The Great British Body
I was very privileged to be a part of this on Saturday 26th April on a hillside in the wilds of Sussex.
Some 250 men and women of all ages, races, shapes and sizes joined together as one in the cause of Trinny and Suzannah's landmark ITV production. No gimmick, it is destined to spread the word of nudism.
Influenced by the work of Stephen Tunick, a sculpture was carved out of individual nude bodies forming a whole, metamorphosing from the definitive British male to the model British female. Do not misunderstand this, there was no elitism here, no breathless leer towards the non-existent fantasy world of the ideal and the machismo; no prizes for hung men or hourglass women.
It was to universal acclaim when the blueprints for these sculptures were announced. A 50-something man who has conquered the challenge of nature by swimming the channel 20 times. Then, a person who touched and humbled me, Michelle Chapman, debilitated by alopoecia, who helped set up internet platforms to bring together a world of sufferers and promote the cause on a public stage, then to establish a wig-design outfit that has changed the life of thousands. I am so privileged to have made a friend of her and I only wish I were as strong.
Rehearsals worked like the farms mirroring us on the surrounding hills, collies of marshalls rounding lost sheep over the hillside into their respective pens. One of the first there, my corral was the right chest, inspiring me to strut about claiming to be a right tit. The final naked shoot was done from a helicopter, fusing the 250 individuals into one conglomerate mass of pre-summer pink-on the verdant backdrop. It reminded us that if a group made up of English, Scots, Welsh, Irish, Caribbeans, Africans, French, other Europeans etc goes to make up the Great British Body, then it does likewise for the Great British nation. This is why the word "great" is still relevant.
When this is broadcast in early June on primetime ITV, a nation drawn to the television in the lurid hope of catching their dream hunks and babes posing before the camera will be humbled and then in turn excited by the vision of a collection of ordinary joes relaxed and easy with its clothes off. In effect Trinny and Suzannah will have done more to further nudist living in this country than any before them.
I was there too as Keith has said and it was a privilige to meet Willy Nilly who is a great guy and I am sure will be a star of the show.
Too busy to write a blog or details on this, if you're interested in my views on the event itself send me a private message, I'll write up some thoughts over the summer when business will be less hectic.
In short, good fun, we'll have to see how it turns out on TV this week!
Sam-- enjoy the moment --
Radio Times listing for Wednesday 4th June:-
The Great British Body
Wednesday 04 June
9:00pm - 10:00pm
ITV1 London
3/3
It's the day of the Great British Body sculpture, when hundreds of people are expected to strip off and take their place to form the shape of an inspirational British man and woman. Trinny and Susannah arrive early and meet designer Kit Line, but there's a problem - coaches are arriving nearly empty. It seems that after promising to strip, the Great British public may have chickened out. Will the day go to plan after all?
Pat
One Life - Live It
No prizes for spotting naturalkeith, sam or willynillyuk tonight at 9 on ITV 
Pat
One Life - Live It
Definitely spotted keith and sam.
Shame there's no prize.
Pat
One Life - Live It
I have to agree. The whole programme came across very well for the naturist community. It showed how we take the first tentative nervous steps and end up reluctant to dress and enjoy the whole experience. Well done to all those that took part. I think we should soon see a rise in the number of BN applications. Hopefuly, this site will also see increased awareness.
I must admit, I kept shouting at the TV "I told you so!".
"though not been stopped in the street today!" - naturalkeith
Not surprised. I assume you had your clothes on in the street. - how would they recognise you? 
Pat
One Life - Live It
I did enjoy the programe for what it was doing, what it was trying to get across and for what the members of the public did and said BUT I was disapointed with the actions and reactions from the 2 presenters.
For all their comments on body issues and acceptance they both hid away under the silver space blankets doing their best to hide from the cameras and other people, one even commented on only wanting people to see her bum.
Well done to everyone that went there and I hope there is more advertising for other such events as I'd have loved to have been there.
In the end I got star billing.....WITH MY KIT ON! Every commercial break saw me "jeerleading" the pack in kelly green (the target was the abdomen - "Cellulite! Cellulite! Cellulite!"). If I were paid royalties I would be a rich man. The girls you saw around me were fabulous and unassuming; great company for the whole day!
Oh alright! I shall put up a few pix cut from the PAL-DVD tomorrow!
Oh alright! I shall put up a few pix cut from the PAL-DVD tomorrow!
You may need permission to re-produce those pix here or elswhere.
Saw a bit about this in the paper yesterday and wondered why I hadn't seen it mentioned anywhere - maybe I just didn't look at the right time?
What was the exact aim of the event? ( I see it was 'in the cause of Trinny and Suzannah's landmark ITV production' - but what was / is the aim of that?).
Thanks for the write up.
Phil