Glow Up winner ready for career to start

An aspiring make up artist from Coventry has said she cannot wait for her career to start after winning BBC Three's latest series of Glow Up.

Shania Parris, from Coundon, was crowned series six champion on Wednesday evening.

She said it felt "absolutely unbelievable" after having wanted to take part since the programme first launched.

Having walked away with a contract assisting some of the world's leading make-up artists, she said: "It just felt like this year was going to be my year."

Contestants had the chance to work on the BBC's Casualty series as well as try out their make-up creations on partners and family members.

"It was emotional when they all walked in, it was crazy," she said.

"There were so many tears when family members and partners walked into that room.

"I remember saying to my girlfriend: 'Please try not to talk to me as much as you can, otherwise I'm going to get distracted. I needed to focus'."

She had spoken about her struggles with mental health during the series and said it was timely the final was aired during Mental Health Week.

Ms Parris, who would like to go into productions and special effects, said she started experimenting with make up as a teenager because we was self-conscious.

She has hyperpigmentation and dark circles and had been bullied when she was younger.

She said make-up gave her a "chance to cover up the things people could potentially bully me for".

"Then it just turned into an absolute love and passion for the art that is make-up," she added.

Since her win, she said it had been "a rollercoaster" as friends and family did not know what the results were, but she had "so much love from the people closest to me".

The contract she won would be "the biggest stepping stone for my career", she said, adding that she "cannot wait" to start.

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