Imelda Maguire after her recent appearance on Gok Wans live makeover where she was working as a stylist.
“AN UNFORGETTABLE and amazing experience” is how a Kinawley hair stylist described her moment appearing on live TV as part of an elite team of hairdressers for a Channel Four show.
Imelda Maguire, 27, was hand picked to appear as one of the hair stylists for Gok Wan’s prime time show, Stripping for Summer.
The Fermanagh woman, who is a stylist at Breege’s Salon in Lisnaskea, is also a hair colour technician for L’Oreal’s Matrix range training hair stylists all over the North.
Matrix, which is the number one salon product in American and number three in the UK and Style Director for the UK team is celebrity hairdresser Jamie Stevens, who styles for This Morning and the X Factor.
It was a phone call from Jamie inviting her to take part in the Channel 4 live show that saw Imelda jumping at the opportunity.
“I was very surprised when I got that phone call but I thought it was a great opportunity and one I couldn’t say no to,” she said.
“It was a rare and brilliant opportunity and I was so excited to take part in something so big.”
At 3am on July 16 Imelda left her home in Kinawley, where she lives with her husband of three years Liam, to drive to Belfast airport and then fly on to Manchester where the show was being filmed.
A hectic day’s schedule lay ahead for the Fermanagh woman who spent hours rubbing shoulders with celebrities including Girls Aloud singer Sarah Harding, Gok Wan and TV presenter Katie Piper.
“It was full steam ahead from the start to end,” she continued.
“There were 10 hair stylists and we had 50 models that were appearing in a bikini flash mob at the end of the show as well as Gok’s four regular models.
“We had to prep them all so it was a very busy day but I’m used to that kind of pace as the salon I work in is very busy.
“The whole day was a real buzz for me, something like that is so surreal but I had to get on with the job.”
Back home in Kinawley, the Maguire and Curry family were glued to the television sets awaiting Imelda’s big moment.
She continued: “I knew the cameras were there but I was concentrating so much I forgot about them but it turned out you could see me a good few times.”
One of Imelda’s highlights was meeting TV presenter Katie Piper.
Imelda continued: “Katie Piper was lovely. I have followed her story and have always thought she was such a strong person.
“I had to fix Sarah Harding’s hair so I went over and asked her how’s it going and chatted away. She was so down to earth and good craic.”
With big dreams to be part of the X Factor stylist team, it certainly won’t be the last TV appearance for Imelda.
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