Huge BBC star says she was rejected from Celeb version of The Traitors and claims ‘they didn’t want me’
A HUGE BBC star says she was rejected from the Celeb version of The Traitors, and claimed ‘they didn’t want me.’
Lesley Joseph, 79, is best known for her role in the TV sitcom Birds Of A Feather.
She’s had a thriving career in theatre performing in major productions including Calendar Girls and Young Frankenstein.
And In 2016, Lesley took part in the fourteenth series of BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing and was the oldest contestant.
But despite starring in fan favourite shows such as Celebrity MasterChef and Celebrity Coach Trip, there’s one reality telly show that Lesley was turned away from.
The talented actress attended the Spring Ball at the Bloomsbury Ballroom on Wednesday – a charity event supporting the Style For Stroke Foundation and Melissa Bell Foundation.
When asked what reality show she’d love to do, Lesley responded: “I couldn’t do Big Brother, because I like my own bathroom too much, and I wouldn’t do I’m A Celeb with putting things in my mouth.
“I wanted to take part in The Traitors but that didn’t happen, so I think that would be the one I’d do.”
When asked whether she’d tried to go on the show, Lesley responded: “I did but they didn’t want me.”
Celebrity Traitors starts filming soon, and some big names have been confirmed already, including England rugby ace Joe Marler and Stephen Fry.
The Sun revealed in January last year that The Traitors was getting a celebrity spin-off, hosted by Claudia Winkleman.
Former QI host Stephen, 67, was the first big name to be approached.
Others in the mix include Clare Balding, Paloma Faith and Tom Daley — with insiders telling The Sun bosses wanted reality TV “virgins”.
Lesley, who played the role of Dorien Green in the TV sitcom Birds Of A Feather, also said she’s not retiring any time soon.
The actress, who will turn 80 in October this year, told us: “I’m about to fly out to Malta to do a Channel 5 thing, and I’m also about to do work on a cruise.
“And I’m about to do Addams Family, so I’ve got more work coming out than I know what to do with.”
Lesley admits she won’t do Birds of a Feather again now, adding: “No, I think I’ve left that now and there’s so many other things I want to do.”
Lesley recently spoke out following the news that her former co-star Pauline Quirke has been diagnosed with dementia.
Appearing on Good Morning Britain, the actress was asked about Pauline‘s health battle but made it clear she would not discuss private matters.
She said: “What a wonderful actress she is and what joy she has given.
“Not just in Birds of A Feather but in The Sculptress where she was really scary, and in Broadchurch and Emmerdale, I take my hat off to Pauline. She’s amazing.
“I won’t talk about her at the moment with her illness because that’s private.”
Pauline, 65, was revealed to be living with dementia at the start of the year, with reports stating that her family have been focusing on her care.
Reflecting on her own experience, Joseph shared that she had witnessed the effects of dementia first-hand.
She said her own mother had experienced joyful moments in her later years, despite the terrible illness.
She said: “I’ve lived through dementia with my mum, who lived to nearly 104.
“And in her nineties she was still playing tennis and she was so full of life as she got older, she was an amazing character.”