Fake Bake at The Real Full Monty Live 2018

YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR TAN ON…..

Fake Bake at The Real Full Monty Live 2018

We love getting special requests in for events here at Team Fake Bake, and we always do our best to get involved. Over the last few weeks we have had a brilliant time getting everyone tanned and fabulous at Dancing On Ice for ITV, and also at the OK! magazine recent 25th Birthday Party preparations.  When we got asked about the Real Full Monty Live, though, our hearts skipped a beat. Firstly, because this year there would be a female team as well as the men doing their thing and secondly, because the theme of cancer prevention through self checking and early intervention is something we are really passionate about.

We headed off to Sheffield and we can only say it was an experience of a lifetime for everyone involved. First up - the fellas. They were on sparkling form and it was great to see so many familiar faces. As huge TOWIE fans, we couldn’t wait to get our hands on Arg, in a tanning sense, of course, and when we watched the show through what struck us was that the guys got just as insecure about stripping down as we are often used to seeing with girls in the spotlight. Ashley Banjo did a brilliant job putting the routine together and starring in it, and we know we’ll be watching Pointless with extra admiration, now that Alexander Armstrong has strutted his stuff two years on the run. With both prostate and testicular cancer so much in the news, the guys were still intent on making sure we all know the signs and symptoms, and give every man we know an encouraging hand when it comes to booking in to see their GP rather than leaving it to chance.

 

At Team Fake Bake, the women were even more familiar to us, as we have met and worked with so many of them before. Michelle Heaton is a firm fave with us, and Megan McKenna is known for her gorgeously faux bronzed skin. Michelle is always so chirpy around us, and so her story touched our hearts. Victoria Derbyshire, a serious journalist and hugely brave lady, was soon forgetting her worries about getting on the stage as soon as she tried on some costumes at the Moulin Rouge. All of the girls were seriously funny but we have to say 74-year-old Ruth Madoc stole our hearts - she didn’t need any encouragement to get her buns out, and she absolutely loved her Fake Bake tan. By the time the girls took to the stage, nerves got cast aside and they all embraced shaking their tail feathers, courtesy of design genius Julien Macdonald. Not only did they all look gorgeous, but they gave us a real reminder of what women can achieve when they support each other, and the sheer joy of just having fun, no matter where life has taken you. They all talked so candidly about their varying experiences with breast cancer that it made us all stop and think about the importance of regular self-checking and also of talking to each other about concerns.

Victoria Halliday, Fake Bake Head of Business Development told us, “The guys were on top form but what shone through was how much they encouraged each other. They all embraced the Full Monty and while they never stopped with the banter they were also all about getting the message across. I was so proud of all my team as they worked tirelessly, and the guys all looked fantastic. For many of them, it was their first spray tan, even Arg, so we hope they enjoyed getting camera ready with us.”

Emily Jacobs, Head of Fake Bake Training Scotland says, “Megan and Michelle were fantastic at rallying the girls - they already know how fab a Fake Bake spray tan looks, but by the end of our work, all of the ladies were seriously impressed. Ruth Madoc was such brilliant fun, and she said on camera she loved her tan. We can’t believe how brave they all were, and how gorge they all looked. By the end of the show, they were all glowing with pride as well, so for us, it was a job well done.”

When we actually got the chance to watch the shows back they were so emotional for us all, and as a team, most of us have had experiences with cancer within our family and friendship groups, and both shows took a lot of fear and stigma out of the subject.

We've had so many conversations since about learning to love our own bodies, embracing our imperfections and hoping that the way forward isn't about competing with each other, but pushing each other forward and really embracing everything we are. Would we be tempted to go the whole way? Let’s just say you have to be a very special person to be so courageous, but we can tell you this - all the girls and guys involved in the Full Monty Live had nerves of Sheffield steel. We are proud to have helped them on their journey.

Many congratulations to the boys who really were Hot Stuff on the evening - Ashley, James, Ainsley, John H, Alexander, Jeff, John P, Ugo and Tom.

Well done to the ladies who proved to be the Greatest Showgirls - Victoria, Coleen, Ruth, Michelle, Megan, Helen, Sarah-Jane, and Sally.

A huge thank you to everyone at ITV - you can still catch both shows on the ITV Hub.