The Real Full Monty: Ladies’ Night Press Pack

All contents strictly embargoed for publication until Tuesday 20 March 2018

The Real Full Monty: Ladies’ Night

All contents strictly embargoed for publication until Tuesday 20 March 2018 TX confirmed: Thursday 29 March at 9pm on ITV.

Hot on the heels of the return of ‘The Real Full Monty’, eight female celebrities are gearing up for the performance of their lives in ‘The Real Full Monty: Ladies’ Night’, determined to show the boys how it’s done and raise awareness of breast cancer. The men’s Real Full Monty might be bigger and better than ever before, but the eight brave ladies ready to take them on are TV presenter Coleen Nolan, broadcaster Victoria Derbyshire, Emmerdale actress Sally Dexter, reality TV star Megan McKenna, former Liberty X singer Michelle Heaton, actress Helen Lederer, TV legend Ruth Madoc and presenter Sarah-Jane Crawford - for all of whom, the issue of breast cancer awareness is close to their hearts. The ladies’ mission is to pull together a show-stopping performance that will wow the audience as they battle to overcome their nerves and inhibitions, learn to love their bodies and dare to bare for a good cause. Along the way, they visit the legendary Moulin Rouge in Paris to get inspiration for the show. Determined not to be outshone by the boys, the girls also rope in dance supremo Ashley Banjo, who stepped in at the last minute to help the boys last year and is also masterminding the men’s new and improved routine. ‘The Real Full Monty’ was one of the biggest and boldest TV hits of last year and saw a group of celebrity men bare all to the delights of millions of ITV viewers. In doing so, they crashed the Prostate Cancer UK website, such was the immediate and significant upsurge in demand for more information about men’s cancers. In an echo of the men’s show marking the 20th anniversary of cinema classic The Full Monty, the women’s performance will celebrate 20 years since The Calendar Girls posed for their iconic calendar in Yorkshire. The standard has been set and the ladies have a lot to prove. But motivated by the need to get women talking about self-checking their breasts, they will take to the stage for their own empowering, moment of glory. Step aside boys, it’s Ladies’ Night! Produced by Spungold for ITV. Press Contacts Fiona Galliver (Mon-Tues) Fiona.Galliver@itv.com 0207 157 3029 Hannah Green (Weds - Fri) Hannah.Green@itv.com 0207 157 3029 Pictures: Peter Gray Peter.Gray@itv.com 0207 157 3046

Coleen Nolan

On taking part: "The boys were so amazing last year and I loved watching the show from home, so I can’t quite believe I'll be taking part myself this time with a group of fabulous ladies who, like me, have all been touched by the shadows cancer casts over us. Although I'm terrified about what I've let myself in for, considering I won’t even wear a bikini on the beach let alone get my kit off in front of 2500 people and millions at home, but getting women to talk about breast cancer checks is way more important than any body hang-ups or nerves I've got. We are determined to give the audience a show they will never forget and hopefully raise awareness that could help save lives. I was initially asked to present it, so I agreed. And it was only on the first day of filming that I realised, ‘Oh you are presenting it but you’re also part of it and you’re getting your baps out at the end’. And it was too late to back out! They (production) kept saying to me, ‘We want to make sure you’re comfortable’, and I kept saying, ‘Why wouldn’t I be comfortable?’ Then I realised it was a massive miscommunication on both sides! When I spoke to Ashley before all this, I said, ‘There should be a girls’ version’, so it started coming about from that as well. I have to say though, I’m absolutely loving it.” On being nervous: “It’s that moment…I mean, I have days when I wake up and think, I can’t do this. But when I’m here and I’m with this group of girls, me personally, I’m having such a great time. We’ve all had individual days when you feel insecure, but the rest of them (the girls) get you through it. It’s a really good bunch of women. And I think it’s important that cancer has played a part in all our lives, so it’s such an important message, be aware. We all need to be aware.” On the other ladies: “Me and Michelle now may have to get married. Michelle has touched more of my body than any man ever has today. She literally put body make-up all over me for the photos. To be honest, it took longer than I thought it should! We’ve all really got close actually, I feel really, really bonded with all of the girls. We’ve all had those little moments where we’ve learnt more about each other and it’s been emotional. But we’ve had a lot of laughs as well. Learning the routine has been my favourite thing, I just love it. We’re all a little bit in love with Ashley Banjo. He’s so patient. Really funny, up for a laugh. But his patience gets me, he’s so calm…”

Michelle Heaton

On taking part: “I watched the series last year and when I first found out that they were interested in my story, I discussed it with my husband because I needed his approval as a married woman, I needed him to feel comfortable. I think his words made me want to do it more because he said, ‘If you can’t do it, then you’re not giving other women who are going through the same thing the strength to be in a bikini, or be naked in front of their family, or whatever they need to do’. So that was enough reason for me. So then I really fought to be involved.” On favourite moment so far: “We went to Moulin Rouge in Paris which was amazing. We didn’t know we were going, we just turned up with our passports and we got treated to go backstage, meet everyone, see all the costumes and performances, to see how women feel empowered to get their boobs out. But what most of us took away from it was that what we are doing is very different. They do it as a job, two shows a day and have to look a certain way. It’s completely separate to what we are doing. But we had the best time and we all got to know each other really well.” On comparisons with the boys: “Routine-wise I feel like we are in a good place, we’ve got a few more rehearsals to go. I think we’re okay. But we haven’t been allowed to see what we’re wearing yet which is quite a big thing. We don’t want the boys to overshadow us so it might be getting a little bit competitive! We want our turn! But it’s also a bit harder for girls, because we don’t want to come across as self-loving, or slutty. That’s not the point. And if anyone knows us personally they would know that’s not our personalities but people might have a different perception so it’s really important to us that they don’t get that from us. Boys get away with more at the end of the day. It’s not a sexist thing, that’s an honesty thing. They can bare all and be a bit laddy with it and get away with it. But if we strutted down, we’d look like idiots and not that we have that confidence in us anyway. So we have to be aware of how it’s carried and how it’s performed. So that’s a double-edged sword as well, if that makes sense.”

Victoria Derbyshire

On agreeing to do the project: “I’ve had breast cancer and I do loads of stuff for different breast cancer charities and general cancer charities like Cancer Research UK. That kind of work will get to a quite a lot of relevant women, but this programme will get to so many more women - different age profiles, women who think breast cancer’s not about them because it’s never going to affect them because they’re too young. The point is, having got through breast cancer, survived it, and been one of the lucky ones, the baton has passed to people like me and us to spread the word and that’s why I’m doing it. [It’s about] reaching as many people as you can. Everybody knows about cancer, of course they do. We’re not raising awareness of something no one’s ever heard of. Actually, what we’re doing, in a public service way, is being really specific about who is at risk and how you check your breasts and what you do if you find something different. If you find something different, what could it be, what could it mean and this is what you do.” On the performance: “The routine is so magnificent, it leads up to a feeling of power and strength. When I saw the routine, everything made sense, the music, the words… for every single woman, whether you’ve been touched by cancer or not, you can take the words from this song and it can mean something to you and I love it, it’s amazing. “There have been tears during this process but on the day of the first dance rehearsal it was sheer euphoria, I thought, oh my god this is f***ing brilliant, when I saw the routine. It was so uplifting. It was euphoria.” On why the post-Harvey Weinstein landscape wasn’t a consideration: “The #MeToo movement is about the abuse of power, often from men towards women, sometimes men towards men. We are making a decision to take our clothes off for a greater cause. No one is exploiting us. No one is making us do it, no one could force us to do this. We’re strong women. There’s no way anyone could make us do this. So that’s why, for me, it’s totally different.”

Ruth Madoc

On taking part: “I agreed to take part in this because I think you cannot emphasise enough the importance of checking your bosoms and catching problems early. That is the key to cancer, checking it early. I had cancer, of the bladder. It’s one of those that’s almost silent until it’s almost too late. I was lucky, I found it at a well woman clinic check. This is why every woman should go and be checked! And have their urine checked, as far as I’m concerned, and their blood checked. Do it once a year. Why not? What’s wrong with that. It saved my life, because it was caught very early. The tumour was only about as big as my thumbnail. It went on for about two years, two and a half years, the secondaries kept on coming back, but they managed to clear it. It’s been 16 years now since I had it and it’s completely cleared. So that’s primarily why I did this. Also, I did Calendar Girls for four years and I’m doing the musical later on this year for 60 weeks! I managed to book this in – one compliments the other and I’m very pleased about that.” Favourite moments so far: “I think observing the girls, it must be very difficult for the youngsters to understand about baring their boobs. I’ve been baring my boobs ever since the film Under Milk Wood with Richard Burton. So, I mean, it’s easy for me. I’ve done umpteen Calendar Girls shoots in the past where we had teacups in front of our boobs, all sorts of things in front of our boobs. So I knew how to do it. But that’s not why I did this. It’s all about awareness of cancer. Because it’s very, very important. I wouldn’t mind if the checks weren’t there, but the checks are in the health service. You can do it, you know. I feel very strongly about this.” On the other ladies: Another great moment for me has been meeting someone like Victoria who I’ve admired tremendously over the years from her radio and television career. So it’s very nice to meet somebody like that. I do love the youngsters though because they are starting out in careers and this will be a great experience for them. On being kept in the dark: Some of the highlights have been all the things happening that they (producers) don’t tell you about. Like, we were told just to bring our passports. When they put me up near Euston I was thinking, it must be the Eurostar. We’re either going to Brussels, Paris or we’re going to the end of the line! It didn’t matter to me. The production team know what they’re doing and we put ourselves in their hands, you have to.”

Megan McKenna

On taking part: “My motivation is, I saw the boy’s one last year, and it was for prostate cancer. My Grandad passed away from prostate cancer. He was very close to me and my family. My whole family have been affected by cancer and I just know they’d be proud of me for doing something like this. It’s something very different to what I normally do, it’s like a challenge. That’s one of the main reasons.” What feels like the most challenging element? “When I first got shown the routine, I was like, ‘Oh my god, it’s a full-on dance routine’. And I thought it was going to be more showgirl, stage-y. So you know, when Diversity performed it for us, I was like, “Oh s**t, I’ve got to actually dance.’ I don’t know how I’m going to do it. But Ashley’s really good. I’m getting a bit better. Obviously, I love performing, but this is different to what I normally do. The whole routine’s difficult. I’m not as confident probably as people think. Even today doing the (Calendar Girls) shoot, I get funny, if I don’t like the way my hair is it puts me in a bad mood, I pick at myself, I have my own insecurities about my body too. I’ve got my own insecurities just like everyone else does.” Favourite moment so far: “I liked going to Paris and bonding with everyone. Getting to know people more. It was nice. It made me feel more confident that we all have different shapes and sizes and those girls at the Moulin Rouge were just all there, like, whatever. I enjoyed it. I really did enjoy it.” On self-image: “I get trolled a lot online. A lot. So that is something that’s in my mind a lot. I try not to let it affect me, Instagram comments and stuff, but I’m only normal. It’s going to make you think stuff sometimes, if someone says something, you know? I suppose any young girl would think that. When I post pictures on my Instagram, that’s me picking it and it takes me hundreds of tries before I get the right picture. With this documentary, this is raw, you’re being filmed raw, it’s more difficult!” On the final performance: “When I’m not confident of something, I’m really rubbish at it. As soon as I get to know it, the confidence comes. I just need to learn it a bit more, then I’ll feel better about myself. It’s the stages of learning it. When you learn it you don’t really want people to see you learning it though! It’ll be funny. I think it’ll be a laugh.”

Sally Dexter

On taking part: “A couple of things concerned me about taking part. First of all, I’m hardly a celebrity. I’m not at all. Also, I haven’t had any personal experience of breast cancer for myself or my family or friends and I kind of was doubting my demographic… But maybe I’m the demographic of people who don’t think they’ll ever have breast cancer, who don’t go for the mammogram, which I haven’t gone for, I’ve missed them, I’ve said no thanks and then all of a sudden I meet this group of women and I think, every woman should check themselves, go for the mammograms. And that’s what I’m going to do.” On the Emmerdale storyline (Sally’s character Faith Dingle had breast cancer and a doub le mastectomy): “That was the closest to this point that I’d come into contact with, playing such a fabulous character, and then meeting the fabulous Brigitte Coles, who’s my body double and showed her scars. And that was really, really incredibly inspiring. Since all that my cousin has been diagnosed, treated and is recovering from breast cancer now. From the time I began this to now.” On the reaction to her storyline: “People were coming up to me. Actually men were coming up, which is brilliant, saying I told my wife to get checked after seeing this programme. It’s kind of taking notice of yourself and giving yourself permission to take notice of yourself. It used to be thought of as a death sentence and now it isn’t if it’s caught early. That’s the whole thrust of it for me. On The Real Full Monty ladies: “It’s great, they’re a great bunch of gals to be around. Today we recreated the Calendar Girls photos and it was a big day for us supporting each other. I was very, very glad they were all around. We’re all there for each other.” On the biggest challenge of the performance: “It’s very much the choreography for me. It’ll be fun strutting about on stage with a feathery fan, I’m looking forward to that. It’s when you put the feathery fan down, then I start to get a little concerned. But we’re all together and we can do this!” On empowering women - post-Harvey Weinstein landscape: “We have brought it up, asking a group of women to take their clothes off, it has come up and I think it’s significant. And I was very concerned that the choreography should reflect it and I was concerned that it wouldn’t. But I really think it has, he’s (Ashley’s) extraordinary. I think he’s made something magnificent and strong, which could have otherwise been a bit titillating.”

Helen Lederer

On taking part: “I remember sitting on the train with Victoria and she told me her story very matter of factly, and I thought f**k, this is huge. I haven’t had cancer myself but I have been close to those stories. And the power of having an engaging storyteller - people listen, people get affected – this is so powerful, but in a different and engaging way. It’s simple, but it brings up all the anxieties, all the hidden stuff, not wanting to face it.” On the importance of self-checks: “I felt my breasts last week because I’m starting to imagine things. Because I’m an absolutely rubbish dancer, I have to confess that now, and being 63…trying to move my body, there were some strains and stuff physically [while doing the routine]. Then you start going, ‘I’m doing this thing about breast cancer and I’ve got some pains…’ Just all those thoughts, now that’s helpful, again. Knowledge is power. It’s true.” On the men’s campaign: “Blokes’ camaraderie is one genre, female bonding and complexity is another. It’s great to be in a group with people you’re learning to like, as I didn’t know anyone before. It’s so lovely to have everybody’s views out there, clean. Nobody’s frightened to have an opinion. It’s immerged and it’s wonderfully generous. I like all their views.” On lacking in confidence: “I’m thinking, what if the cameras are there, following us? I’m thinking about the reveal. Who does that normally? Who reveals?! You’ve got the emotional side of it. I go to bed thinking about and I wake up thinking about it. I want to be part of it, so I would never bail because I’ve said I’ll do it. I want to get there, I want to do my best, to feel confident, but I’m not there yet.”

Sarah-Jane Crawford

Motivation to join the show: “My motivation is I’m in a time of my life now where I really want to share with as many people as possible my vulnerabilities, I want to get involved in projects that allow other people to take strength from the honesty of things that I’ve been through. What grabbed me about this project was I could do something where I’m kind of getting out of my comfort zone, working with a group of really smart, impressive, strong-minded, opinionated women, all culminating in something that ultimately will inspire other women of all shapes and sizes, every background, every age – it’s the year of the woman, it’s great, it’s another sort of strand to the whole idea that, as women, we’re really powerful and we are equal to men.” On her breast cancer scare: “I had a breast lump removed. Thank god it wasn’t cancerous. I know a lot of other women on the show have dealt with far more serious issues, but – that was in 2014 – I was just about to start on the Xtra Factor. I didn’t really share it with anyone. I had a series of operations for different female-related issues and one was having the breast lump removed and another was fibroids. What was useful about the operation, not just removing the lump, for me it made me more tuned-in to making sure that I check for lumps. It’s so important to share the message, so saying to anyone - whether it’s my make-up artist or my family - have you checked? Even though breast cancer’s one of those diseases and charities that’s the most well-known, to be fair, for some reason there’s still a disconnect between an awareness of it existing and actually bothering to check. Maybe it’s because we feel embarrassed, maybe it’s because we’re scared. It’s kind of like ignorance is bliss, which is how it can be with many medical issues.” On body confidence: “[This show] gets the conversation going. Also, it isn’t just about raising awareness, it’s also about women who have experienced having a double mastectomy or a mastectomy or just anything that may have dented their confidence in terms of body image. What we’re trying to do is celebrate that you can feel free, you can feel proud of your body.” “I’m 36 now and ten years ago, I probably would have felt way more self-conscious doing a project like this than I do now. And it’s not because I’m necessarily looking any better, I just feel, I just don’t care as much anymore.” Highlights from filming so far: “I loved going to Paris with the girls (to see the Moulin Rouge). It was a bonding trip. All of the women in this group are so intelligent, so interesting. I chatted at length with Ruth on the train, we chatted about her career. Megan is really interesting; I don’t think enough people know what she’s really like. She’s got maybe an image that’s different to how she is. I’ve really bonded with her. It was just nice to have a heart-to-heart with a lot of different types of women and not be in the comfort zone of your own friends. For me it wasn’t so much about the actual show, it was the whole spending time with different women and sharing vulnerabilities.” On gaining confidence from the Moulin Rouge: “The girls were amazing. I mean, they don’t have an inch of fat on them! But you could see the change in their demeanor as they went on stage. It’s like life isn’t it? Anyone can put on a show, if you get in the right frame of mind and you know you’re doing it for a reason… so when I spoke to the girls

backstage, the way they were talking, it wasn’t really about their bodies, it’s more about their mentality and their inner confidence. Anyone can have a bad day, sometimes the most beautiful women are the most insecure. The thing I took away was just this female spirit of, this is my body, they’ve all got different size and shape boobs, yeah they’re all in amazing shape, but they all look completely different. For me it was inspiring in that way.”

Ashley Banjo

How did you feel about the success of the Real Full Monty last year?

“I was overwhelmed with the response. I always thought people would get behind it but the wave of support and positive conversation that came as a result of the show was incredible.” What have you been most looking forward to, about the programme returning? “Everything moves at such a fast pace, it’s easy to forget things and overlook such a serious problem such as prostate and testicular cancer, unless you are reminded, so I am most looking forward to getting people talking again.” What has been your highlight or funniest moment from filming so far? “My highlight for both the men and women is the same…the laughs and the banter! These shows pull together unlikely groups of people, but when everyone gets along so well you can’t wait to get to rehearsals.” How has it been working with the girls taking part in the Ladies Night spin-off? “It’s been challenging and a huge amount of fun because it’s something I’ve done 100 times before but at the same time I’m completely out of my comfort zone. Unlike the boys, we had to create the ladies’ routine from scratch and trying to please everyone is never easy!” What has been the most challenging aspect for you this year? “These performances are more than just routines, they have real meaning and purpose, so to really capture the essence of the message, make an entertaining routine, tie everyone’s rehearsal schedule together and keep everyone happy, at times can seem like an impossible task, but it’s only because everyone taking part has a strong reason to be doing it, it drives them through.” What is different compared to last year? “What is different to last year is everyone’s story, I thought I had learnt all there was to know about how these cancers affect people from last years show, but everyone in the current line-up has been affected in a completely different way.”

Why should viewers tune in? “The more people that watch, the further the awareness can spread and not only are the shows funny, educational, heart-warming and uplifting, but most importantly for me, they are life affirming. And you get to see some famous people naked!!!”

Press Contacts Fiona Galliver (Mon-Tues) Fiona.Galliver@itv.com 0207 157 3029 Hannah Green (Weds - Fri) Hannah.Green@itv.com 0207 157 3029 Pictures: Peter Gray Peter.Gray@itv.com 0207 157 3046