"But I'm a sucker for reality TV, I watch them all, so I know how they can build on someone's character and emphasise certain parts and I was conscious of being careful what I said about people. I'm not a bitchy person anyway, although I think everyone suffers under stress and when you've got five minutes to go before the catwalk the scissors do go everywhere!"

Each week viewers will see the designers set a different, often bizarre, task - including spending £50 in B&Q to make a garment. Elimination depends on how they perform, until the 12 have been reduced to three to face a final London Fashion Week test.

The pressure was tough, admits Kirsty, but the highs of mixing with the judges and models far outweighed the lows.

"They never told us who was coming in from day to day, so every day was a real surprise," she says.

"I think the most interesting person I met was Isabella Blow, that was just a dream for me because she's uber cool, she really is.

"But I was completely overwhelmed when they told us Erin O'Connor would be modelling. She actually came over and asked if I could try my skirt on and I thought, this is is. It can't get any better than this."

And then, of course, there was style icon Liz ...

"Oh, Elizabeth Hurley was so beautiful," smiles Kirsty.. "When I saw her on the first day she was wearing this fabulous gold sequined top and I couldn't believe how stunning she looked.

"She was really lovely, although she was so posh she couldn't understand a word I said!"

* Project Catwalk is on Sky One on Thursdays at 8pm, starting tomorrow.