Breaking Bad actor RJ Mitte signs up for new series of Bear Grylls’ The Island
HE has already had to deal with finding out his on-screen dad is a drug kingpin – and now Breaking Bad’s RJ MITTE has a new challenge ahead.
The actor, famous for playing Walter White Jr in the hit series starring BRYAN CRANSTON as his crystal meth-making dad, has signed up for the new series of BEAR GRYLLS’ The Island.
RJ, who suffers from mild cerebral palsy like his on-screen character, is currently in Panama filming the survival show.
The Channel 4 programme sees ten celebrities dropped on to a remote island off the Central American country’s coast and told to undergo a series of challenges set by Scout leader Bear.
A source said: “RJ loves to challenge himself and this will be right up there.
“The tasks the contestants have to complete are very physically demanding and he cannot wait to get stuck in.
“After Breaking Bad he’s not been short of acting work but jumped at the chance to do The Island.”
I already told how former Coronation Street actor RYAN THOMAS would be heading into the show, due to air in October, and last week former Towie star LUCY MECKLENBURGH also signed up.
MOST READ IN BIZARRE
But to be in with a chance of winning, they’ll all have to battle hard as they’re up against two former Olympic heroes.
I can also reveal RJ and co will be joined by former runner IWAN THOMAS and ex-swimmer SHARRON DAVIES.
Iwan was originally well known for his running, having won an Olympic silver medal as part of Team GB’s 4x100m relay team at the 1996 Games in Atlanta.
These days, though, he has become a reality TV staple — having taken part in Strictly Come Dancing, Celebrity MasterChef and many more.
The same could be said for Sharron, who won a silver medal at the 1980 Moscow games in the 400m medley but has since gone on to take part in Dancing On Ice and Channel 5’s reboot of sports competition Superstars.
Last year’s show saw former politician KAREN DANCZUK and Made In Chelsea’s OLLIE LOCKE, among others, take part.
A remote island in the middle of nowhere sounds like the right place for them.
Pub helped us grin and bare it
WHEN the Loose Women team stripped off to encourage body confidence, some needed a touch of Dutch courage first.
Panellist LINDA ROBSON confessed they had to sneak to the pub to calm ITV co-host NADIA SAWALHA’s nerves ahead of the shoot by singer BRYAN ADAMS.
Linda, ANDREA McLEAN and JANET STREET-PORTER were speaking live on my Facebook page.
Linda said: “Nadia spent the whole day looking for alcohol. We went to the pub for an hour and had a couple of glasses of wine.
“It is surprising how many of the younger ones were nervous. STACEY SOLOMON was very nervous and she has the most beautiful body.”
Now Andrea thinks it’s the men’s turn.
She said: “We should get RUSSELL CROWE. He’s a larger chap.” It sounds like they’ve got it all planned out.
ALESHA: LET US JUDGE
ALESHA DIXON has taken aim at Britain’s Got Talent performers – like singing comic JONNY AWSUM – who involve the show’s hosts ANT AND DEC while auditioning.
She thinks using the Geordie hosts or her fellow judges – and in particular, DAVID WALLIAMS – can give acts an unfair advantage.
Alesha said: “Sometimes I think the contestants are cheating a little bit if Ant and Dec come out, or David, because everyone loves them, so of course the audience get behind you.
“David’s a good sport. He gets asked to do some really awkward things but he goes for it. It’s a bit of an ongoing joke now.
“Usually when one of us gets asked on stage, we’re quite reluctant. You do it but you don’t really want to because you want to watch and judge.”
David absolutely loves all the attention. I reckon he’d enter if he wasn’t a judge . . .
Laura's ray of sunshine
AS pregnancy announcements go, Good Morning Britain’s LAURA TOBIN’s is up there with the best.
The lovely weather presenter dropped the news during yesterday morning’s report.
And she revealed she had kept it a secret from most of her own family and her ITV colleagues SUSANNA REID, PIERS MORGAN and CHARLOTTE HAWKINS.
Laura said: “As we head into September things will be blooming but it won’t just be my dress, because I’m very pleased to let everybody know that, come the end of October, I’ll be having my own little ray of sunshine . . . I am having a baby.”
A huge congratulations to Laura and her husband Dean.
SOAPBOX
NATHAN’s manipulation of Bethany takes another nasty turn in CORONATION STREET.
He remains cold to her, but Mel pulls out a ring box and tells Bethany he had planned to propose to her.
Fearing she has blown everything, Bethany apologises to Nathan and promises she will do anything for him.