BIG spender

Michelle de Swarte plays a model who's squandered all her money

- TESS LAMACRAFT, ALISON SLADE

When high-end model Mia realises that she has frittered away her fortune, she is faced with some harsh home truths, not least how to survive without money, in BBC2’s new comedy drama Spent.

Michelle de Swarte stars as Mia, and she’s also written the show, which is loosely based on her own experiences of being a model for the likes of Gucci, Burberry, Missoni and Tommy Hilfiger.

WAKE-UP CALL

The six-part series opens with Mia in New York and getting a stark reality check from her accountant.

‘Mia’s facing a big tax bill because she has frivolously spent all of her money on entertaining herself, and her friends and her accountant tells her she’ll need to declare bankruptcy,’ explains de Swarte. ‘So she decides the best thing to do is to leave America.’