BBC star reveals she ‘walked runway with her tampon out’ in front of Anna Wintour

BBC star and former model Michelle de Swarte regaled accidentally exposing her tampon while walking the runway in front of the likes of Anna Wintour.

The Spent creator, 43, said her tampon string was dangling out of a high-waisted G-string swimming costume she wore in a ‘very small, private’ beachwear fashion show for Gucci.

The Vogue boss, 74, and Andre Leon Talley were in attendance as Michelle remembered being scolded by the dresser backstage for not concealing her sanitary product.

Michelle joked it was like she had been ‘smuggling a gerbil onto a beach’ as she recounted the relatable tale (glossy fashion show and A-list guests aside) to Kathy Burke on her Where There’s A Will, There’s A Wake podcast.

She said: ‘I was doing a show for Gucci that was like beachwear or something. It had the likes of Andre Leon Talley and Anna Wintour, it was a very small private fashion show for Cruisewear, I think that’s what they called it.

‘I was wearing a high-waisted swimming costume and it was a g string and I was on my period. I went down the runway and it weren’t until I came back that the dresser started pulling up my gusset and saying “Tampon! Tampon”.

‘I’d gone f***ing down the runway and back with my tampon string like I was smuggling a gerbil onto the beach.’

Michelle told the comedian that she was discovered as a model when she was a teenager in her hometown of London but was sent to New York by her agency.

However, she said she was ‘underwhelmed’ by the Big Apple because of her attitude, admitting she was ‘f***ing moody.’

The actor said: ‘I didn’t like modelling that much at the time, plus I was a massive puffhead, and I just don’t think smoking a lot of weed and being looked at, they’re not the best combination.

‘Do you know what I mean? They weren’t the best. Like, I was a puffhead. Big, big puffer. […] So I think for the first year of being in New York, all I did was stay in my house when I weren’t modelling, smoke weed and watch South Park.’

During her career as a fashion and catwalk model, Michelle featured in spreads for Harper’s Bazaar, Italian Vanity Fair, and V.

She has been photographed for Burberry, Tommy Hilfiger, Cartier, Betsey Johnson, Gap, H&M and Levis; including campaigns for Sephora and Neutrogena.

In subsequent years, Michelle has talked about her time in the fashion industry – including being pressured to have cosmetic surgery by her former agency, and running into sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

After her career in modelling faltered, Michelle found herself sofa-surfing in LA.

‘I was technically homeless but didn’t realise it,’ she told The Big Issue earlier this year.

‘I didn’t understand the severity of my situation. I was staying at people’s houses, but I did it for a few years.’

She added: ‘I was in such denial. If I’d admitted it to myself I probably would have had a breakdown.’

Michelle decided to pour her experience into a stand-up comedy routine and later her BBC drama Spent.

The six-parter follows Mia’s (Michelle) attempt to adjust to a life in poverty when her catwalk career comes crashing down around her.

It also stars Juliet Cowan as mum Chrissy, alongside former Coronation Street actor Delroy Brown and Bad Girls’ Victoria Alcock.

Michelle’s other TV appearances include Katherine Ryan’s Netflix sitcom The Duchess and  Sky Atlantic’s comedy horror series The Baby.

She also hosted 2008 ITV programme The Fashion Show alongside Abby Clancey and George Lamb and has featured the jungle spin-off I’m A Celebrity Get Me out of Here Now! and episodes of Never Mind the Buzzcocks and The Last Leg.

Spent is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

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