DRIVING THEM WILD
I’m Britain’s ‘sexiest’ taxi driver – I’ve won a national beauty pageant but I’ll never give up the job I love
A TAXI driver who won a national beauty pageant says she'll never give up her day job.
Caitlin Nash-Robinson, 32, has been driving taxis for her family business, QA Taxis, since 2018.
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But when she's not behind the wheel, Caitlin is strutting the stage in pageant competitions up and down the UK.
She estimates she's driven 8,000 miles to compete in the last five years.
Caitlin first developed a passion for pageantry when she volunteered backstage in 2014 before getting her own opportunity to hit the catwalk in 2017.
She began competing at 'Miss Devine UK' in 2017 and finished third in the same competition just four years later in 2021.
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Caitlin - who wears a size 22 - also finished runner up in 'Miss Voluptuous UK' in July 2022.
But she says her biggest achievement to date came just two months ago when she won the title of 'Miss Diamond Curve UK' in Leeds, West Yorkshire.
Caitlin and her rivals were judged on their outfits, stage presence and confidence.
Her title means she is now eligible to compete internationally and she will jet to Las Vegas, US, in July 2023 for the 'Regency International Pageant'.
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Despite her love for pageantry, Caitlin has no plans to make the permanent switch from being a cabbie.
Caitlin, from Grantham, Lincolnshire, said: "Pageantry is a hobby for me.
"I love my job, I enjoy my taxi driving job. It's lots of driving and lot of hours, but I don't know if I could do anything else.
"When I got the opportunity to go on stage myself for the first time, I just got the bug straight away."
Caitlin was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) in 2020 - which can make it harder for her to lose weight.
She said: "I wouldn't say proud to be plus-size because of the medical conditions with my weight but I'm proud of what I've achieved. I now wear things I would've never worn before."
Caitlin won the curve category at Miss Diamond UK and says she wasn't pressured to enter the curve category simply because of her weight - instead choosing to do so to represent other plus-size women.
She said: "I'm proud to be an advocate for people who've faced prejudice against their body and anybody who messages me about that I'm always happy to answer questions.
"I get a lot of people commenting 'I wish I had your confidence' and it's not an easy process.
"It takes time and you'll have setbacks. Every day's a learning curve.
"I'm trying to promote the acceptance of everybody."
Caitlin has two coaches that help her with her pageantry and says they've been "incredible".
"You're judged on stage presence, how the outfit suits you against your skin tone, confidence on stage, eye contact, and walking confidently," she said.
Caitlin's job as taxi driver in her family business means she's not only used to driving to her competitions but she can balance her time between her work and her hobby with flexibility.
"It's flexible with work and I still keep family business in the loop when doing competitions," she said.
"It's very easy to balance time as if I take extra time to go to an event then I know I can do a few extra hours the next day or next week.
Whilst she has no plans to take up pageantry full time, Caitlin says she would love to appear in the New York or Paris Fashion Week, as other pageantry winners have.
"Pageantry is getting bigger in the UK but there's not always monetary prizes to be won," she said.
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"Some of the past winners of Regency have had the opportunity to walk in New York or Paris Fashion Week.
"Representing plus-size women on that level. I'd love to do that."
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