Tanya crowned 'Sexiest Woman'
2007-05-21 09:59
Johannesburg - She's been a magazine cover girl and she has appeared on TV, and to crown it all FHM model, Tanya van Graan, has just won the "sexiest woman" title.
Over 100 000 votes were cast which saw Van Graan, who was placed at position 11 last year, shoot past previous local winners Lee-Ann Liebenberg and Kerry McGregor to land herself comfortably at number 1.
Van Graan gracefully accepted the honour, at the 2007 FHM 100 Sexiest Women in the World bash held at Rand Airport near Germiston on Saturday.
The 24-year-old model and actress arrived at the awards ceremony in a jet fighter.
She was dressed in a short, bright purple dress and waved at the crowd as she carefully disembarked from the aircraft.
"I had to practice long beforehand to get out of the aircraft with those shoes," she said on Sunday.
Commenting on her new found status, Van Graan said that winning the title has been "very exciting and humbling" and considers it a huge compliment.
Plans to go to the USA
Van Graan grew up on a game farm in the Lowveld.
"It's a small place near Nelspruit - not many people know it," she said.
She wanted to be an actress from an early age, and she has been seen in the series Snitch. Tanya has also made an appearance in Hard Copy.
She and her boyfriend, former Isidingo actor Emmanuel Castis, 31, plan to go to the USA in two years time, to develop her talent there.
Castis said Van Graan was a very independent person.
'Absolutely hopeless'
"She is absolutely hopeless when it comes to accepting help from people. But she does like it when I tap in a bath for her," he quipped.
He is very protective about her: "Just about all the guys out there are animals, and would like to get their paws on her."
But Van Graan says she's not flustered by the regular attentions of male fans.
"I don't thrive on attention - it's a compliment more than anything else."
And she doesn't think she'll ever get a big head.
"I grew up in the bush: I enjoy everything I do, like a child." - Additional reporting by News24.
The top 10 of the FHM 100 Sexiest 2007 poll are: (1) Tanya van Graan; (2) global winner Jessica Alba; (3) Lee-Ann Liebenberg; (4) Kerry McGregor; (5) Gina Athans; (6) Lieschen Botes; (7) Carmen Electra; (8) Emily Scott; (9) Fergie; and (10) Jenny McCarthy.