Entertainment
Coronation Street’s Simon Gregson is worlds away from Steve McDonald as he joins Mr Motivator for glam drag queen transformation-Emily Bashforth-Entertainment – Metro
Oh em gee!
Don’t they look fabulous? (Picture: Nicky Johnston/ITV/PA)
No, your eyes are not deceiving you, that really is Coronation Street actor Simon Gregson and Mr Motivator in full drag.
The stars have promised to be ‘larger than life’ drag queens when they venture as far out of their comfort zones as possible in ITV’s Queens For The Night.
Soap icon Simon, 48, is among the celebrities undergoing ‘the ultimate drag makeover’ for the one-off TV special, airing on November 5.
Chat show host Lorraine Kelly will host while the judging panel features Melanie C of the Spice Girls, comedian Rob Beckett, Australian drag artist Courtney Act and West End star Layton Williams.
The show will end with a cabaret-style performance, voted on by the studio audience, as they showcase their newly acquired skills, including singing, dancing, lip-syncing, impression and comedy.
Basically, it’s going to be everything!
Prepare to see the Corrie star as you’ve never seen him before… (Picture: ITV)
Not so Steve McDonald now, huh? (Picture: PA)
Speaking ahead of his drag queen debut, Corrie legend Simon admits it’s super ‘nerve wracking,’ but he wants to give it his all.
On what kind of drag queen he will be, Simon, who will perform as Bidet Bardot, said: ;I think I’ll be a larger-than-life drag queen, very loud. I think that fits in with me quite well.’
He added: ‘It’s very, very nerve wracking. First time on stage, first time I’m going to be doing what I’m going to be doing.
‘The nerves are riding high. It’s a new territory for me, so we will see how I get on.’
The 70-year-old’s drag alter ego is world’s away from his usual self (Picture: Jeff Spicer/WireImage)
Mr Motivator looks fabulous in his drag get-up! (Picture: PA)
The programme will see each famous name paired with drag mentors – including Blu Hydrangea, Kitty Scott-Claus and Asttina Mandella – as they prepare their alter egos before competing on stage.
TV fitness instructor Mr Motivator, whose drag alter ego is named Proteina Turner, is also getting glam for the TV special, and he reckons he is ‘richer for the experience.’
‘You know what, I’m having the time of my life. When you step out of your comfort zone and you do something you’ve never done and to have the support of Asttina who is great.
‘It’s just wonderful especially at my wonderful age of nearly 70,’ he said proudly.
EastEnders icon Adam Woodyatt will also take part (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
And they aren’t the only stars donning wigs and high heels for the fabulous occasion, as EastEnders star Adam Woodyatt, Union J’s George Shelley, and England rugby player Joe Marler will also compete.
I’m A Celebrity star Adam said he wanted to appear on the show to ‘push’ himself but ‘who knows’ what could happen on the night.
Following his EastEnders departure, he said he wants to try ‘different roles,’ and, well, what could be more different to Ian Beale than a drag queen?
‘I want to try different roles, I want to try and push myself, stretch myself and I think I’m going to have that challenge when I attempt to become a drag queen,’ he said, having gotten into drag for Children In Need some years ago, but never anything to this extent.
Love Islander Chris Hughes can’t wait for his drag transformation (Picture: Brett D. Cove/SplashNews.com)
Union J star George Shelley says drag is ‘everything’ to him as a gay man (Picture: Getty)
Meanwhile, fellow competitor Love Island’s Chris Hughes said he was competing to help break down stigma attached to masculinity.
The former reality star described himself as a ‘very emotional person’ who constantly crying on camera, so he wants to encourage others to ‘be themselves.’
‘I’m a man and we should be able to cry. It’s great to be able to break that stigma down and people should be able to be themselves,’ he declared.
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‘If you want to cry, if you want to wear heels, if you want to wear make-up, it doesn’t matter who you are, you should be able to do your thing.’
As for singer and X Factor star George, he described the drag community as ‘absolutely beautiful’ and ‘everything that I want from life.’
‘I’m able to celebrate being gay and I’m able to celebrate being feminine and being all the parts of myself that I’ve had to keep inside a box for so long.’
Queens For The Night airs on ITV on November 5.
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