Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Now it’s Dame Twiggy
Knighthoods for Michael Palin and Alastair Cook:
TWIGGY joked it has been “purgatory” keeping the news of being made a Dame a secret.
The model, born Lesley Hornby, has been awarded the title in the Queen’s New Year Honours list for her services to fashion, the arts and charity.
The 69-year-old said: “It’s wonderful, but it makes me giggle. When we wake up every morning we turn to each other, my husband (Leigh Lawson) and I, and we just giggle.
“So it’s a very nice, warm feeling, and obviously I am very honoured.
“The hardest thing has been keeping it a secret, because we’ve known for about three-and-a-half weeks”.
Brought up in Neasden, northwest London, her success story started when she was just 16 and it is often claimed she was the world’s first supermodel.
Dubbed “The Face of ‘66” by the Daily Express, her four-year modelling career left its mark on the industry and her boyish, elfin look inspired a generation of girls.
She turned to acting and musical theatre after modelling, and also went on to launch a music career.
It was Ken Russell’s 1971 film The Boy Friend which gained her a foothold in the acting world.
The musical comedy, an adaptation of the theatre musical of the same name, won Twiggy two Golden Globe awards, for best newcomer and best actress in a musical/ comedy respectively.
Talking about her career, she credits Russell with being a key player in her success.
She said: “Ken Russell saw something in me and turned me into an actress and did The Boy Friend with me. I probably wouldn’t have pursued that path had it not been for his belief in me.”
“You know, I think that happens in careers – you meet people in life who become your mentors and, to me, Ken Russell was my big mentor because he changed my career.
“If I could pick one highlight, it was appearing on Broadway in My One And Only.
“I didn’t think I could do that, going out in front of 2,000 people every night singing and dancing. “If somebody had said ‘You’re going to do that for two years’ I’d have said ‘You’re crazy’.
“But it was amazing, we were a smash hit and I got nominated for a Tony award so that was beyond my expectations.”
In the past few years she has returned to modelling, appearing in adverts for Marks & Spencer. In 2011 she released an album titled Romantically Yours, which featured a duet with her friend, Canadian singer Bryan Adams.
Looking back, she said she has no regrets in her life, but added: “My only sadness with this is my mum and dad aren’t here to know.
“They’d have been so proud.”