Anita Rani steps out for the Great Yorkshire Show catwalk

The Great Yorkshire Show returns this July to celebrate its 160th birthday in style, as the Fashion Pavilion showcases celebrity models and the best of British and UK design.

This year, BBC Countryfile presenter and Strictly Come Dancing star Anita Rani, will take to the catwalk, dressed by the personal styling team at John Lewis Leeds.

Anita, inset, who is part of today’s BBC Royal wedding coverage team, commentating as Prince Harry marries Meghan Markle, says: “As a proud Yorkshire lass, I am really looking forward to being part of the Great Yorkshire Show and swapping the wellies I often wear on Countryfile for something a little more stylish.

“I loved some of the outfits on Strictly and although I’m a little nervous about being on a catwalk, it’s feels very glamorous to be showing off some of the latest fashion trends.”

Bradford-born Anita, who has also fronted Watchdog, The One Show and This Morning, will be one of a number of celebrities (soon to be announced) who will model fashion at this year’s show. This follows the success of last year’s catwalk, which saw BBC Look North presenters Amy Garcia and Abbie Dewhurst, cricket legend Ryan Sidebottom, Leeds Rhinos legend Keith Senior and Yorkshire vets Peter Wright and Julian Norton all strut out proudly in Great Yorkshire tweed outfits.

John Lewis will preview its autumn/winter 2018 collection at this year’s Fashion Pavilion, which will be named the “Kuoni Catwalk”, thanks to support by luxury travel company, Kuoni, which is in the John Lewis Leeds store. Rachel O’Reilly, of Kuoni, says: “This is a great opportunity to put our brand centre stage at one of the country’s biggest and most popular events. Our aim is to help people get inspired about the latest fashions and what to wear where.”

The John Lewis collections will include Kin by John Lewis, with styles influenced by Japanese and Scandinavian culture and design, featuring reworked silhouettes and a focus on detail. Modern Rarity, meanwhile, reflects modest dressing, using head-to-toe long layering of textures and tones, sophisticated cuts, luxurious fabrics and understated silhouettes. AND/OR brings a carefree spirit, this season with a cool and relaxed LA feel.

Keighley-based tailors Brook Taverner will again showcase their famous Yorkshire Agricultural Society jackets made from Great Yorkshire tweed, woven by Guiseley-based, Abraham Moon & Sons. The Harris Tweed blue check fabric featured here is exclusive to Brook Taverner and woven by hand in the Western Isles.

Charles Mills, GYS show director, says: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome Anita Rani to the Great Yorkshire Show and to have Kuoni’s support for the fashion show. There’s so much going on all over the 250 acres of the showground throughout the three days and the Kuoni Catwalk shows it’s not just about farming life and animals; there really is something for everyone.”

The one-off celebrity special starring Anita and a host of local television personalities will be at at 2.30pm on Tuesday, July 10. Before her modelling stint, she will be in the Great Yorkshire Show kitchen where a celebrity chef will be cooking up her favourite dish.

The fashion shows will be co-ordinated by Bernadette Gledhill of Morton Gledhill with hair and make-up by students from the White Rose Beauty Colleges from across Yorkshire.

This year’s Great Yorkshire Show is expected to attract more than 100,000 visitors and 8,000 animals competing for a host of agricultural show titles. But be warned, if you want to see Anita and the other celebrity models on Tuesday afternoon, make sure you get there 
early.

The 160th Great Yorkshire Show will be held on July 10-12 at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate. The Kuoni Catwalk will take place each day at 11am, 12.30pm, 2.30pm and 4pm. Tickets for the show have now gone on sale at www.greatyorkshire.show.co.uk/ticket-information

All the action from the Kuoni Catwalk will be on Twitter @greatyorkshow #KuoniCatwalk #GYSfashion