Tess grew up in Bury, Greater Manchester. She wasn't born with a sequin in her hand. Her mum was a dinner lady. Her dad drove a milk float. Early mornings, curlers in her hair, she watched TV shows dreaming of more.
She didn’t go to stage school. She studied business. That’s right: business. Numbers, not dance steps. But her face was her side-hustle. She started modelling as a teen. Catalogues. Local ads. Boring, steady cash.
But Tess wanted out of Lancashire. She wanted the big city. So at 18, she packed a bag and moved to London. Scary? Yes. But she had a plan. And a pair of very good cheekbones.
