All hands on deck for Sheffield mum after winning contract with popular cosmetics brand

Sheffield model Nicki Donohoe appeared on ITV's The Big Audition on Friday, showcasing her '˜ageless' hands to a panel of employers to win a contract with a popular cosmetics brand.Â
Nicki has won the contract to become a hand model for Barry M (Picture: Deborah Stone)Nicki has won the contract to become a hand model for Barry M (Picture: Deborah Stone)
Nicki has won the contract to become a hand model for Barry M (Picture: Deborah Stone)

Viewers watched as the busy mum-of-two from Ecclesfield was told to apply lipstick and sunglasses to a model, whilst stood behind so only her hands were in the frame. 

She later went on to beat her rivals, bagging the job as the hands of Barry M.

Nicki has won the contract to become a hand model for Barry M (Picture: Deborah Stone)Nicki has won the contract to become a hand model for Barry M (Picture: Deborah Stone)
Nicki has won the contract to become a hand model for Barry M (Picture: Deborah Stone)
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However, the unusual casting is something Nicki is used to, having been a model for ten years after she was recommended to local modelling agency DK Models.

And, it wasn't long before it was all hands on deck for Nicki, who is a hair stylist and make-up artist by trade.

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She said: 'Hand modelling came by accident when the hand model didn't turn up one day. I was booked to do hair and make up for the '˜face' model and ended up jumping in when the client said she liked my nails! It went from there.'

Nicki has won the contract to become a hand model for Barry M (Picture: Deborah Stone)Nicki has won the contract to become a hand model for Barry M (Picture: Deborah Stone)
Nicki has won the contract to become a hand model for Barry M (Picture: Deborah Stone)

'Hand castings are very similar to what we saw on the big audition - although I've never had to actually try and put lipstick on a model without seeing what it doing via a little mirror. Hence why it went all over her chin!'

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Emmerdale fans might actually already recognise Nicki's long and slender legs from the opening credits as she was cast as the '˜legs that run up the stairs'.

She added: 'Most of my jobs are a little bizarre in a way. Every day is different and can range from being on a film set with amazing catering to stood in freezing cold fields for hours.

'One of the most bizarre was running up the stairs for the Emmerdale titles. I had to run up fake stairs about 200 times and there was a bit of a drop on the other side, I had to run up in tights so I was trying not to slip into the barriers.

'Trying to run up stairs '˜suggestively' isn't as easy as it sounds.'

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Nicki says that before a campaign or audition, she has to be aware of things that might affects her hands, so has to avoid things like washing up and housework to avoid breaking a nail.

She will now take a step back before shooting starts in November for the Barry M campaign.

She added: 'It was great being part of the show! Although I didn't really think they would hire me as I've done hand modelling before, I thought it might be better '˜TV' to hire someone new but I was thrilled to get the job.

'It's a pretty big campaign and I've never done something so big in terms of hand modelling before so I'm really taking care of my hands as much as I can at the minute. 

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'We shoot the campaign early November. After that who knows. Everything I've done so far has come my way by fate so I'm leaving it up to that really, it would be great to do more of the same.

'And it's also fab to think that the modelling world doesn't stop once you're over 30. I'm feeling very grateful at the minute.'

The Big Audition is on Fridays at 9pm on ITV.

 

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