It's a hard job, but someone's got to do it...

I can understand that many of you may think our jobs at CLEO are a (stiletto-wearing) walk in the park. Because, hey, how hard can it be playing with beauty products, lusting over fashion pages, writing (and giggling) all day about sex and relationships, scouting hot guys for our Bachelor of the Year competition… oh, and being paid for it?!

If only that was the case. The shiny issue of CLEO you buy and love is the glamorous end product of what has usually been a fast-paced, stress-filled, jam-packed 20 working days to get the issue together before our scheduled time on the press. And by the time you purchase the April issue, we’ve already analysed the past three months’ mag sales and are simultaneously planning CLEO May, June and Christmas (ok, maybe I’m stretching it) editions.

Most months our cover creation starts with going through the who’s who of celebrity, then nervously awaiting an approval from the chosen star and her publicist. But this month we wanted to give you a special surprise – even better than Easter eggs or a 4-day weekend ...

The 2012 CLEO Cruiser Bachelor of the Year competition has been fierce, with the 12 finalists who featured in CLEO February battling it out to get the most online votes. A huge congratulations goes to Mt Maunganui local John (JT) Templeton – our official 2012 CLEO Cruiser Bachelor of the Year!

When JT’s nomination came into CLEO, we jumped on him (err, not literally) straight away, and before you could say ‘thisdudeisabitofalright’ JT flew to Auckland for a photo shoot, became Mr August in our bachelor calendar and – with more than 1200 votes – won this year’s battle of the babes.

The team and I realised that we shouldn’t keep this major job perk all to ourselves, so we are sharing this year’s winner in the best way possible … on our cover!

We enlisted FOUR LIVE host (and our new girl-crush) Shannon Ryan to put her interview skills to mighty fine use, and get to know JT a little better through a fun cover shoot and an up-close-and-personal cover story.

Buy the mag now, turn to page 20, and enjoy the view! Similarly

Pamela x

♥ Behind-the-scenes of the winner's shoot
♥Read: John Templeton named CLEO Cruiser Bachelor of the Year!
♥ CLEO Cruiser Bachelor of the Year finalists 2012