at Shrek. You’d marry Shrek, wouldn’t you?
I wouldn’t (laughs).
Would you not? You’d probably have to get him to stop farting and all that stuff, but I suppose everybody gets like that after a while!
Should prostitution be legalised in Ireland?
Absolutely. I think we should legalise it in every country because it is the oldest profession ever and it’s never going to go away. If it was legalised it would be a safer environment to work in. Girls could be registered, they could be tested. It is not hurting anybody. Drugs takes people’s lives – having sex doesn’t. It does if it is not in a safe manner – on the street having unprotected sex; having pimps that are abusing you. You know, that opens the ways to child rings and all that stuff. If there is someone, who is a sex addict, who wants to go and pay someone for sex, let him or her do it.
We might be edging closer to it. After all, we now have lap dancing clubs. Do you find them silly?
It is supply and demand at the end of the day. There is money there to be made out of it. I don’t think they do as well as they do in the States and other places like that. But I don’t have an issue with lap dancing clubs. It is fun entertainment as long as it’s clean and as long as it’s good, as long as no one is getting hurt, do it. Legalising prostitution is probably a long way off in this Catholic country, as we don’t even have abortion here.
You don’t appear to be prudish when it comes to talking about sex.
I think it is good to talk about sex. Look at what is happening in the Third World where it is so taboo that they are getting pregnant, Aids is rampant. I think the more you talk about something the less scary it becomes – especially in Ireland, being a Catholic country, sex was something that was very behind closed doors for a long time. Look at the divorce rates now. I’m sure there is a massive percentage due to homosexuality that just wasn’t allowed ten years ago. It is the same with sex – to practice safe sex, to use contraceptives and things like that – and thank God that is happening now. The Pope would actually condemn me for saying “thank God” for condoms (laughs).
If you became pregnant during the peak of your career, would you consider an abortion?
Yeah. I would. I don’t think it is right necessarily but it is not wrong. It would be very difficult – number one: it would account for who I was pregnant by. You have to look at a lot of options, like how financially stable you are to bring up the child. I think that if I was with someone that I was semi-happy with and I thought that it could work – and that we could work it through – I would try to avoid it. I don’t think I’m in a terrible position where I can’t afford to work, or I can’t afford this. On that level, you would want to avoid doing it at all cost. And this is another thing about going around having one-night stands – if I did get knocked up, God forbid, of course, in that sense, I probably would (have an abortion). So, because my answer to that would be yes, I don’t do those things. I don’t take the risk. The risk factor is too big.
Should abortion be legalised in this country?
I would vote yes on abortion. I think there are definitely circumstances in which it should be allowed, such as rape, or when it is putting the mother at risk, and things like that. But as long as it is not used as a form of contraception – and I think that’s where the boundary gets blurred – there is nothing wrong. At the end of the day, it would be the hardest, hardest thing to live with all your life (pauses)…and it is a stupid mistake to make if you do it, but to bring a child into the world where – and I know this is going to be controversial when I say this, but at the stage when it is aborted it is not exactly, totally developed. So you have a choice: to bring a child into a world where you can’t provide for it, or a broken home where it has more chances of being socially outcast. Sometimes single parents are better than parents who are together, I’ll be honest with you. But, if it was a mistake, it (abortion) can be allowed. I’m not against it.
Does the fact that people perceive models as bimbos annoy you?
It does. I like to say it doesn’t, but my mother tells me I have that chip on my shoulder still. I was always, like, a ‘Grade A’ honours student in school. I went to Alexandra College since I was about seven years old and I actually did my Leaving Cert in the Institution of Education. I was reading philosophy books from the age of 11. I was probably too young to understand most of them but it was a fascination – just understanding social behaviour. I did some diplomas in business stuff, marketing, PR, advertising, IT. I did a degree in psychology in college. I went to ACD and it is still unfinished. I did two years. It is one of my goals to go back and do it.
What happened?
I started working, started earning money. I had my first business at about 18 – it was a restaurant. I have always worked from a young age. It sounds silly but at 13, I was working at my dad’s company and my mum’s company, so I got very accustomed to working, and it is hard to go back to the student lifestyle. So I thought I would sign up to a modelling agency to earn a bit of extra cash. I signed up – and it just took off within a couple of weeks. I was like the new face – the new blonde on Assets books – and I got great newspaper coverage. That was a great leg up. I’m going into my eighth year now (as a model).
The public’s perception of you being a dumb blonde will be blown away by this interview.
I play up to it at the best of times. You do. At the end of the day, there is no point fighting an image that is out there of you. I know – and my mother and my close friends know – that the image portrayed of me in the tabloids is far, far from what I am. But I know that this is a job. It is a persona that makes me money. It is a business and you have to treat it like a brand. People find it very difficult to see themselves as a product. It took a long time before I came to the conclusion that this is how you market yourself. To be able to disconnect from what you are in the papers. You’ve got to know what sells, how the media works, how tabloids work, there is a business there, it is formulated.
It seems to me that you became famous in the media before you became known for your modelling work.
It was the break-up that rocketed it, which is a reflection on the media. It was a very public break-up. It was the most public – ever – in Ireland.
The break-up with your then fiance Marcus Sweeney, live on RTE’s Liveline show turned you into a household name overnight.
I did court the media. People always say you aired your dirty lingerie in public. Yeah, I did in some ways, but only about 10% of the story (got out). And because I kept in such close contact with the media it stopped that other 90% from oozing its way out there. I am not going to say it was a curse, it did me a world of good. I took it as a blessing. I wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. When you are put in that position, what do you do? Hang up the phone on every journalist that rings you? No. They are going to write something anyway, so it is better the devil you know, to have some kind of control or a certain amount of leverage with people behind the newspapers.
Some people reckon Marcus orchestrated the radio spat to drum up publicity for his restaurant?
Do you know what? It probably was (that). I can’t knock him for it. It was a difficult thing to do and maybe a bit Ice Queeny, but it takes a lot of inner strength to be able to see (both) the personal and business side of it. I can’t get emotional about my private life being talked about in the papers – that is not going to get me anywhere. When a journalist calls me about a story, I have to think, “OK, what’s my strategy. What cards am I holding that I can haggle with a bit?” Things like that. I think he (Marcus) failed to see it like that.
Can you recall what you felt during that confrontation?
I can remember a friend ringing up and saying, “Turn on Joe Duffy.” In fairness, I don’t think he did orchestrate that. No man would orchestrate staff ringing in, saying, “You didn’t pay us.” I was listening and going, “I can’t believe they are after ringing in.” Someone is going to do it to me one day. They were trying to get Marcus on the phone – and as much as we weren’t talking at the time, I was sitting there going, “Marcus, have a bit of sense, don’t go on the radio.” For legal reasons, as well. Joe’s a very clever man, a clever interviewer. The next thing they had Marcus on the radio, I just dropped my head in my hands and went, “I don’t believe it.”
So what were you thinking?
I felt like ringing him and going, “Do not go on.” He had dug himself some hole – I was screaming at the thing, “Get a shovel, Marcus!” Then they asked me to go on and I think they wanted me to dig a bit of dirt, but I wasn’t about to do it. Despite what anybody thinks, I have never personally insulted the guy in a public way. I have never actually said a word against him in the media. If that’s how you orchestrate something (laughs) I don’t know if that is the best way to go about it.
This all started with you having a spat with Marcus over modelling lingerie. He walked in on you doing a shoot in his restaurant.
It happened in front of the Sunday Independent. It was quite extreme and I was very upset. I was friendly enough with them and I said, “Please, I don’t want this to get out.” As humans, they understood. I then went and made a statement that we were broken up, and it was nothing to do with that (episode), we had just decided to go our own ways. I’m walking through town and a security guard said he had heard about the thing in the restaurant. Apparently, it was going around that he had been boasting – I don’t know if this is true – (putting on man’s voice) “I caught her in the nip. I told her she was a tramp.” Blah blah blah. Proud of the fact. I got to Saturday evening and another Sunday paper rang me to say they had the story. That’s how it all escalated.
What is wrong with models modelling lingerie?
That’s what models do. I had my understanding that he didn’t like me doing the bikini press call, standing in Grafton Street. So, I said I’m not going to do that anymore. In hindsight, love is blind, and I probably said I’m not going to do this, that, or the other, which is stupid – you can’t say I love someone and say, “This is why I love you and now I’m going to change you.” Even after we broke up and we tried to get back together, he had a picture of me doing the Wonderbra campaign, and said, “This is the person that I love. It doesn’t bother me.” I just kind of thought, ‘You can’t do that do someone. That’s not right.’ It’s my job; it is my profession; it is how I earn my living.
It sounds like only a man who was jealous and insecure would make those demands.
Maybe so. If that was his reason for it (pauses)… I’m a home-bird. I do my job and I go home. I was in love and I wanted to get married.
The break-up must have hurt you?
It was a massive shock to me. I know this maybe sounds really deep, but because of what happened with my family, I put all my eggs into me and Marcus's basket. I gave up my job for nearly 12 months to work – I didn’t model – for him. I had no income, no nothing. I worked in his other restaurant, building that one. On the last day, I was the last one there nailing stuff to the wall. Painting the walls myself. That was my future. That’s what you do when you love someone – and I would do it all over again for someone. I’m not scorned in that sense of the word. For it to happen like that (clicks fingers) and “Give me back my ring and get the fock out of my life”. It just shocked me how much I had given away. It was a shock that I had let myself get into such a vulnerable position.
Was Marcus your first real love?
No, he wasn’t. Before that there was a guy called Sasha – and I was actually engaged to him too, but (whispers) they haven’t picked up on that yet. I was 17 when I met him. It was just a great relationship – together for three years – but it didn’t work out in the end. I was too young and people change a lot. We are still friends now. That was first true love. I’m still very fond of him. I’m not in love with him, but I still have a love for him. It was my first experience of sharing my life with someone.
Marcus was once described in an newspaper article as an aggressive, controlling bore, who sends poorly spelled explicit text messages. Is that a fair comment?
Aggressive? Yes, he was. A controlling bore? Yes, he was. Poorly spelled, explicit text messages? Yeah, they were. I can’t argue. That’s not the whole truth, obviously. I’m sure there are a lot of things said about me.
Like the criticism you got for wearing fur?
I get a lot of stick for wearing fur and rightly so. If some people don’t like it, they give me stick; that’s their opinion. I don’t tell them to wear it. I wear it. I love wearing fur. I don’t think there is anything wrong with it. I buy certified, legal trade fur. If any one of you who made comments have been to a fur farm – and I have – you will make (pauses)…
Do you like animals?
I’m a massive animal supporter. All my animals are from the pound and all that type of stuff. There is less harm done to these animals – I know they kill them, but in the keeping and maintaining of them. It is an industry – just like the livestock industry. You wear leather, don’t you? You eat a hamburger, don’t you? Those pictures that you see of blood, guts and gore are illegal fur farms. If you are under-nourished, your hair is the first place to show it, so because these animals make the fur farms money, they are kept in good condition – better than chickens in battery farms (and) better than cows slaughtered for livestock. They are fed fresher fish than we can buy down in Tesco. They are not slaughtered – they die painlessly. I’m not saying it is right because you are going to compare it to the Holocaust. It is a controlled industry. In the proper trade they don’t slaughter and mistreat the animals. I’ve looked into it and I’ve made an informed decision.
Do you feel silly parading around in a bikini, in the freezing Irish weather, in the middle of Grafton Street?
Of course. Wouldn’t you feel silly? Over the years I have learnt to laugh and I’ve learnt to not let it bother me. Even when you are standing outside and there is a crowd there and you are going, ‘Here we go. They are going to be looking at my hoop!’ The cold is a nightmare. People think it is great when you have pictures of yourself on Sandymount beach with a big smile, but you’re frozen. It can be two degrees. I got pneumonia off a job once. I don’t knock it. Those press calls are bread and butter. You earn better money doing them than you do from a full day editorial fashion shoot. You might look more fantastic in those shots, but at the end of the day I’m here to make ends meet. I’m not going to shoot myself in the foot by refusing to do it.
How do you feel about getting slagged off?
It comes with the territory. Sometimes you go, “I can’t believe they wrote that.” I always say that someday you are the bug and someday you’re the windshield in this industry.
A few years back, on a documentary about Gavin Lambe-Murphy, you said: “If there wasn’t a market for pretentious assholes likes us, why are you filming this?” Do you see yourself as a pretentious asshole?
No. I had a few drinks on board, feeling probably a bit cocky. When I say that, it is like me taking the piss out of what my profile is in the papers. We go to the Krystle Nightclub or VIP at the races – and that is not normal. It is not everyday-people existence. A lot of people forget how lucky they are when they get to live it. Many people do see us as pretentious and I have to admit most of us are pretentious. I have been pretentious in my time.
But not any more?
I had a life changing experience with my family and, I can tell you now, if I never had it I would be an arsehole right now. I probably would be an arsehole.
What was the life changing experience?
A split between my parents. It’s fine: they split about five years ago. We lost everything. I mean house, home – everything. My dad had got involved in some business ventures that weren’t right and bit by bit – when I say millions – gone. We didn’t have a house to live in, we didn’t have food in the fridge. I was modelling at the time. I was modelling in this world where people were like ‘Gucci this and Dolce this’. And I was going home with my wages for my mum, my dad, and my sister. We wouldn’t have had turkey one Christmas except the neighbours gave it round. We had no heating; we used to sit with like four coats on in the house. My dad was off travelling doing his business ventures. Myself, my sister and my mum were left. It makes an impression when you don’t have anything financially – and I mean nothing; we sold all our property; there were injunctions; the Revenue came in to clear out the house; debt collectors and things like that.
What was the outcome?
We have cleared our way out of a good bit of it (the debts) and I have to say that my modelling has paid for a lot of it. We are still surviving and my sister is still in college. My mum’s 59 and I wish she could retire, but she won’t, she is a workaholic. If I had never had that experiences of literally surviving, I would be a totally different person. It makes you see through a lot of the bullshit.
Was it really that bad?
When I say there was no food, there was no food. There were people knocking at the door. We had a house we could not afford. My mum and I would be out getting wood in the winter to get a fire going because the oil would run out and everything. But we still laughed – we laughed at our situation. We had €1,500 for Christmas at one stage – and that was it, in the bank. And then we had taken on my Aunt Alison who has Downs Syndrome. Now, this isn’t a sob story, it is the best thing that ever happened to me in my life.
Do you blame your father?
It’s not his fault. He went off on a couple of ventures. Everybody has the right to go off chasing their own dreams. I’m still close to my dad. He’s my blood and that’s the end of it. It wasn’t all about the finances, I don’t think, with my parents either. It was such a learning curve and it makes you – in a world where we lose a lot of our values and misplace a lot of our values (pauses)… it really cemented them for me.
Do you have any vices?
I do smoke. Not a lot. I smoke and I hate it. I have said that I will give it up before next year. I don’t drink regularly, but when I do drink I can drink. I like a good red wine; a good Bordeaux; Burgundy if it is not too heavy; Beaujolais, if it is in season. I like my wine and I like my food. The two combined; that’s happiness for me. I think everybody is getting into that now, which we didn’t have here a while ago.
Working in the model industry, you must come across drugs quite frequently. Are there more drugs out there now?
A lot more drugs. A huge amount. It’s about as common as getting a pint now. It is shocking and it is another reason why I actually don’t go out. I know people think I’m a party animal but I don’t go out from one weekend to the next. I might go to the local and watch the rugby or something like that, but usually I would stay in and have dinner parties. Drugs is a reason I don’t enjoy going out because people are not people while they’re on drugs.
But I’m sure a lot of models must be doing coke?
Obviously working in the world I work in, you meet people who are more easily swayed by social influences. Not as much here, I think, as abroad. Models are doing it no more than anyone else. To be honest, probably less than anybody else. I am certainly very aware of it. I don’t want to be in a situation around drugs, because I don’t want to be associated with that. I don’t want to be seen as promoting anything like that.
Have you ever tried coke?
No.
But you must have experimented with marijuana?
Who hasn’t? I’ve been in Amsterdam – that was some craic now. But what went on in Amsterdam stays in Amsterdam (laughs). As far as the harder ‘Class A’ drugs, I have seen friends – a lot of people I went to school with – ruin themselves on it. When you are talking about cocaine and ecstasy, it is so not good. They don’t call it the Devil’s Dandruff for no reason. It just morphs people into being strangers; they are not themselves anymore. You are talking to people and they have coke on their nose – and that has become a common thing now; it is disgusting; it is vulgar. You talk to people and they’re, like, frothing at the mouth and they can’t even hold a conversation. It is another indication of how little we value ourselves – it’s like the sex. We are so lost in this world, we are trying everything and anything to kind of find our way, rather than facing ourselves. And facing yourself is the hardest thing you’ll ever have to do.
Vivienne Connolly recently slagged you off by basically suggesting that you are addicted to publicity.
“Oh, yeah, I’ve only got married, had two kids, and decided to re-launch my modelling career.” Now, I’m not going to get into a bitch fight with Viv. She’s a nice girl. I did hear that she said I said, “What’s a plus size model doing back in?” – I never said the likes of it. And I actually rang her about it. If she needs to use my name to get into headlines, fine, so be it. I think people like to make comments about me. Sure, it got her a line in the paper, didn’t it?
Do you think there is a danger that models can have a bad influence on teenagers who inspire to be a size zero size? There is a real danger there…
It is very dangerous. Wrongly so – I think the modelling world has been targeted. In fairness, there has been quite a few deaths from eating disorders recently. Models have always been skinny. Hollywood has glamorised it now – the likes of the Nicole Richie and the Victoria Beckham and all that. I recently got slagged for being a size 12 – that’s not fat, that’s a normal size. I’m 5ft 10” and that is a normal size for any normal girl. Now, I’m a model, so obviously I’m going to have to be a little bit more toned. I’ve gone to the gym to tone up, not to lose weight. And if anything, I would like it to be an example. Do things the healthy way – don’t stop eating. You have to eat. You have to exercise. It’s about looking after your body. In 20 years time, everybody out there who is now starving themselves, purging, excessively exercising, will pay for it. I will never be seriously skinny because I don’t want to do that to myself. God gave me a body that’s healthy – I’m not going to destroy it. It goes back to the old saying, ‘My body is my temple’. It’s not your temple when you treat it like that.
How many more years will you model for?
As long as nature allows me and after that, I suppose, as good as my surgeon is (laughs).
Do you believe in God?
Absolutely – and every type of God. Be it God, Allah, or Buddha. I’m Protestant, but I practise Catholicism because I don’t see a difference. My friend is Muslim and when I’m with her – I was bridesmaid at her wedding – I practise Islam; I pray to Allah. This sounds strange but I don’t adhere to religion. I think deep down they’re all based on the same thing and, in principle, on the goodness of mankind. And that is what God is – God is in all of us. Everybody should adhere to the Ten Commandments. And that is not imposing religion on another religion, but when we were growing up, my dad was based a lot in Iran/Iraq and when you read the Koran you realise that Islam is a beautiful religion. They are all based on the same fundamental values. People need faith. You don’t say “keep the faith” for nothing. We don’t have it in us to believe in ourselves, so we need a higher good.
Do you dream of having a family someday?
That is my calling in life. When I say calling – that will be my defining thing to do in life. I would thrive on being a mother and a wife. I would like two or three kids, but all in good time. I have plenty to do before that. I would like to set myself up financially, with the right partner – I only want to marry once. If it happens it happens, if it doesn’t it doesn’t. Our family is what makes you go full circles.
What type of music are you into?
I like everything. I don’t like heavy dance music, but I love house music. I’m a big rock ‘n’ roll fan. At the moment, I only have Bowie and Hendrix in the car. I’m a big Leonard Cohen fan. Bob Dylan. The Stones. The Cure. Depeche Mode. Lionel Richie. Barbara Streisand. Am I getting worse? I have quite a good mix of music.