By Karen Stephen IS there life after the telly then? You bet there is. Bolton boy Vernon Kay, who stirred up a storm when he appeared on Granada TV's 'Babewatch', a programme about a group of London-based models, has recently landed himself a fashion spread in Italian Vogue and is being romantically linked with Rubinesque supermodel, Sophie Dahl. "Yeah, we have been seeing each other," he admits, "but only on a fairly casual basis. She really is a lovely person, very sweet.

"But right now we're both interested in our careers and having a good time so that's fine with me."

During Babewatch's run, Vernon, all 6ft 4ins of him if you please, established himself as a bit of a charmer.

This is conspicuous by the healthy presence of fan mail dotted around the rooms of his parents' house in Lostock.

On a visit home from his London flat, Vernon looks at me with his piercing blue eyes, holds my gaze, smiles slowly and says: "D'you want a cup of tea Karen?"

Fully aware of the dizzying effect I've had on this raven-haired Adonis I toss my head back and reply seductively: "I'd prefer coffee."

Flirtations over, we sit down for a cozy chat and a good gossip, he's one of the best gossipers I've known - he could knock spots off my girlfriends.

"Since Babewatch," he says, "things have been really good. I did London Fashion Week, which was brilliant.

"I worked with Kate Moss, Sophie, that's where I first met her, and loads of others and we had a fantastic time.

"It was all very 'Cool Britannia', you know, British music blasting out and some fantastic clothes by British designers.

"But the best things were probably the parties afterwards, they were unbelievable and everyone was there.

"Honestly you wouldn't believe what some of these people get up to."

Here Vernon decided to stop spilling the beans about a particular party and left me begging for more. But he wouldn't tell on his fellow 'supers', not even after I'd promised not to 'publish and be damned'.

But we still had lots to talk about and I thought he might kiss and tell later, well... forget the tell bit. Then I remembered Sophie.

"Babewatch opened a lot of doors for me," says the 24-year-old, "it got me noticed. My agency, Select, are amazing and fix up lots of auditions, castings and interviews.

"But obviously after the programme people knew who I was, so it helped quite a bit.

"I got a call from an agent in Milan who wanted me for a shoot. Within days I was on a plane heading for Milan and the Italian fashion shows.

"While I was there I did some photos for Louis Vuitton which was great, the stuff was really top class."

He says wistfully: "Italy is really beautiful, and so are the women."

Trying my best to look like an extra from La Dolce Vita, I asked Vernon something all us girls want to know.

Are the supermodels REALLY beautiful?

"Yeah, most of them are," he says, "but the most beautiful woman I've ever seen is the model Helena Christensen. She's absolutely stunning.

"I spotted her at a party. The room was packed and she walked through the door. Everyone, and I mean everyone, stopped mid conversation and just looked her way. She's truly stunning - a real woman, not just skin and bone."

Yipee, I'm in. Vernon doesn't like skin and bone. Right now I love my spare tyre, I really do.

But enough of me, what else has the former St Joseph's schoolboy been up to? What about him and Sophie, is it true love?

Obviously not wanting to hurt my feelings, or cool my ardour, he grins: "I'm not telling you THAT Karen, let's just say we're doing okay, thank you."

Then he quickly directs the conversation back to work.

"One of the best jobs I had was appearing on the front of More magazine which had set up a competition for a reader to win a date with five models, and I was one of them.

"Luckily I knew the other four so the photo shoot was a scream. It must have been okay though because it ended up on the cover. I don't know who's won the date yet, maybe it's a Bolton girl, that would be good."

Vernon's most recent job has been what could be described as the icing on the cake . . . but, thinking about it, it's perhaps not such a good metaphor because models don't eat cake do they? I wonder if Sophie does. Well, let her eat cake then.

Anyway, he's just done a fashion spread for Italian Vogue, something most models only dream about.

"I'm really pleased with the spread," he smiles, "the photographer took loads of pictures of me on my own and with other models. But he's decided to use the ones of just me.

"They're fantastic photos and I really enjoyed doing them. Mind you," he laughs, "I love having my picture taken, I'm not embarrassed at all."

This is one of Vernon's most engaging qualities, and he has many. He is, by his own admission, simply in this for a good time.

"Look, when I was spotted at the Clothes Show I thought 'grab this chance, it's a brilliant opportunity'.

"Of course the money's good, but I'm travelling the world, meeting loads of fantastic people.

"I've met all the supermodels, singers, actors, but if it all went away tomorrow I'd think 'at least I've done it'.

"I hope it doesn't go away though," he laughs, "not yet anyway. I've got more fish to fry."

No, that's another a bad metaphor, models wouldn't eat fried fish would they?

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.