Supermodel Jarrod Scott talks Celebrity Apprentice and saving The Great Barrier Reef

Jarrod Scott might have graced the covers of Vogue Hommes International and walked the runway for Givenchy and Chanel, but the Melbourne-born supermodel has started to plan for a different kind of future, making his first foray into the business world.

Scott makes his television debut on Celebrity Apprentice Australia – a chance to see what life is like in the hustling fast lane away from the glitz and glam of Paris Fashion Week. Scott is up against actor Vince Colosimo, singer Amy Shark and Real Housewives of Melbourne’s Gamble Breaux, among others, in a bid to win the Apprentice title.

“When you have so many strong personalities all doing the same thing on a TV show, it can be quite confronting,” Scott says.

“I took the skill set I had into it and applied myself as best as I could on the show.”

Finding his groove on TV wasn’t as easy as one might assume for a model who turns heads without trying. But Scott isn’t the sort of guy who enters a room loudly; he doesn’t seek the spotlight – it usually finds him. He’s humble and about as down to earth as it gets in the fickle world he spins in.

“The show taught me to collaborate and listen to others and be mindful that there’s more than one person in the team. There has to be a willingness to collaborate and not be set in your stubborn way. Communicating is everything,” he says.

A passionate environmentalist, Scott is an ambassador for Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef and has nominated to support the charity if he wins Celebrity Apprentice.

He hopes to use his reality TV stint to raise more awareness about the reef’s problems.

Scott has always been fascinated by the sea, but he didn’t exactly grow up by the beach – rather among the trees in Gembrook in Melbourne’s east.

“Being a kid in the countryside meant the ocean was always a dreamland that wasn’t very common to me,” he says. “When we went to the beach, it was always an amazing experience. I didn’t take up diving until I was 21 and have been doing it seriously for the past seven [years].

“It got me thinking about the reef and the problems we have, and it inspired me to want to do something philanthropic, but nothing resonated with me until I met with Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef five years ago.”

Scott makes regular research expeditions to the Great Barrier Reef, and though a near-death experience while diving at Wilson’s Prom in 2019 made him think twice about heading out again, he has a passion for life below the surface.

So much so, he even had his own “dive tank” in his New York apartment when he was based there.

“Trying to manage my reef tank and keep it healthy was difficult – and that was a small one-metre-cube situation,” Scott says, noting the scale of the Great Barrier Reef in comparison and how much needs to be done to keep it thriving.

He is also a contributor to The Great Reef Census, a project by Citizens of the GBR, the University of Queensland and the Great Barrier Marine Park Authority, which gathers data from the World Heritage-listed site.

The survey was first conducted in 2020, when volunteer divers, scientists and tourists submitted more than 13,000 images of the reef to help experts get a true sense of the impact of coral bleaching, extreme weather and other issues. Last year’s results are set to be released soon.

Away from the catwalk and the ocean, he has developed a range of luxury pre-made cocktails with his girlfriend, Brioney Prier (former general manager at Dior Asia Pacific).

He says the idea came about during the depths of COVID lockdowns.

“My industry was one of the hardest hit in the pandemic, so I had to think quick,” Scott says. “Through modelling, I always leverage relationships and bring people together, and this new business is a perfect example of how to utilise all those relationships.”

The pair are set to launch the business (with a name yet to be announced) later this year and will split their time between Melbourne and the south of France to oversee European distribution.

Pre-pandemic, Scott would travel the world up to 16 times a year. He lived in New York before basing himself in Paris for two years until he returned to Australia in late 2019.

His work schedule is starting to build momentum again, with recent work trips to Turkey and Paris.

“Our industry is changing so rapidly, especially with social media and influencers,” Scott says.

“They’ve pretty much taken budgets away from creatives because others are doing it for free or close to nothing. There are lots of models and talented photographers out there competing, and there is no guarantee with my job.

“The modelling work is slowly coming back, but unless you’re the dozen at the very top in this industry, you need a fallback and to think beyond the obvious.”

Celebrity Apprentice \ airs on Channel Nine, Sunday to Wednesday