A few years ago Vaughan Bailey was sleeping rough on the streets of Birmingham and was struggling to get a warm meal.
Now the 23-year-old is partying with Katie Price and has just been crowned Mr England.
He says his life started going wrong after his parents split up when he was 16.
He said: "My parents broke up and when they broke up I was in a situation where I was living on my own.
"During that time I moved around a lot, staying from friends to friends.
"It was very, very difficult. I didn't really know how to cook or clean."
'Proud'
He was eventually seen by a talent scout when playing basketball.
After playing for the junior England team, he was offered nine scholarships from top American universities before finally choosing a three-year course at Lindenwood University in St Charles, Missouri, in 2006.
Vaughan Bailey won the Mr England title after his friends talked him into it
"At that time basketball was a very, very strong tool for me. I just dedicated my life to it," he said of the time before he got his break.
"I was going to college but I was also doing catering.
"There were times when it was like 4.30am in the morning and we'd go to London and I'd do a 10 to 12-hour shift and then come back to Birmingham.
"Depending on the time I would either get some rest or go to college or play basketball."
On his return to the UK, he injured his knee and was forced to look for work elsewhere with a friend suggesting modelling.
After several bookings his mates talked him into entering the Mr Birmingham competition, which he won.
He then went on to take the national crown.
He says his current success makes him very proud.
"It makes me very appreciative," he said. "I appreciate my journey.
"Seeing the things that I've seen and going through the things that I've been through has allowed me to have a great love for life."
