Little Gem Scores Big C5 debut

Curvy Model Agency will aim to examine world of plus-size models. Little Gem has secured access to a plus-sized modelling agency for its debut Channel 5 commission.

The Curvy Model Agency (working title) is a 2 x 60-minute series that goes behind-the-scenes at Milk Management, which signed recent Cosmo cover star Tess Holliday.

Milk was founded by former model Anna Shillinglaw, who is passionate about promoting plus-size women and has established a dedicated ‘curve’ division featuring models from size 12 upwards. The series will follow Shillinglaw and her team as they bid to unearth the next superstar.

Shillinglaw and her agency previously appeared in Blast! Films’ 2015 Channel 4 doc Plus Sized wars.

Little Gem creative director Natasha Bondy said the series celebrates diversity of body shapes.

“Forget ‘skinny chic’, these XXL girls are proud of their bodies proving that big is not only beautiful; it’s also big bucks when you get it right,” she added.

The show was ordered by C5 commissioning editor Daniel Pearl who said: “There has been a remarkable shift in opinion and backlash against ‘traditional’ model body shapes and diet culture in recent months.” It is the first C5 order for Little Gem, which is responsible for Channel 4 series How To Lose Weight Well and E4 formats Five Star Hotel and forthcoming series The Hangover Games.