Elle Macpherson, Dannii Minogue and Tyson Beckford have said goodbye to the second eliminated girl from Britain and Ireland's Next Top Model.Fans of the show may recognise Danielle Sandhu from Cycle 7 when she reached boot camp, but in Thursday's episode her dreams are dashed once again as she is forced out of the modelling competition.HELLO! Online chats to Danielle about seeing Elle's nice side, the "catty" atmosphere in the house and being in post-elimination denial.
How do you feel leaving the show for a second time?"I was heartbroken when I left. It was devastating to go from one extreme to another, from doing photoshoots and being around the judges, to then going back to reality. It was hard to get back into it. I was in denial for a little bit. The longer you stay, the harder it gets to leave I think."What was the atmosphere in the house like?"I think the first couple of days we were all on a high because it was such a new experience, but then as soon as it hit home that we were in a competition and there to win, that's when it became a bit catty. When you spend that much time with 13 other girls, eventually personalities clash and there were a few petty arguments and bickering which was bound to happen. The house was big enough to separate yourself from people you argue with though."How did you choose your rooms in the house?"At boot camp I bonded with a group of four girls, so when we got to the house we rushed in and made sure we all got beds next to each other in the main bedroom. We did have the prettiest room. There was a smaller room that held four people and that immediately created a separation. The girls in that room were a bit quieter, whereas we all had a laugh before going to bed and it felt like a big sleepover."What qualities do you think you need to survive the modelling industry?"You definitely need to be thick-skinned. People think modelling is easy but then when you've got all eyes on you and have to focus on so many things and make sure your body looks good, you just have to be really confident and outgoing. You can't hold back."Why do you think you were eliminated?"My mind was a bit all over the place when it happened. I think my nerves got the better of me and held back my confidence. I struggled a bit compared to other girls in photoshoots, maybe it was down to experience. Elle was quite positive and said I would go on to model, or be on TV. At least she doesn't think I've got no hope."
What was Elle like as a judge?"I'd been through to boot camp in cycle 7, so I'd met her then. She's so beautiful in person, and she comes across as a very kind, caring person. When I was upset she gave me a cuddle. She's just really nice. Some people have said she comes across as quite fierce, but I didn't really see that side to her. She was the one that really pushed me to come back for this cycle, and not give up."What was Dannii like as a judge?"I loved her as a judge. She was just really helpful on photoshoots and gave us as much advice as possible. She said it how it was, she was very upfront. If you're not in a good pose, she'll tell you."What was it like hearing criticism?"It was hard to take. You just want the judges to say good things about you. When they're behind the scenes you can't hear what they're really saying about you, and then you eventually find out what they really think."What have you learnt from the competition?"It's made me realise I really need to get more experience, and learn to control my nerves more. Leaving the competition for a second time did upset me quite a lot, and I felt less confident at first, but then looking back at what I'd achieved and compared to how many girls had tried out, I realised I'd actually done quite well and should be proud of myself. I made it to the final 14 so the judges must see something in me, and that made me believe in myself a bit more."What are your plans now?"I've got my final year of university coming up so I want to get that out of the way, then I think I'll try pursue modelling. It was really hard balancing university and the show — it was always at the back of my mind."
