On the hunt for Ultra Woman

Vivacious T4 presenter June Sarpong is not afraid of being labelled a role model. In fact, she sees it as part of her duty to inspire girls and young women to be all they can be.

''It's quite flattering if someone sees you as a role model and I do take it quite seriously because I do think that, like anything in life, if you see someone else doing it you think maybe it's possible for you,'' June says.

The 29-year-old has been named as an ambassador for Aristoc Ultra Woman - a search to find the nation's most inspirational, influential and high-achieving women - so the topic of female excellence and inspiration has been on her mind recently.

She's especially concerned with sparking talent and ambition in girls whose backgrounds are similar to hers: ''Maybe through what I do people will think, 'June's from East London, she's not from a privileged, wealthy background, maybe that could be me','' she says.

''If I am able to achieve something then maybe someone from that background will feel they can too. A young girl may think she may not have to do lots of bikini shoots, fall out of a nightclub drunk or be snorting lots of lines to become famous.''

Being part of something like the Aristoc Ultra Woman helps, June says. ''I think it's about celebrating and encouraging women to be a bit more fearless and courageous and to just go out there and achieve what they want to achieve,'' she grins, showing off her trademark toothy white smile.

Other Ultra Woman ambassadors include Annabel Croft, MD of Aristoc Sue Clague, celebrity stylist Rachel Fanconi, creative director of Ben De Lisi Debbie Lovejoy, ethical fashion designer Sital Punja and Camelot CEO Dianne Thompson.

''What's great about it is that it celebrates women who have excelled in their chosen career, irrespective of age, class, race and background. It's just about women who have done really well,'' June says.

As well as pointing to female achievement, June is also keen to highlight areas where she feels society is lagging behind - despite the achievements of the women's movement, there is still work to be done, she says.

''I was looking at the statistics of women in the boardroom and I couldn't believe that in a country like the United Kingdom, which has had a female Prime Minister, still only three per cent of board directors are women - it's ridiculous,'' June announces.

''I never realised it was so hard - it's obviously harder than I thought. There are women at the middle management levels and they are at the lower levels, so what's obviously happening is that women aren't being promoted to that top level. Something's going wrong along the way.''

Mothers, June says, are especially hard done by in many workplaces: ''I think a lot of companies make it quite hard, and for mothers there is that constant guilt element - whether or not you're doing a good enough job in both your career and as a mum,'' she explains.

''If companies do encourage women to have children and come back it gives a different perspective to the organisation so that makes sense.''

Younger women have issues to contend with as well, June says. And right now she's fired up about the body image debate that has sprung up around size zero models.

''I think it's disgusting and I do think that magazines should look at the role they are playing in this. It's all well and good saying these women are skinny, but these are the people they put up as style icons who women should try and emulate and I think that's really irresponsible.

''Unfortunately, for a lot of young girls it does affect their self-esteem. We have the highest rates of eating disorders that we've had in history and I think it definitely has something to do with it.''

June admits she wasn't always confident about her body during her teenage years: ''I grew up in an area where curvy girls were considered sexy - it was all about having a bottom and boobs. I didn't have much of that and I used to hate it. I never grew up with the notion that size zero was nice. Men do not like that - it's just about magazines and the fashion industry and it's not real life.''

June, who cites Oprah Winfrey as her ultimate role model, has scaled the heady heights of the world of entertainment - from securing a work experience placement at Kiss FM as a schoolgirl to becoming the female face of Channel 4's Sunday morning show T4 for the last six years.

''The reason I did well was because I had very strict parents, but I also had great teachers who helped me get my work experience at Kiss FM - which led on to what I do now,'' she says.

And the bubbly TV presenter insists she's never regretted being in the public eye.

''I love people. I love it!'' she laughs. ''I find people so interesting. I love connecting people together.

''I like anything that involves talking. If there's talking involved I like it!''

One thing June will talk about with passion is her work with The Prince's Trust and other charity campaigns she's been involved with.

''It's really important because I know what being given the right opportunity can do,'' she says.

''It's crucial to open people's eyes because a lot of the time if you're from an area where the aspirations are quite low, you don't know there's a world out there. I see hope and opportunity.''

Others have taken notice too - the TV personality was awarded an MBE earlier this year for her services to broadcasting and charity, an event she clearly relished.

''After I picked up my MBE, there was a party after at the House of Lords. We had the most eclectic mix of people. We had Kofi Annan, Cherie Blair, Sir David Frost, Jon Snow - along with my first ever teacher and some of the people I grew up with in Walthamstow.

''It was so great - having this eclectic mix of people. Everyone was talking and getting on - there was no hierarchy. I think, for me, that what's life is about. It's about connecting people.''