This week, we tuned in to Sky Living to see the winner of 2011’s Britain & Ireland’s Next Top Model announced.

Jade Thompson – a petite, mixed-race, freckly redhead – beat her rival finalist Juste Juozapaityte, an experienced Lithuanian model with ‘conventional model looks’.

We at Models Direct were extremely happy to see a girl with such unusual and striking looks go on to win what is possibly the UK’s biggest modelling competition.

But, as can often be the case with aspiring models, Jade’s ethereal beauty was not always appreciated by school peers before she was discovered.

The 20 year old recently spoke to The Manchester Evening News saying she spent years feeling unconfident in her appearance, wishing she didn’t look so unique. In fact, Jade even revealed that she was taunted for her unusual looks, and was called ‘freckle face’ and ‘ginger nut’.

Regardless of whether this is down to jealously or an inability to spot modelling potential, the tables have most certainly turned models who have endured bullying at a young age. Lindsey Wixson, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and now Jade have all now learned to feel happy about the way they look, and they have modelling to thank.

“I spent years wishing I didn’t have a face full of freckles and ginger hair until I suddenly realised I couldn’t change it so I needed to learn to live with it,” Jade told The Manchester Evening News. “It wasn’t just that I had red hair and freckles. I’m also mixed race and I’d get people saying ‘what are you?’ If I can reassure young people who look like me, or come from a similar racial background to feel happier about themselves that would be great.

“My advice to them is believe in yourself, not to listen to what others say and to go for it whatever your ambition in life,” she added.

We at Models Direct, a modelling agency known for supporting diversity in the modelling industry, think that Jade’s combination of freckles, red hair and a slender yet very curvy figure make a fantastic choice for this year’s winner – not to mention her engaging personality.

Let’s just hope that by showing being different can be a good thing, she paves the way for more unconventional looking girls to follow their dreams of becoming a model.