Michelle de Swarte facts for kids

Michelle de Swarte, born in 1980, is a talented English actress, comedian, and TV presenter. Before becoming famous on screen, she also had a successful career as a model. You might know her from the Netflix show The Duchess, or from the BBC series Spent, which she created, wrote, and starred in.

Growing Up

Michelle de Swarte was born in Lewisham, a part of South London. She grew up in Brixton. Her mother was Jewish, and her father was from Jamaica. Michelle left school when she was 14 years old.

Her Career Journey

Starting in Modeling

When Michelle was 19, she was discovered by a modeling agency. At the time, she was working at SegaWorld London. This was the start of her exciting journey into the fashion world. She moved to New York City to continue her modeling career.

Michelle worked with many big names in fashion. She appeared in campaigns for beauty brands like Make-up Art Cosmetics and Sephora. Famous photographers like Mario Testino took her picture for major fashion houses such as Burberry, Tommy Hilfiger, and Cartier. She also appeared in popular magazines like Harper's Bazaar.

Michelle walked the runway for designers like Dolce & Gabbana and Gucci. However, her runway modeling career ended suddenly during a Gucci show. The catwalk was covered in fake sheepskin, and she fell down several times. She even took off her shoes to finish the walk!

Moving to Television

After her modeling career, Michelle began working in television. She presented the celebrity gossip show Dirty Digest for E4. She also co-hosted The Fashion Show on ITV2 with George Lamb and Abbey Clancy.

Michelle also appeared on many TV shows where she shared her opinions. In 2015, she started working for Vice America. She made documentaries about interesting topics, including female magicians. She also worked on the Emmy-nominated series Woman, which was produced by Gloria Steinem.

Acting Roles

Michelle has starred in several popular TV series. In 2020, she played a role in the British comedy-drama The Duchess. In 2022, she was in the British horror-comedy series The Baby.

In 2024, Michelle released her own sitcom called Spent on BBC Two. This show was inspired by her real-life experiences in the modeling industry.

Life Outside Work

Michelle de Swarte divides her time between living in London and Greenpoint, Brooklyn, in the United States.

TV Shows Michelle Has Been In

• 2008: The Fashion Show (ITV2)
• 2009: Arthur's Day Celebrations (ITV2 and Sky)
• 2009: I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here Now! (ITV2)
• 2011: Dirty Digest (E4)
• 2024: Spent (BBC Two)