on TRT, the national public broadcaster of Turkey. In 1995, she was elected "Miss Model of Turkey", and then became the first runner-up to the Miss Model of the World in the final contest. She was also chosen in the contest as the contestant who had the best body. She pursued her modelling career in Paris for seven months in 1996 but later chose to concentrate on a more Turkey-oriented career. Following her return to Turkey, she made a contract with the panties brand Müjde Parizien and became the "Parizien Leg Girl" for three years. TV series In 1997 and 1998, Tuğba Özay starred in the TV series Hemşerim (My Countryman) and Aynalı Tahir. At the end of 1999 she was noticed by the Turkish film director Türker İnanoğlu and through his advice and suggestions, she played important roles in such TV series as Zehirli Çiçek (Poisoned Flower), Yapayalnız (All Alone), Bizim Otel (Our Hotel) and Çiçek Taksi in the following years. Pursuing her modelling career at the same time as starring in TV series, she soon became one of the wealthiest in her profession in Turkey. She also received numerous awards as a model. It was around this time that her biography and lifestyle was covered by a team from BBC Television for a programme in the cycle of This World series in which she was the representative from Turkey, alongside prominent political figures from other Islamic countries. Another landmark of her television career came when she took part in the Turkish version of the gameshow The Wheel of Fortune assisting the presenter Mehmet Ali Erbil. She also presented two other entertainment shows of her own. She resumed theater acting, somewhat neglected since her school years, in the 2000s. She had a part in Dün Gece Ormanda Çok Komik Birşey Oldu (Something funny happened in the woods yesternight) under the theater director Ferhan Şensoy and the play was a success. She pursued her theatre career with the play Tanıştırayım, Burası Türkiye (Let Me Introduce You to Turkey), a cabaret for which she had chosen the title herself and in which she also sang a song. The play was performed by the private group Abdullah Şahin Nokta Theatre and it was also well received by the audiences. 2007 ordeals At the peak of her career in 2007, complicated series of events led to her being sentenced to imprisonment. She spent