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In the first of Clara Maidment's episode blogs, the photographer writes about the Dirty Sexy Things open casting call

The first episode of the show starts with an open casting call to model agencies and model hopefuls alike. The reality of an open casting call that includes professionals and wannabes is that the queue for the auditions is a 50/50 split between the extremely beautiful and extremely suitable candidates for the Jeremy Kyle show. The call of the glamorous life and an audience with Perou was strong and the line rolled out the door and on to the street.

Perou asked me to weed out the potentials from the completely unsuitable. (Oh the power!) Professionalism was temporarily cast aside as it went to my head and, I’m ashamed to say, I strutted up and down the line assessing the talent (and mooning over the pretty boys), only barely containing the urge to lick my lips and cackle as I decided who would get through to the next round. Sad? Yes. Fun? So much.

Then it was on to more serious work as I snapped the best of the rest (still taking time to have a little giggle at the girls who thought I wouldn’t notice their five inch heels as they strained to look taller).

At the end of a long day we were left with Perou and the final eight: BB, Charlotte, Jesse, Rob, Jessye, Ariella, Ocean, and Jay. They were asked to strip down just to the essentials so that Perou could photograph them without their ‘masks’ of clothing and make-up - standard model procedure - and everyone complied bar Ariella, who rolled up in long sweatpants and a dressing gown. Can only speculate about what she had to hide.

Confess to taking advantage of the now only semi-clad male models at the end of Perou’s session with them and grabbed them for a quick pic. (Note the bored yawn from Dempsey the dog: she’s seen it all before.)

Go behind the scenes of episode one with the Model Cam
Watch it all again on 4oD
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