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Just You customer Sue Bennett, 73, from Frome in Somerset, was a lady who felt she was a little lacking in confidence, especially when it came to her appearance. She put herself forward to appear on hit TV show How to Look Good Naked and since then her confidence has soared. Now there’s no stopping this bubbly lady with her glamorous new look and desire to see the world.

It’s only been during the last year I’ve found myself truly on my own, having lost my husband Jim 3½ years ago. Jim and I used to spend every winter in Spain and after he died, I spent a lot of my time out there staying with my good friend Mavis. But I came back to the UK permanently in April last year and that’s when I really felt alone. As you get older, you feel like you’re disappearing and since I lost my husband, I felt there was nobody to take notice anymore.

I was sitting at home one night, looking through the TV Times and I spotted an advert for 'more mature' ladies to be featured on the Channel 4 TV programme How to Look Good Naked. I’m not sure what came over me, but I picked up the phone and called! I went to London for an interview, but I never thought I would be chosen. When they rang me to say they wanted me I thought, ‘What have I done?!’

“We started filming the programme in May 2009 and didn’t finish until July, but I loved every minute of it. I would be called up to go to London and film the next bit and I’d get collected by car - I felt a bit like a celebrity! I’ve just had an amazing time. It was a bit intimidating at first, standing there in just my bra and pants, but Gok is absolutely gorgeous and such fun - we got on like a house on fire! I’ve learnt a lot; the whole experience has been so cathartic, I can hardly explain it. It’s been so good for me and has really lifted my spirits.

I’m what my grandmother would call stout! But Gok has taught me that it’s all about what you do with what you’ve got. I’m disguising it differently now and I think I look like a different person. I used to only wear trousers and un-flattering shirts, but when I got home, I put 17 shirts into a bag and took it to the charity shop because Gok was always taking the mickey out of my ‘uniform’ as he called it! His advice has changed the way I shop - I hear his voice guiding me away from navy blue and beige! Since the show I’ve bought quite a few ‘Gok tops’ that are colourful and bright. I make more of an effort with what I wear now, even if it’s just a brightly coloured scarf or some beads.

Sue tells us why she enjoys going away with Just You and a bit about some of the adventures she’s had, and the ones she hopes to go on soon...

BE BRAVE Just go for it, you’ve got nothing to fear. It’s such a friendly environment and you’re sure to love it. WE'RE ALL IN THE SAME BOAT Everyone will be feeling a bit nervous to start with, but it just means everyone makes an effort. YOU'LL BE GLAD YOU DID It’s the first step that’s the scariest, and once you’ve done that, you’ll do it again and again and meet some lovely people along the way.

My father was a real Anglophile so I never went abroad as a child. I remember my first trip abroad being with the school when I was 16, we went to Austria. Since then though I’ve been all over the world; in fact, I lived in Africa for 16 years. I love going on holiday, travelling and seeing new places. But it was one holiday in particular that made me want to travel with a singles company after losing Jim. A girlfriend and I went away for Christmas one year and we both found ourselves incredibly conscious that we were two widows surrounded by couples. If you go as a single person with a normal holiday company, no matter how kind and pleasant people are, you are always aware of being the only one on your own. I saw an advert for Just You in the Saturday Telegraph and it went from there.

I remember the first holiday I took. I was dreading going away with a group of avid women looking for men, but thankfully it wasn’t like that at all! I met some of the group at the airport and we all got chatting on the plane. During that holiday I met a lady called Jackie and I have kept in touch with her ever since. We did the Just You tour to the Rockies together and we meet up at least once a month for lunch. It is lovely to meet people in similar circumstances to yourself. I actually keep in touch with a few people I’ve met on Just You holidays and it’s lovely. I recently went on a Reunion Weekend to catch up with them, and it was brilliant. There were four of us who wanted to meet up and because we were dotted all over the country, Leicestershire seemed a good middle-ground. Our Tour Manager, Min, was excellent because she asked who wanted to be together, which allowed us to have a good old catch up! It worked really well.

People go on singles holidays for so many different reasons, not everyone is a widow - I recently met a couple of ladies whose husbands had gone off to play golf, so they came on holiday by themselves. The groups are a reasonable size and the different ages of people on a Just You holiday is great. I think it’s good to be with a complete mix because to me, the whole joy is meeting lots of other people. You meet some people in their 30s and others even older than me! Going with a company like Just You gives you the reassurance that you are not alone alone.

I have been on four holidays with Just You and I'm already planning my next one. My favourite so far has been the Canadian Rockies & Vancouver with the Alaska Cruise add-on. It was such an amazing trip. It was somewhere myself and my late husband always talked about going but never did and it lived up to every expectation. We saw amazing sights and had amazing experiences, like going on a husky ride and holding a husky pup! They say Sagittarians love to travel and I think that’s true. I like change and I love to travel. Now I’m retired it’s great because I can go away as and when I want to. My philosophy is, I've worked hard all my life and while I'm still able, I’m going to do as much as I can.

I’ve got a sense of adventure anyway so I'm not very good at sitting still! When I tell my children I’m going here, there and everywhere they say, 'just go for it Mum.' Being able to fly from my local airport on many of the holidays takes an awful lot of hassle out of it and I think that’s a great advantage to Just You holidays. My wishlist of places to visit is quite long and includes the Norwegian fjords, Thailand, New Zealand, America and the Far East. I really want to go to South Africa too. I would love to see Cape Town and I’ve heard so much about the Garden Route that I want to see it for myself. I've still got lots of places I want to go and I’m looking forward to many more adventures in the company of Just You.

Just You has a great range of holidays to destinations all over the world. Here are some of the destinations Sue is keen to visit next…
We recommend... The Norwegian Fjords Experience 8 days from £1599 Combine the spectacular scenery of Norway’s fjords with the charms of the old town of Bergen.		We recommend... South African Explorer 16 days from £2099 See Cape Town and majestic Table Mountain; explore the beautiful Garden Route, Zululand and Swaziland; and be amazed by big game in Kruger National Park.		We recommend... America’s National Parks & Canyons 10 days from £1342 The stunning scenery will take your breath away on this fabulous tour, which features National Parks, canyons, traditional culture and the bright lights of Las Vegas.		We recommend... Highlights of Thailand 15 days from £1702 Enjoy the remarkable contrasts from stunning palaces and temples, colourful markets and ancient culture to sophisticated resorts and sun-drenched beaches.		We recommend... New Zealand 20 days from £2922 Enjoy a stopover in vibrant Hong Kong before exploring magnificent New Zealand’s fascinating culture, breathtaking scenery and amazing natural beauty.