It was twenty-one years ago that local girl Lucy Ratcliffe won the first series of Britain’s Next Top Model, winning over the judges with an elegance which made her stand out on our TV screens.

Having recently moved back to the area after two decades living in London and the US, I caught up with Lucy for a cuppa in The Exchange. She arrived make up-free, naturally beautiful and refreshingly down to earth.

Born in Cullercoats, Lucy went to Whitley Bay High School and, loving science, had ambitions to be a biologist. As a teenager, however, standing almost six feet tall with natural poise and striking blonde looks, she was signed by local agency Tyne Tees Models. Her appearance also drew the attention of famous London agency, Select, who scouted her on not one but two occasions during visits to The Clothes Show in Birmingham. Looking back, Lucy says she simply wasn’t confident enough to pursue these opportunities and certainly wasn’t ready to leave home. It would be several years before she finally took that leap.

Having worked briefly at The Cumberland Arms, she went to work as a waitress at the Magnesia Bank when she was 18 years old. She spoke warmly of the few years she worked there, recalling great times and great friendships.

It was whilst working there in 2005 that Lucy saw an advert for a new reality TV show: Britain’s Next Top Model. She was a big fan of the American version of the show and decided to apply. Having no great expectations, she submitted a video and was surprised to reach the next stages. The final stage was a face-to-face interview with the producers in Manchester, and she cringed describing the experience, seeming to remember it like it was yesterday. She felt she’d been awkward and too shy and walked out of the interview 100% convinced she’d blown it.

She was at the Maggie Bank surrounded by her colleagues when she received a call from the show to let her know their decision. There were cheers all around the bar when they told her she’d been successful.

The show was hosted by Lisa Butcher and ran for ten weeks. Lucy was one of twelve models who lived together in a house whilst competing in weekly challenges, photo shoots and runway walks. The contestants were eliminated one by one and by the final week of filming, Lucy was declared the winner, her prize a top modelling contract, a cosmetic campaign and a magazine cover spread.

Lucy was now faced with the hardest part of all – keeping it a secret! Though filming had finished in June, Lucy was unable to share her good news until the final episode was aired in November. So, for the next few months, it was business as usual, waitressing at the Magnesia Bank whilst keeping the biggest secret of her life.

When she was eventually revealed as the winner, she moved to London where she began a successful modelling career and appeared as an advisor on Series 2 of the show.

Marriage in her mid-twenties took Lucy to Los Angeles, where she played a significant role in managing her husband’s luxury fashion and jewellery brand, A&G. The couple lived in a beach house in Malibu, Lucy describing the sea gently washing underneath the house. It all sounded so glamorous, especially with actor Val Kilmer as their next-door neighbour! Yet despite such stunning surroundings, she noted that life lacked a sense of community and belonging and before long she moved back to London where she spent the next 15 years raising her two children.

Chatting about her career, Lucy revealed she had discovered a rather niche talent as an underwater model. Early in her career, she took up running to help maintain her fitness and credits it with giving her the lung capacity to hold her breath for remarkably long periods. Her first underwater shoot was for a Lipton’s Iced Tea advert, and she quickly realised she had a natural talent for it. More underwater assignments followed, including one memorable shoot in a huge tank at Pinewood Studios. The water was supposed to be warm, but it had recently been refilled, leaving Lucy to spend three days submerged in freezing cold water.

Last year, after turning forty, Lucy decided the time was right to return to her roots, and she has now settled in Tynemouth with her children. Though she has done a little modelling for Tutti, the clothing and jewellery shop based in Harbour House, she has rekindled her passion for science and is currently training to become a trichologist, a specialist in hair and scalp disorders. The demanding three-year course is no small undertaking, and despite everything she has achieved throughout her career, she admitted to feeling nervous ahead of her upcoming exams.

As our conversation drew to a close, I asked Lucy how it felt to be back home. She spoke fondly of the warmth of the people, being closer to her parents again and the strong sense of belonging she had missed during her years away. She also described a real buzz about the area and a new creative energy. When I mentioned that the much-loved Magnesia Bank was soon to reopen, her face lit up. For Lucy, it simply confirmed what she already knew – coming home had been the right decision.

Instagram: @Lucyemilyratcliffe

Agency: Info@savalasmodels.com