She made her film debut as one of the title characters in william Castle's poorly received 13 Frightened Girls (1963). Bastedo received notice on the European continent, earning her the nickname, "La Bastedo". Although most familiar to viewers of 1960s TV, she was also known for her multilingual skills, speaking Italian, Spanish, French and German. This skill brought her to the door of 10 Downing Street to assist with translations and landed her the role of co-presenter of Miss World competitions with Peter Marshall in the 1980s. In 1979 she also played in the series The Aphrodite Inheritance. In 1988, Bastedo was the cover star for 'Rank', a live album by British band The Smiths that charted at number 2 on the British Album charts. In 1991, she appeared in a notable production of the psychological thriller Dangerous Obsession by N. J. Crisp, opposite Marc Sinden and John Challis, at the Mill at Sonning. In 1992 she appeared in "Fat" — the second ever broadcast episode of Absolutely Fabulous, playing a 1960s model associate of Edina and Patsy. Also seen in The Saint alongside Roger Moore, who later became James Bond 007.