From Catwalk to Commentary: An Interview with DH Alumna Rosie Turner 

Thank you to Lower Sixth students Polly and Amelia for sitting down with Downe House alumna Rosie Turner to explore her remarkable journey from Vogue cover shoots to the fast-paced world of live sports presenting. In this candid conversation, Rosie reflects on her modelling career, her advocacy for body positivity, and the lessons she’s learned about resilience, mindset, and embracing every opportunity that comes her way. 

Rosie Turner (née Tapner) began modelling at the age of 15, when she first shot for Vogue. She was involved in various photoshoots including with top fashion houses like Balenciaga, and can be seen on the cover of Vogue. Now Rosie works in TV as a top presenter in the world of live sports, covering race meets such as Cheltenham Races and Royal Ascot. She is also an advocate for body positivity and mental wellbeing. 

What A Levels did you do and what age did you start modelling? 

“I only managed to take two A levels, Sports Science and Photography, because my modelling schedule had me travelling 6 days a week”. Looking back, Rosie recalled taking photography was not the best idea due to the influx of coursework while balancing the demands of her career.  

You’re an advocate for body positivity and mental well-being in the industry. What are some of the most important lessons you’ve learned about maintaining a healthy mindset in a high-pressure career? 

As someone who’s spent years in the public eye, Rosie has become an advocate for body positivity and well-being. In our interview she shared her experiences on how to deal with this.  

“It takes time to build this mindset, it is something that cannot be learnt overnight. I always use the phrase ‘Who Cares!’ – what people are thinking inside their heads about us we can’t hear. We need to remember that nobody actually cares, we all judge and that is just being human. If someone cares about what you look like it is more their fault not yours.”  

The phrase “Who Cares!” can be very empowering, not just regarding body image but also about working relationships and navigating challenges in friendships too. 

This idea of living in the moment and realising the impact that technology and social media may have on our body image is a really important aspect to keep in mind. This is something Rosie is passionate about and believes without these developments insecurities would be limited.  

For Rosie, a shift in mindset was key. “If you are feeling down about yourself, know it is just a phase. It will pass. Let everything be a phase and don’t rush anything. The idea that healthier is way more fun!” 

What was it like to work with Vogue for the first time? Can you share some memorable moments from that experience? 

“My first shoot in London was for a main story, I was paired with an actor playing Romeo at the time. I had this wild curly hair and fringe as when I shot my first campaign with Balenciaga they chopped all my hair off and put a fringe in. I remember walking through London taking all these pictures; it was such an amazing experience.” 

Rosie also featured on the Vogue cover in May 2013 and had the opportunity to work alongside Tim Walker. “One standout moment was being photographed on top of a combine harvester.” What Rosie most enjoyed about shooting with Vogue, was the lovely family atmosphere created by bringing together the best stylists, photographers and people on set. 

“Those are the jobs where you get to make decisions, whereas a model would only get chosen occasionally for certain jobs and to look a certain way. My advice is to explore other routes within that field instead of becoming a model.” 

Rosie believes that embracing new experiences and opportunities has been crucial to her success and makes the point that “every door that opens – definitely go through it!”. 

What are some of the biggest challenges you face when covering live events, especially during high-pressure moments like photo finishes or controversies? 

In addition to her modelling career, Rosie has become a respected figure in presenting, especially in live horse events. She mentions “The biggest thing about live events is being able to think on your feet and know when to say something and when not to. It’s about staying calm and making sure the viewer isn’t aware of the stress in the background. I’ll spend a couple of days gathering information on jockeys, horses and any big stories before race meets. I never want to be caught off guard, preparation is key.” 

How did you get into modelling? 

“I got into modelling through Downe House. They took us to a clothes show in Birmingham on a closed weekend. I really didn’t want to go and hated the idea of fashion, nevertheless, I went in my dungarees and riding boots. I was scouted by five modelling agencies there. Despite being very quiet and shy at school to start with I decided to explore the idea.” 

Rosie then took the opportunity to visit one of the agencies (STORM) and only a week after meeting STORM, she was in New York shooting for Balenciaga. 

Were there any surprising aspects of the modelling world that you wish you had known before you began your career? 

“One of the most surprising things was how much you have to be undressed! There are times when five people are involved in getting you dressed. That would have been good to know before hand!”  

She was also shocked at the long hours, “Some days I started at 5am. and didn’t finish until midnight. Yet sometimes the shoot would last until 7pm. then a client would call asking for a reshoot because of a small mistake in the background! The hours are exhausting.” 

Another surprising aspect was, “As a model, you’re essentially a coat hanger. You might be the one in front of the camera, but you’re not making any decisions about the shoot itself”