Telford 24 Seven

Jessica Chandler laughs rather mischievously. “I suppose you’ve heard about the FHM magazine High Street Honeys competition I entered last year?” she asks. Yes, indeed we have. In fact, that’s why we’re calling.

Curvy Telford model Jessica Chandler is hoping to land a mega bucks deal.

The 20-year-old Telford model made it through to the lads’ mag top 100 “honeys” list last year, and although she didn’t walk away with the first prize, her national acclaim as one of the nation’s hottest “girls next door” has given her an appetite for a career in the public gaze.

“I actually had no intention of entering the competition originally,” claims the call centre worker who has just moved, with her partner Joe, into their first home at Ketley Grange.“But I’ve got a profile page online, and kept being told it was proving very popular. So that’s sort of how the entry came about.”

Before she knew it, she’d been chosen from more than 13,000 entries as one of the final 100, and was whisked off to Birmingham for a make-up session and video shoot at the city’s swish Hilton Hotel.

Then, along with dozens of other ordinary girls dreaming of being spotted for stardom, she was served up for the gratification of male admirers who gleefully cast their votes.

“It was just a great experience, getting a taste of what full-time modelling must be like,” says Jessica, who considers her namesake Jessica Biel, and Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria, as the sexiest women in the world. “The hair, the make-up, the atmosphere – I really enjoyed it.”

The FHM poll isn’t the only competition Jessica has entered. She’s also this year been in the reckoning for the title of Miss Limo 2008, which entitles the winner to appear at the colourful Limousine and Chauffeur Show.

On her entry form, she quotes her interests as “horse riding, modelling, random walks, going to the gym, general girly stuff, scary movies and eating Ben and Jerrys ice cream!”

A refreshingly normal outlook from someone who is confident in her own body, and has no desire to conform to what she considers to be rather dangerous stereotypes.

The girl next door hoping to become a modelling star.

Jessica also features as a pin-up on the website of car magazine Max Power, where she reveals she won the “best bum” award at her sixth form college two years in a row. One admirer reckons she bears a striking resemblance to Buffy The Vampire Slayer star Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Telford 24 Seven magazine has given Jessica her first big magazine photoshoot. She hopes it will prove a stepping stone on the way to a successful modelling career – and reveals she has already tasted how emotionally tough she’ll need to be, if she is to succeed in the business.

“I’m flying the flag for the curvy woman,” she says. “I’ve had some knockbacks already from agencies, and even been told I’m fat. It’s ridiculous. OK, so I’m not a size zero, but I’m 5ft 8ins tall, and a size 8-10, which is by no means fat. It’s a normal body.

“The sort of models you have seen appearing on the front of magazines over the past few years are so thin that it’s dangerous. Young people are influenced by this, and try to look the same. It’s not a good message to be sending out.

“I don’t diet, and I’m not into this size zero business. I just live a healthy lifestyle. If people want to describe me as fat, then fine. I just think it’s funny. It does show the pressure people are put under in the modelling business, though, because it’s such a tough business.

“There are people who have given themselves eating disorders by desperately trying to be successful. Nothing is worth that.”
Born in Shrewsbury, Jessica lived much of her life in Albrighton, near Shifnal, where her family is still based. She also spent some time living in Priorslee.

At the moment, Jessica is trying to fit as many modelling jobs into her spare time as work allows, which is a tough task when you’re working rigid shifts at a call centre. She’s also signed on with the Chilli modelling agency, which is based in Telford.

Jessica hopes this figure will help her become a household name.

“I’ve managed to do a bit,” she says. “I’ve been to Milton Keynes, Wolverhampton, and this photoshoot at Roseberry Spa on the edge of Telford. It was fun, getting to try on all sorts of clothes you can buy at Telford stores.

“If I’m honest, I particularly liked the George at Asda clothes. They were really comfortable. But I also love Jasper Conran – what girl doesn’t!”

So far, though, Jessica’s biggest milestone has probably been saddling herself with a mortgage at the tender age of 19. Bills need to be paid, so if we’re sitting having this chat in a year’s time, what would she hope to have achieved?

“I’d hope to have been able to give up my job and made modelling my full-time career. I’d hope to be signed up with a big agency, and have some magazine shoots under my belt. I’d also like to get into catalogue modelling, which I think my shape suits perfectly.

“I’ve already been offered a place with one modelling agency, but they wanted me to pay £120 just to put together a modelling card. I don’t have that sort of money. I’m just hoping that, somewhere along the line someone sees something in me which persuades them to take me on.

“Who knows? That person may just be reading this edition of Telford 24 Seven magazine. I hope so…”