Michelle de Swarte

Michelle de Swarte (born 1980) is an English actress, comedian, presenter, and former model. She starred in the Netflix series The Duchess, and created, wrote and starred in the BBC series Spent.

Early life De Swarte was born in Lewisham, South London to a Jewish mother and a Jamaican father and grew up in Brixton. She was diagnosed with dyslexia as a child.

Career Modelling De Swarte was scouted by a modelling agency at the age of 19, while working at SegaWorld London. She subsequently relocated to New York to continue her modelling career, before returning to Britain and moving into comedy.

De Swarte's beauty product campaigns include Make-up Art Cosmetics, Sephora and Neutrogena. She has also been photographed for Burberry, Tommy Hilfiger, Cartier, Betsey Johnson, Michael Kors, Baby Phat, H&M, Gap and Levis, by photographers such as Mario Testino, Peter Lindbergh, Patrick Demarchelier and Steven Meisel, and featured in fashion spreads for Harper's Bazaar, Italian Vanity Fair and V. She modelled for Copperwheat Blundell (Ready-to-Wear Fall/Winter 2000 fashion show), Luella, Missoni (Ready-to-Wear Spring/Summer 2002 fashion shows), and during the Ready-to-Wear Fall/Winter 2002 fashion week she modelled for Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, John Galliano and Versus Versace. Her runway career abruptly ended after she fell down repeatedly and removed her shoes while walking for the Gucci Fall/Winter 2002 Ready-to-Wear fashion show where the catwalk was covered in faux sheepskin.

TV productions

2008: The Fashion Show (Princess Productions for ITV2 with George Lamb and Abigail Clancy) 2009: Arthur's Day Celebrations (ITV2 and Sky, with Cat Deeley and Ronan Keating) 2009: I'm a Celebrity: Unpacked (ITV2, filmed in Australia) 2011: Dirty Digest (E4) 2024: Spent (BBC Two) 2025: RuPaul's Drag Race UK (BBC Three, Series 7)