Michelle de Swarte

Michelle de Swarte is an actress, comedian and TV Presenter. Michelle stars as a series regular in the upcoming Netflix series The Duchess. Born in South London, Michelle was spotted by a model scout at the age of 19 and moved to New York, where she became heavily involved in the comedy scene and since moving back to London she has appeared on a number of panel shows for Channel 4, BBC, ITV and Comedy Central. Michelle’s comedy mixes her growing up in London with her life in America, and she has most recently recorded a Edinburgh Fringe Festival audiobook for Penguin Books. Michelle’s other TV credits include presenting Emmy nominated series Woman with Gloria Steinem, The Fashion Show on ITV2, BBC Three current affairs debate show Free Speech and appearances on I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here Now! on ITV. She also hosted the celebrity gossip show Dirty Digest on E4, which she co-devised.

Michelle’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 modeled 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 modeled for Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, John Galliano and Versus Versace.[1] But her career as a runway model stopped abruptly 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.[2]

She then turned to television, her TV credits include presenting celebrity gossip show, Dirty Digest, for E4, The Fashion Show, a 10-episode mini-series with George Lamb and Abbey Clancy aired on ITV2 from September to November 2008, hosting the live broadcast of Arthur's Day celebrations and being a talking head on BBC's The Noughties.. Was That It? in 2009. She also appeared on a number of panel shows for Channel 4, BBC, ITV and Comedy Central.

In 2015, she began reporting for Vice America doing a range of documentaries covering issues from FGM to female magicians, including the Emmy nominated series Woman produced by Gloria Steinem for Viceland USA.