MEET MR HOTPANTS!
JONATHAN Sutton is proof that life begins at 40, after being named the nation’s hottest new underwear model, beating off competition from thousands of younger men.
The aspiring writer and actor from Cardiff was entered in the Mr Hotpants competition, on Lorraine Kelly’s ITV show, by his dad.
He thought he was “too old” and “too Welsh” for the competition but was unveiled as the winner by model Lisa Snowdon live on Lorraine’s show.
As a result he has bagged a two-year modelling contract with Unsigned Management and begun a whole new career just in time for his 40th birthday.
Now he looks set to take the global modelling scene by storm after signing up with one of the world’s top modelling agencies, based in Germany.
The Kult Agency in Berlin is at the heart of the commercial modelling industry and will hopefully propel this more mature model to international success.
“Berlin is the centre of the biggest commercial modelling scene in Europe, potentially the world, which means I’m now being seen across the Continent and working out of Germany,” said Jonathan.
“It’s massive news, so signing with Kult means that I’ll be looking at work across the continent, not just the UK.
“They also have offices South Africa and Australia.”alia.”
While the Welshmann pointed out the nature of the modelling work is not fashion-based, based, it does mean he holds a distinct advantage over his youngerounger rivals.
“Commercial apparently my said.
“It essentially meansans I’m too old for fashion on modelling, so the work rk they have is more suiteded to me.
“It’s cars, suits, watchhes, that sort of thing – people don’t tend too buy them off thee 22-year-old lads.”
Jonathan, who has a contract with the Hammmond & Co underwear ear brand, added: “The callsalls I’m getting differ comompletely.
“Sometimes it’s a magaagazine shoot with a specific ific look in mind, otherer times it’s for a particu- lar brand that’s associated with the older modellingelling is forte,”” he in guy. I’ve had castings or shoots for big car firms and rum brands, but also for online fashion retailers, vaping brands, all sorts.
“I’m still the face of Hammond & Co underwear in Debenhams.
“That poster is still up. Not that I go in looking every day, of course!
“Generally, though, I’m cast as dad with son, dad with dog, dad with elbow pain or glasses. I think there’s a theme emerging.”
Jonathan, who is a former kickboxing champion, may be reaping the rewards now, but he admitted he has had his struggles since leaving a job in finance to follow his dream of modelling, writing and acting.
“After I left my finance job, I did hit a bit of a low point as I struggled to find work writing, modelling and acting,” he said.
“I was training every morning, labouring on building sites all day, then trying to write all night.
“When that work ran out too, times got really tough, so winning a modelling contract just before my 40th birthday was the big boost I’d been hoping for.
“The career change bought me the time to finally chase the writing dream, after all, modelling might not last forever. “I’d had a couple of short films produced before I went into modelling and I’m now working on my first fifirst feature film, which will hopefully be made next year – and since I take a role in the films I write, I’m hoping that the acting career will take off as a result.
“I’m also working on a podcast called ‘Make That Change’, talking around all these experiences and interviewing people who’ve made similar moves.
“I think there’s a lot of people out there who’d like to makeke a change but don’t know wherere to start. Not just careers, though,ugh, lifestyle in general – be it fashion,hion, food or fitness at 40.”
While the writing and actingcting career is a future aim, for noww the prospect of modelling shoots ts in major cities is exciting.
“I’m really looking forwardd to it because I’m a big lover of travel,” avel,” said Jonathan.
“Next year I could be doingg ads for cold beer on the Med, or r for posh cars in Paris, but knowingwing my luck I’ll be stuck doing swimwimwear in the Baltic.
“I’m hoping to get a big brandrand attachment that will keep using me year on year.
“David Gandy got his breakeak with a Dolce & Gabana ad- vert, six years after winning an ITV model search, so I might have a wait!”
Find out more about t Jonathan at: www.jonsutton.n. co.uk