FLICKING through the glossy portfolio it’s hard to believe he was once the shy and retiring type.

Life now though has taken a very different turn for Hedge End man Tom Chudleigh, who found modelling three years ago, almost by accident.

Persuaded by his parents to enter a competition to become the face of men’s clothing brand Moss Bros, the 24-year-old was the surprise, landing him a year’s contract with Select Model Management and a nationwide James Bond-eqsue campaign.

Since then, Tom has featured in international campaigns, worked abroad, and even had his derriere in Glamour magazine alongside comedian Miranda Hart.

Now signed to Next Model Management in London, Elite Model Management Milano and Fusion in Cape Town, the ex Marks and Spencer worker admits modelling has changed his life.

Daily Echo:

He said: “I was shy in school, not outgoing at all and a lot less confident. I definitely think I have a lot more confidence since modelling.

“When you have to do castings in your boxers in a room full of people it makes going to job interviews less scary. It’s everybody’s worst nightmare to stand in front of people in your underwear, but now I have done that, public speaking isn’t scary at all.

“I’m also more independent from travelling around and going to different places.”

His biggest shoot to date saw him twice travel to Switzerland to film a television commercial for Migros, the Swiss equivalent of M&S, and he confessed the second trip was his favourite.

“We did the shoot right up in the mountains and it was the most amazing place I have ever been.

“There’s a bigger world out there, and modelling has taught me that. You get to leave your home town and go to London a lot more, go abroad and see things you never would have seen.”

While trying to make a name for himself in the modelling world, Tom was studying for a degree at Portsmouth University in Business Enterprise Development, from which he graduated last year.

He now has hopes of setting up his own marketing company, but has said he is sticking with the modelling just on the side at the moment.

He said: “There was a job I was lined up to do and the pay was £15,000 for five days’ work. If the money was right and I was doing well then of course I would stay with it.

“Modelling has definitely changed my life,” he said.