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They’re back – the good, the bad and the strange...

Just in time for Hallowe’en – if the customers don’t look a fright when they go in, they might well when they come out! The razors have been sharpened, the dyes mixed, the spray-tans primed for action – the Celebrity Scissorhands Academy is now open for business once again. Award-winning hairdresser Lee Stafford is back in charge, and it’s his mission to turn this year’s intake of star rookies into

celebrity crimpers. Somehow three years training will have to be condensed into just three weeks! Will they be a cut above? Or will it be a case of blood, sweat and shears? No sooner had the celebrities picked up their scissors to make their first cut, than a customer’s neck had been wounded! The casualties didn’t stop there... a lady who’s due to marry soon had a raggle taggle cut from Lee Macdonald while Jeff Leach left his customer with a Mohican rising up above her startled eyes.

In safe hands

Helping Lee is stylist Errol Douglas, who’ll be teaching the stars the hair-dos and don’ts of Afro-Caribbean hair cutting and styling. Joining them is expert beautician Clair Bennett, who’ll be guiding the celebrities in the ways of waxing, spray-tanning, massages and pampering. Let’s hope the novices manage to create some beauties, rather than beasts. And he’s as permanent a fixture in Celebrity Scissorhands as firm-hold gel. Former Academy graduate and assistant manager Steve Strange returns to be this year’s image consultant.He’ll creating unique looks for anyone brave

enough to let him loose on them before their big interviews, dates and occasions.

The purpose-built Academy in Camden, north London is ready for action. So who will be on their feet for nine hours a day, six days a week?


The Apprentices:

Shana Swash - Former Eastenders actress Shana is best known for playing the role of teenage tearaway Demi Miller in Eastenders. The ex-Eastender sees herself as very competitive: “Watch out for me in there ’cos I’ll have my eye on everyone - tell them to look out ’cos the winner’s coming through!”
Lucinda Ledgerwood - BBC One’s The Apprentice 32-year-old Lucinda began her career in risk management before working in various roles involving IT in the financial sector. No stranger to being an apprentice, this year, Lucinda battled it out against 15 other contenders in the race to become Sir Alan’s Apprentice 2008. Unfortunately, she was fired by Sir Alan who said she was ’too zany’ to stay. She thinks she’ll bring “enthusiasm, creativity and a caring side” to The Academy. She admits she’s not good at taking orders, admitting: “I want to be giving them!”
Stedman Pearson - From 80’s pop sensations Five Star Stedman shot to fame in the 80s when his brother and sisters formed the British pop and R&B group Five Star. In September 2006, Stedman came third on The All Star Talent Show on Five, showcasing his recently resurrected ballet skills before a live audience. After wearing the same simple style for many years, Stedman is now ready for a change, and is looking forward to getting Lee’s input into a makeover. His idea of perfect hair is Halle Berry’s hair - ’short and wicked’ – and he’d even consider going short himself. Stedman is looking forward to working with Steve, having crossed paths with him a few times during the 80s.
Lee Macdonald – Formerly a face in Grange Hill As Samuel ’Zammo’ Maguire, he was at the centre of Grange Hill’s most famous storyline when, in 1986, cheeky Zammo became a heroin addict. He now runs his own key cutting business but still does occasional TV work. Although confident he will shine in The Academy, Lee is also nervous, “I’d rather cut blokes’ hair,” he confesses. “I’d hate to ruin a girl’s hair and make them upset. My wife would never let me touch her hair, and I’d be too scared too. I’m genuinely terrified of cutting women’s hair.”
Chris Perry-Metcalf - Also formerly in Grange Hill Former Grange Hill favourite Chris is a self-confessed hair obsessive. So much so, the 19-year-old Liverpool lad gets his locks cut every ten days. A self-proclaimed perfectionist Chris is looking forward to the challenge of learning in The Academy and says he wants to “get stuck in and learn everything and not stop learning until I’m good at it. I want to be as good as Lee Stafford. Give me a couple of weeks and I’ll be better”.
Jeff Leach - BBC Switch presenter 24 year old TV presenter, DJ, comedy writer and actor Jeff Leach is currently one of the faces of BBC Switch (BBC TWO. Jeff has always taken a creative approach to his hair, and has dyed and cut it himself in earlier EMO-influenced days. Jeff is especially looking forward to waxing other men and thinks it will be ‘the most fun part of the programme’ – ‘spreading the tough love’ and sending people away feeling hair-free and happy with themselves.
Kym Mazelle - Soul singer 48 year old soul singer Kym Mazelle is best known for "Young Hearts Run Free". She is also a former member of Soul II Soul and grew up alongside The Jacksons. Over the years Kym has had all kinds of hairstyles, from weaves, bad colours and even once psychedelic braids “which were a huge mistake!” Kym enjoys beauty treatments at the spa, but is not looking forward to carrying them out on other people. One thing she’d refuse to do would be a back, sack and crack wax: “I’d give them an instruction booklet, a mirror and a map and send them off behind a screen to do it themselves”.
Scott Robinson - From boy band Five Scott is best known for being a member of popular boy band Five. Scott takes the subject of hair seriously – “I always thought that a haircut can completely change someone’s appearance and can make a huge difference – it’s the easiest way of losing a stone!” and won the Smash Hits award for “Best Male Haircut” two years in a row when he was in Five. He finds the thought of giving massages or waxes “a bit weird” but says he’d be okay if he knew the person receiving the treatment – “if it was one of my mates I could laugh and enjoy the fact I’m hurting them”.
Jessica-Jane Clement - The Real Hustler Jessica and her team of ’hustlers’ are always on the side of the unsuspecting consumer in BBC Three’s The Real Hustle. The 23-year-old presenter began her career as a glamour model and was posing for Playboy aged just 18. Although she is not keen on carrying out a back, sack and crack, she says that “nothing grosses me out – if someone wants it doing, I’ll do it, especially if they’re getting sponsored for it’” Jessica will be joining her fellow Celebrity Trainees at The Academy in week 2 of the show.

All in a good cause
With no prior hairdressing training, the trainees will be let loose on willing members of the public and trimming their barnets into all sorts of shapes. It had better be a good job too, because clients can pay what they feel their cut or treatment is worth. And that money, along with any tips the trainees earn, will go straight to BBC Children in Need.

After three gruelling weeks the star snippers will have their scissor skills judged by star hairdresser Nicky Clarke who will crown one crimper Celebrity Scissorhands Hairdresser of the Year 2008.

And don’t forget you can get involved by bravely offering yourself up for a cut, style or pamper in the salon or by simply donating to BBC Children in Need.

Children in Need is a registered charity England & Wales no. 802052 and Scotland SC039557

Article by Heather Bell