A north Derbyshire mum says she is feeling a bit nervous about seeing herself on television as she competes for a dream job as a high street giant’s junior fashion designer.

Julie Watson of Dronfield is among 10 contestants in M&S: Dress The Nation which launches on ITV tonight (Tuesday, September 17).

She said: “I applied for the show as I’ve been in the business for 35 years. Thousands had applied and I got through to the final 10. I was absolutely stunned.

"The contestants are all amazing people. Being on TV was a fantastic experience – I was so lucky.”

Julie Watson, from Dronfield, is on M&S: Dress The Nation (photo: ITV/Roy J Baron)

placeholder image — Julie Watson, from Dronfield, is on M&S: Dress The Nation (photo: ITV/Roy J Baron)

In the opening episode, the contestants are tasked with creating womenswear clothing under the beady eye of former Spice Girl Mel B who is a guest judge.

Julie, 54, has lived in Dronfield for nine years where she runs a shop called iish on Chesterfield Road. She said: “I mainly do clothing alterations and made to order garments.”

Creativity is in the genes with daughter Jolie collaborating with her mum on a daring bottom-baring outfit which was made prior to Julie applying for the TV competition. Jolie, 22, said: “The outfit was made of PVC fabric for a collaboration shoot I had in order to promote a business called Wave KTV (a karaoke bar in Toronto, Canada). My mum created the outfit for me based on some ideas I’d given her. I designed it and she made it.” *M&S: Dress The Nation will be presented by AJ Ododu and Vernon Kay on ITV at 8pm and will also be available on ITVX. There are six weekly episodes.