The four finalists were whittled down from thousands of entries – following essay submissions and presentations to the judging panel – for the final task, which saw them producing their own ‘how to get the look’ beauty editorial after attending a shoot with the ELLE beauty team and celebrity make-up artist Lisa Eldridge. 

The judging panel, made up of Ginny Paton, MD at House PR, Jenny Dickinson, acting editor of ELLE and Michelle Feeney, CEO at PZ Cussons Beauty, agreed that the level of talent in the competition was extremely high but that at all stages, Shannon really stood out.

Winner Shannon Peter says, “It means the absolute world to me to have won and I am so glad to be given this once in a lifetime opportunity. I’ve learned so much going through the whole experience and so grateful for all the advice and guidance I’ve received. Winning really has been the icing on top of the cake. I’m so happy to be able to launch my career in such an exciting way and I’m already dreaming about what the future may hold for me.”

Ginny Paton, MD at House PR, says, “The hard work and passion that went into each presentation made our job in choosing the best candidate very difficult indeed, all the finalists deserved to win. But there could be only one winner and Shannon’s creativity and enthusiasm gave her the edge. These skills will be invaluable when she joins the team at House PR and starts to work on some exciting and high profile campaigns.”

Shannon join the Housemates in the summer where she will work on accounts for lifestyle and consumer brands such as St Tropez and T4 live events, and witness the inner workings of life at a fast-track PR agency. We’re all looking forward to meeting you Shannon!

To watch exclusive footage of the competition process and the winner announcement visit http://www.elleuk.com/fashion/news/meet-the-beauty-breakthrough-winner

The combination of harsh winter weather and people receiving their first pay cheque of the year means that they will be dashing to the shops in their thousands to find a hair repair solution; and with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, preparations to look glamorously groomed make this a key time of year for hair treatments.

The winter weather provides a constant battle for hair, with central heating and cold weather testing tresses to their limits. Combine these winter weather hair traumas with a lack of funds for a haircut in January (it being a long month for pay cheques!), and it’s unsurprising that sales of hair treatments rocket by over a third today, as Brits try to inject a bit of moisture back into their lacklustre locks. 

Marc Trinder, Creative Manager, for Charles Worthington Salons said: ‘The early part of the year is a great time to focus on improving the texture and health of your hair as it’s likely to be damaged from the winter weather and over-styling during the party season. Damaged hair is more prone to splitting, tangling and breakage so it’s important to seal as much moisture into the hair as possible to keep it healthy and looking glossy. I recommend using a good at-home treatment like the new Charles Worthington Salon at Home Strength & Repair which offers intense nourishment and is proven to reduce hair breakage by 93%.  And don’t sacrifice your regular trips to the salon for a trim, as getting rid of dry ends really helps to maintain the condition of your hair.’ 

As January comes to a close, it’s clear the nation still has de-toxing and repair front of mind. Charles Worthington says: ‘So many women turn their attention to hair repair at this time of year due to the harsh winter weather and the over-styling their hair has undergone during the festive period. January is always a lean month money wise after all that Christmas spending(!), so this is the first real chance to splash out and treat yourself in the New Year.  I have created Salon at Home Strength & Repair especially so you can easily achieve fabulous looking hair at home and therefore keeping it in tip-top condition in-between your salon visits.’

Salon at Home Strength & Repair (RRP £19.99) – a treatment kit that restores dry, damaged and fragile hair to leave it looking healthy and intensely nourished – is exclusively available nationwide, at Boots www.boots.com

For more information on our campaigns for Charles Worthington, please contact kate@housepr.com

Mike Vallis, Divisional Director at THORPE PARK said: “We have been planning for THE SWARM for almost two years now, and we’ve pushed the boundaries to the absolute limit because ‘extreme’ is what our thrill-seeking customers demand. The ride-testing phase is absolutely crucial in ensuring extreme fun doesn’t compromise safety, and we work with the very best teams in the world to ensure we reach the gold standard in safety. So if that means re-modelling a church it’s taken us a year to build, then so be it.

“To lift the lid on what goes on behind-the-scenes of building a monster rollercoaster such as THE SWARM is quite unprecedented, but we want people to understand the level of planning, precision and care that goes into creating their ultimate thrill-seeking experience.”

House PR and Channel 4 have worked together on the event for seven years and we also look after the winter music event T4 Stars which took place in  December last  year at Earls Court.

Last year’s T4 On The Beach, sponsored by Aygo by Toyota, was a sell out yet with 25 incredible acts taking to the T4 stage including The Wanted, N-Dubz, Olly Murs, Ed Sheeran, and Example. Hosted by the T4 presenters, there will also be special appearances from cast members from Channel 4’s best loved programmes. Tickets for this year’s show will go on sale in March with artist announcements to follow. For information on tickets and to sign up to the newsletter see www.channel4.com/t4 and Twitter @T4witter.

For more information on our campaigns for Channel 4, contact liana@housepr.com

The awards take place in London on the 12th of February where the official DISARONNO After-Party will follow at the Grosvenor House Hotel. The DISARONNO Diva has been specially created for the event and effortlessly captures the opulence of the awards. DISARONNO’s lead role is perfectly supported by pineapple and lemon juice then topped with champagne. A dash of Kummel makes a cameo and adds a delicately complex flavour of caraway seed, cumin, and fennel. Silver sugar pearls and an elegantly sculpted lemon garnish give the drink further star appeal.

The masterclass will show viewers all they need to know about cognac. Whether they’re a seasoned fan or just want to try something new, Baptiste will take viewers through the heritage and history of the drink, offer up different ways to serve cognac and share his tips and advice when it comes to tasting.

For information on our campaigns for Rémy Martin, please contact clairer@housepr.com

It all began when Sir Anthony Hopkins was just six, his enduring love of the piano ignited by lessons from Mrs Jeffreys in the house where he was born in Margam, a suburb of Port Talbot in Wales. His mother had great hopes that one day her son would become a famous pianist.

In July this year, Sir Anthony joined the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra on stage at Birmingham Symphony Hall to introduce a performance of his original compositions and scores from some of his best-known films. ‘Anthony Hopkins – Composer’ is the recording of nine of Sir Anthony’s original works from that evening including pieces composed for two films that he not only scored but also directed and starred in (‘Slipstream’ and ‘August’).

Sir Anthony Hopkins says: “I’m very pleased I’ve found an extra string to my fiddle. For years I mused and dreamt about turning my scribbled thoughts and bursts of melody into pieces of work to be performed by a full orchestra and to see this dream turn into a reality through working with CBSO and now Classic FM is something I treasure very much.”

‘Anthony Hopkins – Composer’ is available now through Amazon, HMV, Play.com and iTunes.

Out on Monday, ‘Anthony Hopkins – Composer’ is the recording of nine of Sir Anthony’s original works from July last year, when he joined the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra on stage at Birmingham Symphony Hall to introduce a performance of his original compositions and scores from some of his best-known films.

Check out today’s Independent for an in-depth interview with the screen-legend for more about his passion for composing and how his music is inspired by his childhood in south Wales. 

‘Anthony Hopkins – Composer’ will be available from 16 January 2012 through Amazon, HMV, Play.com and iTunes.

Last year, St. Tropez dressed the skin of many of LA’s leading ladies including Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Aniston, Emily Blunt, Kelly Osbourne, Rosie Huntington Whitely and Tilda Swinton to name just a few.

With an action packed schedule including the Golden Globes, Grammys and a private suite at The Four Season’s Beverley Hills during the 84th Academy Awards, St. Tropez is sure to be a ‘secret weapon’ once more. A team of leading St. Tropez skin finishing experts and make-up artists will be on call 24/7 during Oscar’s week, taking up residence at The Four Seasons or via private appointments held across Beverly Hills. Buffing and prepping skin, delivering a variety of NEW skin finishing trends including The Vintage Glow, Contemporary, Pastel and Luxe Tans* created especially for the red carpet.

Looking forward to seeing the results!

In an amazing finish to the series, contestants Darragh Moran from Manchester and Londoner Michael McQueen, who had both won their shows earlier in the week before securing a place in the last round of the finale, chose to hand each other a briefcase full of trash rather than cash. As a result, both missed out on the chance to take home a huge six figure sum of money.  

The rules of the game meant the other three contestants who had failed to make the final round – County Antrim’s Oonagh McMullan, Derby’s Katrina Anderson and Wayne Coyners from Folkestone – shared the spoils, winning over £150,000 each. The audience gasped in disbelief and even host George Lamb looked visibly shocked by the contestants’ disastrous strategies. In their final words to each other before the exchange of briefcases, Michael had appealed to Darragh, son of former Manchester United player Kevin Moran, to share the money between them.

A programme insider commented:  “Michael and Darragh were distraught after leaving the vault empty-handed but they chose their strategy and this was the result.  The other contestants who shared the prize money could not believe their luck.”