WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT MYSELF WHEN I STRIPPED ON NATIONAL TV
When I was asked to do The All New Monty (airs Tue., Jul. 30 at 7.30pm; Seven) I actually, at first, thought it was a joke; that they were having a lend, because I haven’t exactly been the body beautiful for at least 50 years. I didn’t see the previous show. I wasn’t even vaguely curious, but I believe it rated quite highly.
It didn’t take too long to say yes. After regularly being on television for many years, I hadn’t been on screen as often for a while, and thought this would be a good opportunity to remind people that I was still alive and up for a challenge. Stripping wasn’t quite what I had in mind but that was what was on offer, and it’s very hard for an actor to say no to anything that resembles a job.
I didn’t really have any reservations about what was involved. I’d appeared naked a couple of times on stage in the past, which had been pretty terrifying, but I’d survived. This couldn’t be any worse and it was for a good cause – raising awareness for men’s health, particularly prostate and testicular cancers.
I had no idea who I’d be doing it with, apart from Shane Jacobson and Todd McKenney, of course – and they’d already done it and their reputations were still intact.
Of course, I hadn’t really factored in the
family’s reaction. I can’t imagine my daughters wanting to watch it and I won’t be expecting the grandchildren to watch it, or even want to.
Turning up was the biggest challenge. This is my 50th year in the business and as you’d be aware, I’ve done a lot of television, so I found the reality TV element of it a bit dull to do. The show itself – the strip – was actually very exhilarating. The crowd was wilder and more enthusiastic than any audience I’ve ever played to, so that was great fun. There was so much noise, colour and movement that I virtually forgot I was naked on stage briefly. Not at all confronting. I was barely (no pun intended) aware of anyone else on stage with me in the end – didn’t even take a sneaky peek!
There’s no comparison to Dancing with the Stars, which I did in 2004. That was bloody hard work. I was still working hard on Blue Heelers every day as I tried to learn those routines in every spare moment. In many ways it was more confronting than Monty. I think I felt more exposed on the Dancing with the Stars dance floor – there was nowhere to hide; no pyrotechnics or confetti. I treated it, or tried to, as just another job, which in a way it was. But the nerves were far worse on Dancing.
I found The All New Monty all a bit like being back at high school. I discovered that I still find it hard to be one of the boys – my interests are generally very different, as they were at school. Back in those days, the footy jocks ignored me – I was just beneath their dignity. These days, they seem to have a lot more respect for me and the work I have done over the past 50 years. And I discovered I really liked them, and really enjoyed their company. •