Another elimination round this afternoon. The day begins with an evaluation of the girl’s shoot from the last few days. Anouk, Dirk and I look at the images separately so as not to influence each other. Executive Producer Riena is extremely strict about this. We walk back to our hotel’s inner courtyard one by one, where Riena is waiting for us, armed with a laptop, telephone and a cigarette.

After the session it’s make-up time. Anouk has her own personal make-up artist because she is the hostess, and Dirk and I share one. Dirk doesn’t need much and it takes about 3 minutes for him to be powdered and TV-proof, so I get our make-up artist Claudia all to myself for a whole long two hours.

Claudia is an Italian New Yorker with a French mother. She tells me about all the top models that she has ‘done’, and has totally convinced me that I really, really, REALLY need to go to Sardinia (bluest water in the world), shows me funny videos like this one and talks about her Italian gay friend that has been in a relationship with a man for four years already and is finally going to tell his parents today. It is gay pride today so the perfect day for it.

Make-up artists should be spoiled and looked after. Because they work so hard and also because they make you more beautiful if they enjoy your company. Anouk always airs her hotel room and then lights up a scented candle before Sandrine, her make-up artist arrives. I have also gathered a few nice things for ‘at home’. Healthy bars, mineral water and fresh fruit. Claudia is the type that thinks about everyone else before herself.

So after two wonderful hours together, Claudia has managed to bring out the best in me and has polished the lesser bits (I suddenly have a huge pimple on my chin) away. She tells me during our session that things are not going well between her and her Italian love. He can’t settle in New York, she’s thinking of going back to Italy. She looks tired but does not cry. She has become far to New York for that.

We always seem to spend way too much time chatting and doing make-up, so I jump into my outfit in less than 3 minutes. The telephone rings and the taxi is revving outside the door. The shoot is taking place in Brooklyn, just on the other side of the bridge, which is quite a drive. It is about 40 degrees in New York so by the time we arrive in Red Hook Brooklyn, my face is demanding a re-powder. Claudia plonks me down in the sweaty production office and goes to work with a critical eye. As she reaches my problem area ‘chin and pimple’, I ask her: “How is the motherfucker?”. She looks at me and laughs; “You mean my boyfriend?”

Seriously Claudia, you are one of the reasons I wish this adventure could continue forever.