The Moregeous Builder’s Bum arrives at ITV’s This Morning

There are many scenarios and situations I’ve been in over the last 15yrs as a lady builder but I never for one moment imagined I’d be travelling to the ITV studios at the crack of dawn to have my rear inspected by the This Morning team. Nope, definitely never imagined that.

Mr Mr snapped an iPhone pic of my builder’s bum whilst I was inspecting some skirting boards at Project Tosca and sent it into a competition run by Local Traders to find Britain’s Best Builder’s Bum. How lovely of him *resolves to get him back one day* This is what he sent in:

The cheek. Or cheeks.

We didn’t think anything of it until a few weeks later when the very charming Alex got in touch to say the competition was still running and ITV’s This Morning would like to do a fashion feature with some finalists, would I like to take part? And miss the opportunity to meet The Second Silver Fox (the first being my very own Mr M of course!)?? Count me in!

The MEN ran a feature on-line and a much more professional picture was taken of my, er, bum by Phil Tragen who blogged about his unusual assignment here

And off we set to London with not much idea of what was actually going to happen. I thought we’d be modelling jeans with a bit of bending and stretching. No-one mentioned bricklaying. Or bum-cams……

It was a VERY early start, up at 5.30 to be there before 7. Lots of concealer and a car ride later we arrived at:

How exciting! I was giddly as a kipper 🙂 Slightly less giddly ten pairs of jeans later, with the eventual choice being Primark, oh the shame! Actually they were a cool, high-waisted 70’s number which I thought would keep my dignity intact…. how very wrong I was.

Before we were on the show live, the three other builders – Russ, Billy and Gary (the latter of whom had turned up still half-cut from the night before, builders eh?!) and I had to go up to the This Morning roof for some comfort tests. ‘Please climb those ladders very slowly whilst wiggling your bum’ is not a request I’ve had before, nor am I a proficient bricklayer, as the eventual footage showed, ahem. Bit better than Gary though, at least mine were straight!

There was a bit of waiting around whilst the other guests were on, media commentator Kelvin MacKenzie, author & screen writer Lynda La Plante and supermodel David Gandy (bit skinny for my liking!)

I had a chat with This Morning’s resident fashion expert Jason Gardiner who was so lovely, I made him promise to call me if he ever had any building or property related problems 🙂

And then it was our turn!! We’d our first glimpse of Phillip Schofield who was clearly taking the below the waist element of the show very seriously and checking his own bits and pieces:

Once properly adjusted it was down to business as he and Jenni Falconer opened the show:

We waited in the wings where celebrity chef  Gino D’Acampo questioned whether I was *really* a builder – he should employ a lady builder on his next kitchen project!

Samanthi and Jason giggled as they plotted our humiliation….

And then, OMG, it was our turn, time to get our bums marked out of 15 by the This Morning Team. What was I THINKING?!!! I nearly turned and fled, imagining Emmeline Pankhurst turning in her grave, then decided that as the only lady builder in the competition, I was representing the sisterhood in a male dominated profession. That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it 😉

More tomorrow, with video link, I HAVE to do some real work!