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Celebrity Fame Academy line-up revealed
Last updated at 16:23pm on 26.02.07
Tara Palmer-Tomkinson is one of the celebs taking part in this year's Comic Relif Fame Academy
This year's Celebrity Comic Relief Fame Academy line-up was announced today - with the likes of socialite Tara Palmer-Tomkinson, EastEnders turned Extras star Shaun Williamson, Birds of a Feather actress Linda Robson and Radio 1 DJ Colin Murray taking part.
One of the 13 contestants will be kicked off the first BBC1 show this Saturday night.
Only 11 celebrities will make it into the Fame Academy house after a second contestant is booted out on Wednesday.
The other wannabe singers are Blue Peter presenter Zoe Salmon, Mel Giedroyc from comedy duo Mel and Sue, BBC sports presenter Ray Stubbs, comedian and presenter Rowland Rivron, presenter Angellica Bell, broadcaster Fred MacAulay, comedy actress Miranda Hart, comedian Tim Vine and Heartbeat star Tricia Penrose.
Ricky Gervais will also make an appearance with his Extras co-star Stephen Merchant - as guest supporters of Williamson.
With Cat Deeley now making a name for herself in the US, Claudia Winkleman has taken her place as co-host of the show with Patrick Kielty.
Almost £2 million has been raised by the last two series of Celebrity Fame Academy, last broadcast in 2005.
This year, when not being put through their paces by forthright head teacher Richard Park and vocal coaches David and Carrie Grant, the celebrities will be holed-up in a plush location next to the River Thames in London.
At today's unveiling, Kielty re-opened his feud with head teacher and judge Park. He said: "With me, I know I'm hosting a TV show. But Park believes it's his life.
"He's got this deluded thing that he's a real headmaster and the academy actually exists.
"He doesn't really understand how a TV show works. When you're telling someone to shut up, you're wrapping someone up because people want to hear Huw Edwards present the news at 10 o'clock News or whatever and don't want to hear Richard Park when they tune in. He doesn't understand that."
Kielty also made a jibe against his former co-host Deeley, saying: "If she wants to make vast sums of money in one of the few countries that didn't sign up to the trade agreement, then she doesn't care about aid at all. I spoke to her a couple of weeks ago and told her that in very colourful language," he joked.
Palmer-Tomkinson, who recently had her nose rebuilt following years of cocaine abuse, said she would have no problem living with the other celebrities.
"I went to boarding school, and then another boarding school," she said, "followed by finishing school and so I know everything about living with other people."
The former I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! star added: "I sleep in my heels and bra. Sleeping in your heels makes you dream of naughty things and a bra makes your boobs bigger.
"It's much more scary singing in front of millions of people than being in the jungle. I've already humiliated the whole family anyway.
"I'll cause chaos," she added, "that's because of inbreeding in the family."
Radio 1 DJ Murray said that he had been asked to go on the show before but pestered his colleague, Edith Bowman, to take part instead. Bowman won the last series.
He said: "I thought "the best thing she could hope for was third place". But she went and won it. I pestered her to do it. I thought she was brilliant."
In a reference to the Big Brother race row, he added: "If the series starts going wrong, someone tell me to "go back where I come from", get the ratings up a bit."
Williamson said of the show, which raises money for Comic Relief: "It's going to be a hoot. I might even moon walk on the night.
"Hopefully Ricky Gervais will come as a supporter. He's a secret fan of the show. He's really into Fame Academy."
Judge Park said: "We'll be giving them a terrible time this year," while vocal coach Carrie Grant added: "There are definitely some challenges this year."
Comedienne Giedroyc said: "My stomach has already started to churn. I've got butterflies and I've been waking up every night, at three, four, five, six in the morning in a cold sweat."
