I must admit that when I was offered the chance to interview Hannah Goodeve I had privately been hoping to meet her in person. Spending time with a tall, striking, curvaceous brunette with an intoxicating laugh and sparkling wit appeared to be an excellent prospect on a rainy Tuesday afternoon.
However, my hopes were cruelly dashed and reality washed over me like next morningâs hangover when I was informed Iâd actually be conducting our conversation over the telephone, ruining in an instant whatever faint chances I may have had at wooing a supermodel. It is also unfortunate that performing interviews over the phone can often be frustrating as they lack the opportunities to effectively gauge your subject which is otherwise afforded to you in a face-to-face setting.
It was, therefore, a nice surprise when I finally got to speak to Hannah and discovered that her personality shone through the earpiece just as it does during her frequently funny and all too brief appearances on Britainâs Next Top Model which she was evicted from this week. Itâs worth noting that she wasnât really thrown out as she decided at the last moment to abandon her career as a supermodel and pursue something more taxing on the brain: teaching. Some lads are about to become the luckiest schoolboys on the planet…
OTB: Why did you enter BNTM?
H: I was sat around with some friends and we thought it would be a laugh. I also wanted to get into media so I thought Iâd enter BNTM?
How did you think youâd get into media after BNTM?
I didnât really think that through!
What did your friends say when you told them youâd entered and been accepted to be on BNTM?
They laughed, they thought it was amazing because itâs a huge opportunity but they thought it was funny.
Did your parents object or worry about how youâd react to being exposed on television?
My parents are very supportive of me. Theyâre not pushy parents and encourage me to pursue the things that I enjoy.
Had you met models beforehand and, if so, did they give you any advice?
My dad used to be a model. He used to model in Vogue but now heâs just really fat and watches cowboy films all the time!
What was your impression of Elle Macpherson and the judges? Grace came across as quite nasty.
They were all great in their own way, it makes for good TV to have four quite different judges. You just have to take their advice because they are experts in the fashion industry.
How did you get on with the other contestants? Was there anyone you really hated?
I wasnât there long enough really, everyone was really nice. I got along with everyone, I just felt older than everybody. Iâm 23 this year and theyâre all 18 or 19. Itâs not that many years, itâs just what happens inbetween. Iâd been travelling and gone to university so I think that made a little difference. But living with over twenty 18 or 19 year oldsâ¦Oh my god!
Who did you get on best with in the house and why?
Delita and Charlotte. D is good crack â sheâs really funny. Charlotte is a really nice girl, sheâs the all American dream, girl next door, long hair etc.
You appeared to be the reason that your team lost their first task which meant you were to second to enter the house â did the other contestants have a go at you?
It wasnât my fault they didnât get into the house â they were all equally rubbish.
Tiffany seems very driven and popular with the judges â what was she like? She seems pretty scary.
I think her determination rubs off as coldness. To be honest I donât know her that well.
The lingerie task seemed to be your breaking point – what was it about the task that made you break?
My nipples were hanging out! It wasnât that it was a lingerie shoot â I was out of my depth and not being myself. Having to stand around in underwear and snog a girl was a bit too much. Iâd rather just have a nap than snog a girl.
Why do you think itâs quite common to see two girls kiss in an advert and not two men?
Lesbians are viewed as sexy whereas itâs not really the case in reality. They can make it look sexy in lingerie I suppose.
Victoria Holt convinced you it wasnât sleazy but a guy got an erectionâ¦
The guy had his hand on my crotch! It was disgusting! Cheap thrills when youâre young eh?
You werenât the only one to feel uncomfortable about the shoot â do you think it was too early to introduce the girls to what is quite an intense atmosphere?
It was the right thing to do because it shows who can and canât do it. I find it hard to switch off and not be myself whereas the others girls could. It separates the wheat from the chaff.
Are there any other reality shows youâd be interested in auditioning for? You donât seem that keen on becoming a celebrity.
If a camera crew wants to follow me around the world and do a documentary with me Iâd be thrilled. And Iâd like to keep a blog. Iâd like to do extreme things like that guy in the jungleâ¦Bear Grylls. Maybe I could be the model version.
Or a Raoul Moat inspired survivalist without the suicideâ¦
I have a conspiracy theory about that. Thereâs no way he couldâve been in that area for that long…
Youâre giving the police quite a lot of credit.
No, I think it was a police blunder. Thatâs my point.
Have any weirdos recognised you on the street yet and approached you?
I was at a festival on Saturday and some girl ran over and said “I know you from TV somewhere, I just wanted to say hi”. Then she just went quiet and didnât say anything, it got really awkward. My mate cracked up and said, âCome on you havenât just come here to say hello have you?â? It was a really weird moment. And some people have contacted me on Facebook. They add me and think that Iâll add them. A random Chinese guy from Berlin added me the other day. I didnât accept him.
Has anyone asked you out yet?
No, but that would be nice. âExcuse me, would you like to go for a drink somewhere?â? That would be lovely. Or maybe it would just freak me out.
Who do you think will win and who do you want to?
Amelia â I think sheâs a nice girl and sheâs genuine. But there are loads of strong girls â Joy is good, Amber, Charlotte is strong. Nicola is the dark horse â sheâs a good model.
Are you going to continue watching the show or do you have better things to do?
I will watch it. But I donât have Sky. My dad hates Rupert Murdoch so I have to go elsewhere to watch it. My mum has become my biggest fan and has gotten her colleagues to tape it.
What, if anything, have you learnt about yourself from being on BNTM?
I am who I thought I was before I went in. But I donât think Iâm as strong as I thought I was. I donât compromise enough, and Iâm not willing to sacrifice my happiness which you have to do in this industry to get ahead.
You said at the end of the show that you want to be an English teacher â are you pursuing this passion?
Iâm doing my TEFL course and Iâm going to go to Vietnam to teach English and write a blog while Iâm out there and hopefully something will come out of that.
You seem like you want to pursue a career in mediaâ¦
I studied PR at uni and it was a course requirement to write so Iâve always written for papers and stuff. Then it took a backseat while I contemplated becoming a model and Iâve come back full circle to what I really want to do.
Has BNTM confirmed or contradicted your preconceptions about models and modelling?
I donât really know what I went in thinking. Models are just normal people doing a job thatâs their passion. They have thick skin and itâs very easy to let things get to you so it takes a strong character to succeed.
Thank you very much Hannah and good luck with everything in the future.
