January 10, 2006
Burnham-On-Sea student stars in new Sky One reality show
A talented Burnham-On-Sea fashion student is to get nationwide attention when he takes part in a brand new Sky One reality TV series.
Matt Bowkett, 21, of Stoddens Road, is a contestant on Project Catwalk, a new reality series about the fashion industry.
Pictured alongside one of the programme’s models, he spoke exclusively to Burnham-On-Sea.com about the show, which starts on January 12th.
The programme is described by Sky as “an exciting prime-time series hosted by Elizabeth Hurley which gives twelve talented and hungry fashion designers the opportunity of a lifetime – a chance to have their collection shown at London Fashion Week.”
With £20,000 and a feature in Elle magazine up for grabs for the winner, competition is fierce but Matt is optimistic about his chances.
He is studying fashion at Westminster University and heard about the TV show during a holiday job at a supermarket chain in London.
“I was actually working at Tesco’s menswear fashion chain on work experience, designing T-shirts when the designer said he knew the Production Manager from the show and wondered if I’d be interested.”
![Matt will star alongside Liz Hurley in Sky One's Project Catwalk reality series [Photo: Sky One]](https://www.burnham-on-sea.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/liz-hurley.jpg)
“I went along at the last minute to have a go and to my surprise I was picked to be a contestant. It’s all been very exciting.”
Starring alongside big household names such as Liz Hurley and Kelly Osbourne, he told Burnham-On-Sea.com that the whole experience has been mind blowing.
“To be honest, I have been thrown back by it all. One minute I was working in Tesco and the next I was with Liz Hurley. It’s been a massive eye opener! I feel a long way from Burnham now.”
He’s unable to say how far he progresses in the show – you have to watch to find that out – but says he hopes the show will “be the start of a long careeer in fashion.”
.Project Catwalk Factfile
During the series, the designers compete in a series of challenges that test a broad range of skills. These determine if they have what it takes to cut it in the highly competitive fashion industry.
At the end of each challenge a designer is eliminated, ultimately leaving three to show at London Fashion Week. Of those three, one will win the top prize and claim their place in fashion’s spotlight.
A dozen up-and-coming models join the designers on their journey. Like the designers, the models face weekly eliminations. Of the three remaining models, one emerges from the pack to grace the pages of Elle in the winning designer’s clothes.
Matt is a former pupil of Burnham-On-Sea’s Southleigh school and Cheddar’s Kings of Wessex School.
Matt’s proud mother, Francesca Bel, has her fingers crossed that the show is going to be Matt’s big break.
She told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “He’ll be on Richard and Judy on Channel 4 this Thursday talking about the show and will then appear on Sky One each Thursday at 8pm.”
“He has always been interested in fashion and did very well in textile and arts at school. I really think he can go far.”
“He was in the studio during filming last summer for over five weeks so we didn’t see a lot of him, but it was great to see him back here in Burnham at Christmas.”
She’s relieved, though, that the programme has not gone to his head. “It’s an enormous weight to put on young shoulders, but he seems to take it all in his stride,” she said.
“He is very laid back and isn’t going to let it go to his head.”
Project Catwalk airs on Sky One at 8pm every Thursday. Burnham-On-Sea.com will be following Matt’s progress during the series.
RELATED LINKS:
Project Catwalk Sky One Official Website [External Link]
