Bill English has gone from sausage to sizzle in a few short weeks.
National Party publicists have produced a fundraising calendar, tagged "Man of the Year - hot shots", featuring the 40-year-old leader as the pin-up for each month.
It follows hard on the heels of the widely distributed NationalTimes glossy magazine featuring Mr English, a father of six, turning sausages at the family barbecue with his adoring wife, Mary, draped over him.
In the calendar, Mr English is photographed diving, boxing, driving a farm bike, playing rugby, shearing, talking on the phone and simply grinning charmingly.
It is half a calendar though, running from May to November, and the photographs are archival, not posed for the purpose.
June features a boxing photograph taken two years ago. Mr English takes to the ring next week against a mystery opponent in a three-round bout for charity.
The party's campaign communications director, Tina Symmans, said the calendar was a product of Mr English's sex appeal.
"It's in response to lots and lots of people who say firstly they think he's incredibly sexy but also they want to see him in pictures doing things politicians don't normally do - in a suit, in real life, things that he actually normally does."
Ms Symmans said Auckland women and younger women in particular found Mr English sexy.
"I think people want to see leaders and real people and people who do things like everybody does.
"He's an action man, a sports man as well as being a family man."
The calendar sells for $25 and 2000 have been printed.
