THIS is Joanne Salley in her sexiest photoshoot ever. She may have just split from England rugby hunk Matt Dawson but Joanne is showing no signs of a broken heart.
Ex-Miss Northern Ireland Joanne dated Matt for six years and admits the split hit her hard.
But she is determined to do all in her power to put the sadness aside and rediscover herself in a new life as a single girl.
The Cambridge graduate and former Big Breakfast presenter found fame after being crowned Miss Northern Ireland in 1998 and coming runner-up in the Miss UK pageant.
Joanne, 31, from Dungannon, Co Tyrone, had been living in London for the past 10 years but says she needs new challenges in her life now that she has split from Question of Sport team captain Matt, 36.
To help her get over the split she is about to set off on a five- month volunteer programme in Cambodia where she will help impoverished street children at a charity shelter.
Now she has spoken openly about her split for the first time and said now is right for her to move on.
“My break up with Matt is very sad but it is just one of those things and we both agree that it is for the best.
“We were together for a long time and had an absolutely fantastic relationship, many good times and so much fun together but it is time for a new beginning and a new start for both of us.
“One of the problems was that we both have extremely busy lifestyles and didn’t see enough of each other. It is so difficult when you want to spend time with the person you love but find that work constantly gets in the way.
“We are both good about what has happened and 2009 is all about new starts for me. Cambodia will be so different and I suppose I won’t know what to expect until I am there and have done the five months.
It will certainly be yet another new challenge for me and one I am looking forward to immensely,” she told new Northern Ireland celebrity magazine IN!
She also revealed that when she returns from her charity stint, she plans to concentrate on another first – her own art exhibition in Belfast – having recently decided to pursue a career as a full time artist.
Joanne – who is a gifted artist and qualified art teacher – will put her talents to work in Cambodia by teaching the abused and neglected children how to paint wall murals at the M’Lop Tapang project in the village of Sihainoukville.
She said: “Every year I try to take on at least two major challenges which I usually combine with raising money for charity. I need to challenge myself and do something that takes me out of my comfort zone and which not only makes a difference for me but for other people too.
“As soon as I heard about the about the project in Cambodia and I knew immediately that I wanted to get involved. The village is a very poor area where people live in tin huts on rubbish dumps.
“There is a real problem with paedophiles preying on the children and the project provides a safe place during the day and aims to help get them off the streets.
“I plan to do an art project with them and paint the centre from top to bottom with murals. The centre is run entirely by volunteers and I am glad I am able to spend five months there, to help make a difference.
“I want to bring joy to other people and I want to see the joy on the kids’ faces. It is a very poor place and I know it is going to be one of the biggest and most emotional experiences I have ever had.
“I realise it is going to be tough because of the poverty and abuse these children have suffered but I am really looking forward to doing what I can and feel lucky that I have the opportunity to help.”
She also revealed that she loved the London lifestyle and her time in the Capital with Matt but deep down always missed Northern Ireland.
Joanne added: “Being with Matt our lifestyle centred round other sports stars and TV presenters and we went to a lot of red carpet do such as dinners, polo events, racing, ballet and theatre.
“It is a good lifestyle to dip in and out of, but Northern Ireland is where my heart is and always has been.
“I love Northern people and it’s a great place to live and I am so proud of Northern Ireland and of Belfast which is doing so well.
“London is great too and I have got a lot of friends there but when I come back from Cambodia I think I would like to stay in Northern Ireland for a while and concentrate on my art. I don’t have a base at the minute and have put all my stuff in storage.”
Her art career took off after she was commissioned to paint a murals in the children’s bedrooms of one of her celebrity footballing couple pals.
Joanne went on: “They were thrilled and before I knew it I was flat out with more bookings through word of mouth. I also did some restaurants and hotel receptions and things mushroomed from there.
“Before this I had thought about going back to the BBC but the art is going so well that I want to do full time and I have decided to try and put some paintings together for an exhibition in Belfast later this year.”
IN! is in the shops now, where you can read all the latest Northern Ireland celebrity stories.
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