Our interview with this year’s Miss GB winner!
This year’s Miss GB Leeds winner is Nicole Jennings. Nicole, 22, is a Nursery Practitioner from Huddersfield and our new girl crush. Not only is she stunning, but an amazing role model to all young girls. We certainly have her tipped to go far during the Miss GB 2017 Finals in Leicester! We were lucky enough to grab our Miss Leeds 2017 Winner for an interview talking everything from her battle with confidence to breaking world records in climbing mountains!
We sat down with Nicole after her Miss Leeds crowning here at Flawless Studios, a fun packed day of some serious glamming and a few celebratory glasses of bubbly. She spent the day, as any lady does when they arrive at Flawless being pampered to the max. She was treated to a mini manicure, hair styling and a glamorous makeover with a gorgeous smokey eye finish, paired with a nude lip all by our resident beauty therapist, Raila. She was then whisked away by our all female photography team to pose up a storm in a number of gorgeous evening gowns.
When we finally get to sit down with her to chat she has the largest smile on her face, a big bouquet of flowers in hand and a rather decadent tiara on her head. Nicole applied to be Miss Leeds 2017 back in May via our Online finals and the rest is History!
How did you feel when you won?
It still hasn’t settled in at all. Not in a million years did I think I would actually win. I am so excited now I can finally tell people!
What made you apply for Miss Leeds 2017?
I applied because it’s something I’ve thought about for ages, since I was a child I’ve been interested in doing it. But I never had a lot of confidence at school, I suffered a lot with anxiety so I never went forward with it. That was until last year, when I applied for Miss West Yorkshire. Going there, not thinking I’d win anything at all but then being crowned Miss Congeniality which gave me the confidence to continue. It’s just something I’ve always wanted to do. I am the type of person who will not stop until I’ve got it.
At Flawless we are huge advocates of self-confidence and believing in yourself. How has self-confidence impacted your life personally and what advice would you give to people battling with low self-confidence?
From a young age, I had severe anxiety and panic attacks and I really didn’t know how to deal with it. I ended up doing self-help over the internet so I managed to gain my confidence through taking control of my anxiety. I just want to help any girls who may be in the position I was, especially with the effect the media has on women now. I gained so much more confidence just taking the plunge and attending my first pageant. My advice I would give to anyone who was in the same position I was, would just dive in into the deep end and do whatever you’ve always wanted to do, you will not regret it.
What do you wish to achieve whilst being Miss Leeds 2017? Are there any charities you will be working with? And what are you planning doing with them?
I work with a charity currently at the moment called Invisible Traffic. It’s based in Huddersfield and helps women who have sadly been victim to domestic violence. They’re such an amazing charity. I would also love to continue working with Candlelighters Leeds. I worked with their organization last year, within the children’s hospitals and would love to do the same this year. Also, I would love to help young girls battling with self-confidence.
Tell us a fact about yourself that not many people know?
I actually love adventuring. I am constantly camping or going on hikes in the woods. I also love climbing the Three Peaks in the Three Peak Challenge. Me and my boyfriend have done it eight times this year, we’re actually looking to achieve the Guinness World Record for how many times you can do it, per year!
What do you think it takes to be a beauty queen in 2017, is it all about looks?
When I was younger I believed that to be in a pageant you must be absolutely gorgeous and tall, but attending my first ever pageant last year made me realize that wasn’t the case at all! All the finalists, despite being beautiful were also such amazing girls. I do believe it’s more about what you can do for the local community and the world, whether that be donating your time to charities or whatever you can achieve, the sky is the limit! It really is personality, and your compassion over how beautiful you are!
What advice would you give to girls thinking about applying for Miss Leeds 2018?
Please just do it, you seriously will not regret it!
Our Miss GB Leeds winner, Nicole Jennings will be attending the Miss GB 2017 Finals at the Grand Hotel, in Leicester, September 14th & 15th. We look forward to Miss GB Finals 2017, we wish her the best of luck even though we know she doesn’t need it! Expect a lot of social media coverage over that weekend, we have a feeling it’s going to be a good one!
