Who bares wins
STV, 8.30pm WHEN six steel workers whipped off their clothes in The Full Monty, it catapulted the film into iconic status.
Now, 20 years later, and to raise awareness of men’s cancers, a group of celebrities have decided to re-enact that famous striptease.
Alexander Armstrong is at the helm, with the help of Ashley Banjo to choreograph the routine which will be performed in front of 2000 people at the London Palladium. But while you may have a mental wish-list of your ideal line-up, it proves a bit tricky for Alexander and Ashley to rally any willing participants.
Scrolling through their mobiles for inspiration only results in a name-dropping competition. More than 600 celebs were asked, but only a few said yes.
Stepping up to the bare-bottomed challenge with Alexander are McFly’s Harry Judd, TOWIE’s Elliott Wright, ballet dancer Wayne Sleep, former Olympic swimmer Mark Foster, Emmerdale’s Matthew Wolfenden, TV presenter Dom Littlewood, and Red Dwarf ’s Danny John-Jules.
They’ve only got six days to get over their embarrassment about dancing and stripping naked.
“It would be easy for them to look ridiculous,” says Ashley, somewhat stating the obvious.
As they all take their kit off, Alexander admits to feeling deeply uncomfortable next to the ripped torsos of the likes of Mark and Harry. It’s hardly fair really, with Ashley’s body also resembling a Greek sculpture.
There’s a brilliantly funny moment when Ash gets them all dancing down the baked bean aisle at ASDA – a sight to behold.
And then the group has to face their first dress (or undress) rehearsal, on stage at Shiregreen Working Men’s Club, as featured in the movie. The fear is palpable. But let me tell you, in case there was any doubt, the hats do come off...