Naomi Campbell On Her First Major TV Project

By Charlotte Hawkins, Sky News Presenter

Naomi Campbell has been one of the world's best-known faces for more than a quarter of a century.

She has until now resisted a move into television, but her first major TV project sees the supermodel turn her hand to finding the next big modelling sensation.

Since making history as the first black model to grace the cover of the French edition of Vogue, Naomi Campbell has been on the cover of more than 500 magazines.

She now not only fronts new TV show The Face, but is also executive producer. As one of three mentors, she fights it out with fellow supermodels Erin O'Connor and Caroline Winberg in a competition to find Britain's next "face".

The series is already a success in the US and is now being exported to not only the UK, but also Australia.

Before jetting off to New York I caught up with Naomi, who told me what it was about the show that caught her attention.

"The mentoring, because I'd rather not have a show focused on my everyday life and following me, and have someone benefit."

In this role she has to be good at spotting aspiring talent, so just what does it take to make it?

"Most of all having that passion and that drive, and knowing not to take that rejection too much inside you, and saying 'OK this wasn't meant for me... next' and the discipline."

Campell and her fellow mentors on 'The Face'. Pic: Sky Living

That discipline is obviously still a big part of Naomi Campbell's life even now. At the age of 43 she looks amazing, and having ditched the junk food is even more strict about what she eats.

"What we are is what we eat, and it's finally rung home to me just now.

"Before in my past if I wanted to eat chocolate, if I wanted to eat Kentucky, I had it. If I wanted to eat fish and chips I had it, I never deprived myself of anything in terms of food, in my career, but now I'm in my forties and I felt I wanted to maintain my body in a different way."

The industry continues to have a bad reputation for the lengths models go to in a bid to look thin, from eating tissues to working out eight hours a day. Naomi Campbell is firm about the fact the supermodel judges need to give a clear message when it comes to body image and diet.

"I tell my girls OK when we've broken for a break, eat, you know, it's eat because you need energy, we've got to shoot five hours after, so you explain why."

Another controversial aspect of the industry remains the extent to which photos are airbrushed, as the images in magazines can often be some way off the truth. Naomi Campbell says as a model, that's something that is out of her hands.

"I'm not a photographer, everyone can take a picture, but not everyone is a photographer, let the photographers do what they know best, and again that's up to the photographer and the brand that they are working for, if that's what they want and that's the image they want to put out, so be it.

"For me, in all the pictures that I do, they all look different but they are me, it's another facet of me, and for me I am in front of the camera, they are behind the camera, they are the professional photographers, I trust."

Sky's Charlotte Hawkins spoke to Campbell

Naomi Campbell's role in The Face sees her mentoring others, and when I asked her who inspires her she immediately says Nelson Mandela. He has had a big effect on her life, so much so she calls him her honorary Grandfather.

"I was very blessed to meet Nelson Mandela in 1993 and to be around such an amazing, unique individual who has no bad or ill feeling towards anyone.

"I still pinch myself and say 'do I really know Granddad?'. I call him Tata. 'Do I really know Tata?'."

The 95-year-old former South African president remains seriously ill after spending almost three months in hospital earlier this year, and it is clear she is concerned for his health.

"It's a sensitive moment for everyone that loves him, around the world, most of all for his family.

"He taught me and explained to me about the meaning of sharing, and no matter what I've gone through in my life, up or down, I've always shared and my true friends all know that."

The supermodel pictured with Nelson Mandela

Her reputation for having a temper, and previous convictions for assault, mean she often gets negative portrayal in the press. Does she feel misjudged as a consequence?

"I really, honestly, at this point in my life, it's am I happy in my own skin, am I happy with the people that love me, am I happy with the people that I love? And, it's very simple, what other people think of me is their business, it's not mine.

"I don't care what people think about the real me, I really don't, you're going to see me in different sides, some people have never even seen me speak."

Those who have seen her speak in the US version have already dubbed her the "Simon Cowell of the modelling world".

She's keen, however, to make the point she's a mentor, not a judge. I asked her about her approach on the show, and just how she feels about being compared with TV's Mr Nasty.

"I am competitive, you see it, it's who I am, I am not candy coating who I am, I think people will get to know me more than they have.

"I love Simon Cowell I have a huge respect for him, I think what he does and the careers that's he's given to people with talented voices and talent in any way (is fantastic).

"Hands down to Simon, that's I guess a compliment."

:: You can watch The Face on Sky Living tonight at 9pm.

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