Model Mayhem

There could be a case of “Store Wars’‘ developing around former Queensland mannequin turned international model Myf Shepherd. The Cairns-born 19-year-old is scheduled to star on the catwalk in the David Jones 2011 autumn/winter collection launch in Sydney on Tuesday, but in an awkward scenario she also features prominently in rival Myer’s autumn/winter campaign posing alongside Jennifer Hawkins. Oops. Shepherd is back on the runway after putting her career on hold to study set design in Sydney for a year. Prior to that, she had walked in all the major international shows and booked campaigns for Gucci and Miu Miu. With Myer’s much-publicised relationship hiccup with Hawkins’ management team, Shepherd could just be next on the short-list to step up to a lucrative ambassadorial role.

THERE was a time when the expression “a face for radio’‘ meant something. Not so any longer, with the radio-to-TV crossover almost a foregone conclusion for popular personalities on the wireless. Austereo’s Hamish and Andy are doing it, B105’s Labby and Stav are taking a stab and now news is out that Nova’s David “Luttsy’‘ Lutteral is developing a pilot for a new series with the Nine network. The 34-year-old came up with the concept for it while working on his nearly completed book (about a four-year-old who becomes a pop sensation) and film script (think Judd Apatow-style comedy) while living in Los Angeles in 2009. Luttsy will continue his work with Nova and as a XXXX ambassador while developing the pilot with Nine.

ONLY one word to describe the Seven network 2011 program launch on Thursday night: wicked! With most of their local stars in tow and a few interstate ones including My Kitchen Rules hosts Pete Evans and Manu Feildel, Channel 7 hosted a stellar evening at the Lyric Theatre, which was the first chance many of the Seven personalities had to catch up with each other this year. Guests were asked to wear a dash of “wicked green’‘ for the event, which kicked off with an Emerald City-themed cocktail party, followed by a performance of Wicked. For many the event compensated for the cancellation of the blockbuster musical’s VIP opening night party, due to the floods. Talk on the night included Sofie Formica who was full of news (and mobile phone pictures) of her recent family holiday in the US, the lovely Sharyn Ghidella who spoke of juggling new baby Darcy with the ongoing clean-up of her flooded home; and the glowing Liz Cantor who successfully kept her much-publicised romance with NRL player Todd Carney on the down-low.

DAR Tip: Be entertained by the talented Queenie van de Zandt in a charity performance on Tuesday night of her self-written show Cabaret – In 12 Easy Steps at the Judith Wright Centre, Fortitude Valley. Tickets from $26.