The Real Full Monty contestant reveals he feared he might drown during filming
HE’S going from royal butler to butler in the buff, but taking his clothes off was the least of Paul Burrell's worries when he signed up for The Real Full Monty.
As well as stripping off for the ITV1 show, which will air later this month, he had to overcome his fear of swimming while being put through his paces by hosts Coleen Nolan and Ashley Banjo.
Paul and celebrities including Ashley Cain, Ben Cohen, Vanessa Bauer and Gemma Collins were asked to take a dip to get themselves used to being naked in public — which left Paul in a panic.
He said: “There’ll be some shots of me walking down Wimbledon High Street naked — that was challenging.
“I can’t swim either, but they forgot to ask me that, and then we went to Lakeside, I thought we were going shopping. We weren’t, we were going swimming. Trying to get me out of the boat and into the water was the biggest mission.
“I was screaming. Gemma Collins shouted, ‘Shut up, you old tart, you’re a bigger drama queen than me!’. Thankfully, I had a life jacket on.
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‘Beached whale’
“I got in the water and I was towed ashore by the two Ashleys before being landed like a beached whale on the bank. I thought they might harpoon me at one stage.”
Despite the fun, there is a serious point to the show, which features celebrities who have all had their lives touched by cancer.
Paul was diagnosed with prostate cancer in its early stages and is now in remission. He says the only reason he knew he had prostate cancer was because he had a full medical before he took part in filming the
All Stars version of ITV1’s I’m A Celebrity last year in South Africa.
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He added: “If I hadn’t been doing the jungle, I would never have known and I would be in the late stages now.
“I could have been gone now and not even known what was wrong with me.”
He also revealed how one viewer who saw him discussing his diagnosis on TV was inspired to have a check-up — and went on to discover he was in the early stages of cancer.
He then managed to get rapid treatment.
It’s just that kind of life-saving awareness he is hoping to continue on The Real Full Monty.
He just wished he hadn’t come so close to drowning to achieve it.
Layton such a classy mover
LAYTON Williams has taken a leaf out of Strictly’s book for his return to Bad Education to film its Christmas special.
He showed off his moves over the weekend alongside Strictly co-star Nikita Kuzmin in Musicals Week.
And he will dance again in the school comedy series after convincing co-stars, including creator Jack Whitehall and actors Charlie Wernham and Vicki Pepperdine, to turn the show into a musical.
The festive episode will see Layton’s Stephen Carmichael perform original songs and choreography.
Layton said: “I’ve been rooting for a musical episode from day dot. I’m excited for people to see the cast in a different light, like Jack Whitehall sing- ing and dancing-ish. I would say ish.”
The show airs December 13 on BBC Three.
Jasmine ghosted
IN the lead role of a ghost in new drama Platform 7, Jasmine Jobson was meant to keep mostly silent.
But that was harder than it sounds, with her teeth chattering in the chilly weather.
The actress, best known as Jaq in Top Boy, said: “I constantly had to act like I didn’t feel the cold. I would try to imagine a hot country, like the Dominican Republic.
“But it mainly felt odd just being a fly on the wall – to have everyone talking about you and then when you do speak, nobody responds.”
Platform 7 premieres on ITVX on Thursday.
Thank cluck it's over
CHICKEN Run animator Nick Park has revealed why fans had to wait ages for the sequel.
He joked to the Sunday Times Culture mag that, after the first film, he “never wanted to see another chicken again so long as he lived.”
Chicken Run: Dawn Of The Nugget airs December 15 on Netflix.
Denise a fizzy rascal
DENISE Van Outen gets in the Christmas spirit by hitting the booze on the festive special of Secrets Of The Supermarket Own-Brands.
The presenter will sip glasses of supermarket prosecco as part of a blind test session to find the best sparkling plonk for the festive season.
But after indulging in ten glasses of the tipple, Denise gets scolded by the test organiser for chatting away to her fellow tasters.
She’s abruptly reminded participants are banned from speaking to each other, in case they influences the taste buds of the other tasters.
And it leaves Denise in need of a rest to get her head back in order.
She jokes: “Ten glasses down and I am spent – so this little reindeer needs to lie down and have a sleep now after all those drinks.”
Christmas Secrets Of The Supermarket Own-Brands airs tonight at 8pm on Channel 4.
Food for thought
CHANNEL 4 will explore the safety of our Christmas turkey in a Dispatches special this week.
Food Unwrapped host Kate Quilton investigates food safety concerns at a major supplier as the UK prepares to sell nine million turkeys.
How Safe Is Your Turkey? airs Friday at 7.30pm.
Strictly Oti for Adrian
ADRIAN Chiles admits he could be tempted back to Strictly Come Dancing.
The presenter took part in the Christmas special of the ballroom show in 2021 alongside Jowita Przystal.
And despite being haunted by the “traumatic” training schedule, he would consider returning for a full series – provided he is partnered with Oti Mabuse.
He said: “Oti’s a brilliant teacher, and I know I would be in safe hands if she ever decided to return to Strictly as one of the professionals – count me in.
“That doesn’t mean it wasn’t traumatic the first time, though. I was so nervous I can’t recall meeting Oti, although she assures me we did.
“If I did engage with her, I was in a state of sheer terror.”
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Oti joined Adrian for his new series My Life At Christmas on BBC One over the weekend.
Watch it on iPlayer.