She’s graced the covers of Cosmopolitan and Playboy, done ad campaigns for Pantene and Triumph, and branched out into TV presenting and fashion design. Her modelling has taken her all over the world, from lingerie catwalk shows to near-deadly photo shoots in African game parks.
But if you think for a second that all her success makes this blonde bombshell the type to worry about breaking a nail, then you have some serious reassessing to do.
In this interview, the face of 'The Beauty of Yachting' campaign, Tracy McGregor— supermodel, sailor, and all-round good chick, sits down to tell us about cage-diving, heading off a cheetah attack, and how she stayed grounded despite being ridiculously, ridiculously good-looking.
What was your most incredible experience on shoot? What was the worst?
I did a shoot at the Lion Park in Johannesburg, where I got to shoot with a giraffe, hyena, cheetah, python, lion cubs, and the second-biggest lion in Africa. I wasn’t allowed around the big lion unless he or I were in a cage, but all the others were literally right next to me which was incredible!
Oddly enough that shoot was also my worst experience, where one of the cheetahs escaped from his enclosure and started stalking our photographer, who was off in the bushes scouting for the next location. I had to jump into the driver’s seat of one of the 4x4s and race down the road to literally save him— it’s amazing what a bit of adrenaline can do!
You are the face of the Beauty of Yachting campaign for bluewater and Eisenberg? Have you ever been on a superyacht? Where would your dream destination be- somewhere glamorous and lively like Saint Tropez, or tranquil and tropical like the Seychelles?
I’ve always enjoyed being out on the water- and if it’s on a fabulous superyacht, even better! My grandparents had a big catamaran back in the day so we spent most weekends messing about on it and absolutely loved it. I’ve actually been lucky enough to be on a yacht in both Saint Tropez and the Seychelles, which were both equally great so I don’t know if I’d ever be able to choose…I mean, do I really have to? LOL!
Your sister Kerry is also blessed with exceptional beauty - are you the only two sisters to have won FHM’s ‘Sexiest Woman in the World’? Do you think your parents ever worried about having such beautiful daughters & how did they keep you grounded?
I think we’re still the only two sisters to take out the FHM title - which was pretty awesome! Our parents instilled in us from the very beginning of our careers that being humble in one’s success makes it all the more enjoyable - for us and for the people around us - so we definitely tried our best to stay grounded. Parents always know best, right! I have been blessed with the most amazing family and friends who have always been my biggest supporters, so I've never had any issues on that front.
You have been in a happy relationship with Marc Buhrer for many years. Did you ever go through a ‘bad boy’ stage or been heartbroken? What do you think makes love last in the long-term?
Marc and I have been dating for 12 years :) He's really great and it's safe to say that I've definitely found my person. I've always been into a bit of a bad boy - haha! Well a bad boy with a good heart... and a few tattoos don't hurt either. I've also had my fair share of heartbreak, but I believe that it only makes you stronger in the end and puts you on the right path to finding what it is that you truly deserve. A relationship needs to be fulfilling on both sides, where you each give 100% not 50/50... You need to choose each other every day!
You are a bit of a daredevil. Cage diving with great whites, skydiving, flying in fighter jets, bungee jumping. Do you have any fears? And what's still on the bucket list?
I am most definitely an adrenaline junkie, but to be honest with you I was actually fearful of every single thing on my bucket list :) But I’ve always believed that you've got to push yourself to do the things you're most afraid of because once you get through it, you feel so powerful and filled with a great sense of achievement— and that's great for anyone's soul.
The cage diving with Great Whites was probably the most terrifying thing I did on my list. You won't believe how massive they are! The biggest one we saw, that swam past the cage when I was in it, was about 3.5 metres long and the girth was a whole other story. It swam past and I swear it looked me straight in the eyes with its beady little black eye and then smacked the cage with its tail, making the whole cage move like crazy... I removed myself from the water gracefully after that. LOL! We also got to see a Great White breach and catch a seal which was both amazing to watch but also rather sad to see... I mean, that poor seal didn't stand a chance.
I've only got one thing left on my initial bucket list, which is to drive in a Formula 1 car, but I'm now starting to add more things to it which is really exciting.
If you hadn’t been a model…
I was quite keen to be a plastic surgeon when I was in school, but then after hearing how long it would have taken to get my own private practice, I decided that modelling and fashion were probably going to be the way to go. I've also been involved in a few businesses and fashion brands and have a few nice things coming up which I'm really excited about.
What would you say to girls who worry they are not beautiful enough, or brave enough to do incredible things?
Get out of your own head, believe in yourself, push yourself and surprise yourself, because it's the best feeling in the world when you prove everyone wrong. Don't let anyone ever tell you that you can't do anything!
You wrote recently on your blog that your time modelling lingerie is coming to an end - and that there are plenty of tight butts to take your place! :) Do you ever worry about getting old as a model?
I think I'm going to milk it for as long as I can, obviously, but lingerie modelling definitely has its limit. Modelling in general though goes through all ages, so if it's something you stick with you could make a great living out of it for sure.
You mentioned about your Playboy shoot that ‘it’s just boobs, and it’s not as if it’s changing the world’. Which begs the questions of what, if anything, would you like to do to change the world?
I think that people are entitled to their own choices, so when I did Playboy my thing was that if you didn't like it and didn't want to see it then don't buy it... simple. There were really only a few people and internet trolls who gave me flack about it, otherwise most people were really supportive, which was great. I don't know if I'd ever be able to do anything to "change the world" but I believe that if we as humans just start helping our fellow humans who are destitute and struggling, that we change their worlds and that's a really great place to start.
As you are probably realising by now, Tracy McGregor is far, far more than a pretty face. Follow her on Instagram to find out more. www.instagram.com/tracymcgregor/
