She has a face that seems ageless and a character that is so down-to-earth that you would never believe she was one of the most well-known and envied super-models of our time.

Ms Beverly Johnson, who arrived in Bermuda on Friday to be a celebrity judge in last night's Miss Bermuda Island's contest, looked even more beautiful now than when she first started modelling in the 1970s.

In an exclusive interview with The Royal Gazette , Ms Johnson talked about the ups and downs of the modelling business, her love of Bermuda's beauty, and life after modelling.

"Because I was in the fashion business for two decades it often brought me to Bermuda. It was one of the more favourite locations for photographers because it was so lush and beautiful and still is,'' she said.

But now Ms Johnson, who was the first black model to break the colour barrier by posing on the cover of international magazine "Vogue'', has moved on from the modelling scene, although on occasion, she still does a catwalk or two.

"I have had a long run in the modelling business and from the beginning I continued to go to school preparing for other things to do.'' Since deciding that she wanted to move on, Ms Johnson has written two books, made two music albums, acted in a few films such as National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1, and Meteor Man, had parts in plays and appeared on several television shows such as Lois and Clarke, Perry Mason Mysteries, The Mommies, Martin and Law and Order.

"I always knew that I would continue to be in the arts after modelling,'' she said.

Though she still has the looks to brighten any photographer's lens or the shape to carry an elegant outfit down any catwalk, Ms Johnson said the business did not challenge her any more.

"I had done everything I wanted to do in the business and I found that I was not as patient as I use to be.'' Ms Johnson even tried to talk her 16-year-old daughter Anansa out of modelling, but realised that from the day she was born she had been exposed to the business.

"She's a natural, Ms Johnson said with a smile, and she will definitely be in the entertainment industry because she is super-talented, and ambitious but low-key.

On the modelling industry Ms Johnson said: "The business is changing all the time. If you survive it, it can be a wealth of experiences and travel and sometimes money.

"It can also give you a sense of style and fashion, and allows you to work with incredible designers.'' However, she added that models have to deal with not eating and other psychological things.

"When in it, you have to be really in it,'' she said. "Modelling is a very serious business.'' Results of last night's beauty pageant will be carried in Tuesday's newspaper.