Roz set to jet out and join Jude on African catwalk

LB

IRISH model Jude Nabney has taken the South African catwalk by storm since touching down last month, and Roz Purcell is set to follow suit.

The First Option beauty jetted over to Cape Town with her fiance Rob Rea (26) in October and the good-looking couple have been flooded with job offers.

"I've worked a lot since I got here. There are so many girls here this season, about 400 per casting so it's crazy and I'm very lucky to get so much work," the Belfast blonde told the Herald.

"I always say if I'm right for the job then I'll get it, that's my ethos," said the 5ft 9in blonde, who has enjoyed working with German, French, Swiss, Austrian and American clients since arriving in South Africa.

Based in South Africa on a six-month full-time contract, the loved-up couple are "really enjoying" their new life, but have insisted they plan to return to Ireland in April, ahead of their wedding next September.

"You can't really plan things when you're a model, but we do have plans to return -- Cape Town is just our temporary home."

The engaged pair, who are renting out their house in Belfast, are also relishing Rob's recent success as a catwalk king, who has given up his job in Ulster Bank to pursue modelling full-time.

"Rob is working so well out here and it's so nice that we can travel about modelling together.

"He booked his first TV commercial last week at Asda and we also had a sports shoot together for a French client, which was so much fun."

Meanwhile, former Miss Universe Ireland Roz will pack her bags and follow Jude to Cape Town in mid December.

The AR model revealed she "can't wait" to get back into the local scene and is counting down the days until she heads off.

"I was over there last season for two months, so I'm hoping to extend it this time to three months -- I love it there, it's one of my favourite places on earth," Roz told the Diary.

"The work suits me better because there's a lot more catalogue work that is lingerie based. The weather is certainly a pull factor too."

The Tipperary native admitted that she preferred living in South Africa to New York and plans to skip Christmas dinner at home, in favour of a barbecue on the beach.

"I hope to spend it chilling out with friends -- I haven't told my family yet, but they won't mind, it's only one day after all."

Roz (21), who signed up to well-known modelling agency 1085 management last month, confessed that she steps up her game while working in Cape Town, but is not nervous about the challenge.

"You can't be nervous about it, you just have to try your best. I'm not worried -- I have a stronger book this year so that'll help."