Ashley is baring all... in a good cause
ITV, 9pm
YOU need to be brave to bare all on TV, but the celebrities in this two-part special are going one further. As title of The Real Full Monty: On Ice suggests, they will be stripping off in a winter wonderland spectacular, meaning they are going to be very cold indeed.
So, what would inspire the class of 2020 to sign up? Well, there’s the fact that it’s for a very good cause.
The first Real Full Monty special aired back in 2017, to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the hit film. Hosted by Alexander Armstrong, it saw Diversity’s Ashley Banjo coaching Harry Judd, Wayne Sleep, Mark Foster, Elliott Wright, Danny John Jules, Matthew Wolfenden and Dom Littlewood in a routine to be performed at the London Palladium to raise awareness of male cancers.
The show was such a hit, the format was brought back in following years, with female celebs getting in on the act.
And in 2020, it’s arguably needed more than ever as the coronavirus pandemic has seen fewer health checks taking place, which could lead to a reduction in crucial early diagnoses. So, Ashley Banjo and Coleen Nolan are joining forces with more celebs to raise awareness of cancers in intimate areas of the body.
Ashley explains: “We are so proud of what this show has achieved in reminding people to check themselves for early signs of cancer and we’re going all out this year to get that message across; following lockdown, when far fewer people were getting health checks, now more than ever this message is important.
“Performing on ice will take the challenge to a whole new level - the celebrities won’t know what’s hit them! What could possibly go wrong?!”
Coleen says: “I keep saying ‘never again’ to getting my kit off but the response we get from the millions of women who feel empowered to check themselves after watching the show is incredible, so here we go again!
“This year is more personal than ever for me as two of my amazing sisters are battling cancer once more. I’m inspired by them and everyone I meet who’s has been touched by this dreadful disease, so I’m absolutely thrilled to be back leading a new awesome group of women, ready to bare all with me. But as this year it’s on ice, let’s just hope we don’t get frostbite on our unmentionables!”
Taking on the challenge for the ladies are Woman’s Hour legend Dame Jenni Murray, actresses Linda Lusardi and Hayley Tamaddon,
Love Island’s Shaughna Phillips, and This Morning’s Dr Zoe.
The boys are represented by rugby star Gareth Thomas, actor Jamie Lomas, singer Jake Quickenden, jockey Bob Champion, Diversity’s Perri Kiehly and Love Island’s Chris Hughes.
All of them have been touched by cancer, but only half of them have ever skated before and there’s the added complication of the pandemic. So, how will they cope with learning the routines, let alone baring all?