The Real Full Monty on Ice, episode 1 review: unwise tattoos, wobbly bits – and all for a good cause
The mere premise of The Real Full Monty on Ice (ITV) sounded like a spoof. Remember Peter Kay’s talent show parody, Britain’s Got the Pop Factor… and Possibly a New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar Superstar Strictly on Ice?
Well, that sort of thing. Instead it was a wintry twist on the previous series, which saw celebrities baring all to raise awareness of cancers in intimate parts of the body and promote self-examination to help save lives. This year, the 13 plucky participants weren’t just performing a striptease but, for some reason, doing it on ice skates. Chilly and potentially eye-wateringly painful.
Wait, though. There was another twist. Not only had this year’s series swapped a raucous nightclub for a frozen rink but, for the first time, men and women would be stripping together in a razzle-dazzle group routine. Yes, this was an equal opportunities gala of unwise tattoos and goose-pimpled wobbly bits. There were affecting scenes as the sort-of-famous faces described how cancer had touched their lives and their motivation for taking part.
Former glamour model Linda Lusardi wept as she recalled losing her best friend Angie aged just 32. Several others had lost parents or siblings. Singer Jake Quickenden had lost both. His laddish bravado had been beginning to grate until we realised what lay beneath it. Former jockey Bob Champion, 72, struggled to dance on dry land, let alone on ice. Former Woman’s Hour presenter Jenni Murray (a surprise participant, I must say) admitted she was “the Bob Champion of the women” adding: “I’m 70. I’ve had both hips replaced. The thought of ice skating is ridiculous”.
As they comforted one another about bereavement and reassured one another about their bodily hang-ups, there were moments of real bonding. Supportive friendships were formed before our very eyes. It was hard not to get swept along with the camaraderie and emotion.
No, this wasn’t particularly sophisticated television but it was wholehearted, for a worthy cause and made its point emphatically. The second part follows tonight, complete with kit-off crescendo. As Joe Cocker sings, you can leave your hat on. You might want to make it a woolly one with a bobble.
