TV Review: The Real Full Monty

TVNZ's The Real Full Monty.

Review: The Real Full Monty Aired on TVNZ

It was a perfect entertainment in the lead up to Christmas on TV One this week.

The group of celebrities ... well the eight who had said yes out of an initial ask list of 600 ... who took up the challenge to dance, gyrate and strip on stage at the London Palladium.

It wasn't about chaps grabbing their 15 minutes of fame and showing their bods off.

These men were braving a public viewing of their special bits to raise funds for men's prostate and testicular cancer.

They weren't brave about it at all.

They were terrified and went to great pains to explain why this cause was close to their hearts.

Prostrate cancer was at the centre of so many of their male family members' lives from fathers, brothers, uncles to grandfathers - so many sad stories.

Cancer had also insidiously crept in and encroached on their own personal health for a few of them.

"It's not summat you think about really. But men meed to think about it,'' they urged.

Celebrity dancer Ashley Banjo was the man in charge of martialling the small troupe and getting them in shape.

And It wasn't easy. Because most of the team were very modest boys when it came to strutting some moves. But then baring their tackle had them backing off in fright, suddenly realising what they had actually said yes to.

Their jetes and step-hop attempts were rather slack and indifferent but as the rehearsals slogged on a camaraderie developed.

They started sharing the nerves and gaining the courage to get each other up on that stage. And then their adrenalin was infectious as they slowly mastered their crafty strip.

I loved their tanning and primping sessions with young female beauty consultants to get them stage ready. Especially when the girls exploded with laughter at these chaps paralysed with stage nerves.

But I really did find it amazing that thinking of their health re: their nether bits, hadn't really ocurred to most of them.

And their performance on the night was was worth waiting for. The audience at the Palladium were thrilled and showed it.

But I have to admit for me it was really that film! The wonderful movie The Full Monty that cost peanuts to make in Sheffield with fab lads like Robbie Carlyle and Tom Wilkinson.

It will remain a longtime favourite, the boys hard up and desperate. A movie only the Brits can muster.