Struggling actress fronts style mag

An actress who was told she was too curvaceous to be a lingerie model is the face of Rio Ferdinand's new online style bible.

Former Byker Grove star and Maxim cover girl Francoise Boufhal, who has a 28H chest, was rejected at several auditions and castings and told there was no place for her on stage or TV - and that the only work available to her was as a topless model.

But the 20-year-old has now been picked from hundreds of hopefuls to front Manchester United and England lynchpin Rio's digital magazine #5, launched this Thursday (April 23).

She said: "When I reached about 16 I ended up stopping doing theatre and TV because every casting I went to I got knocked back for having such an unusual figure for such a young woman.

"I'm a 28H. Everything I went to I was told I was too glamorous and no one knew where to put me in things.

"I went on a quest for a lingerie job but my bust was too big for that even.

"I was offered loads of work but it was all to go topless and that was not what I wanted to do. It was so frustrating, but it made me even more determined to be known for who I was rather than just my looks."

A spokesman for #5 said Francoise was picked to be one of the mag's faces after meeting Ferdinand at an interview in Manchester.

The online magazine will feature exclusive interviews with Duffy, Cristiano Ronaldo, world freestyle champion Lynch, and features on Mickey Rourke and 50 Cent.