Clair hopes to wipe the floor with TV rivals

A POLE dancing teacher will soon be flying to Argentina in a bid to win £10,000 on a popular television game show.

Clair Brackstone, of Greenwich Avenue, Church Gresley, will be jetting out to Buenos Aires to take part in the third series of BBC1's Saturday teatime favourite Total Wipeout.

Fronted by Top Gear co-host Richard Hammond, the show sees 20 contestants 10 men and 10 women pit their wits over a series of assault course obstacles, the majority involving water or mud.

Mrs Brackstone was asked to apply after producers approached Polestars, a dance school she works for, asking for performers to come forward.

The 30-year-old attended an audition at Birmingham's National Indoor Arena on September 27, where she completed an assault course and got used to being in front of a camera.

Shortly afterwards, she was short-listed before being informed she would be appearing on the show.

The mother-of-two will fly out to Argentina, where the assault course is based, on October 31 with the other contestants to film for the show. She will return five days later.

Mrs Brackstone, who lives with her husband Adrian, 33, and children Daniel, 16 months, and Abigail, six, says she is looking forward to her moment in the spotlight.

"As it gets closer to the event, I am starting to feel excited, but a little nervous," she said.

During the show, contestants are put through obstacle courses and challenges, such as The Sweeper, which involves rivals standing on tall podiums, over water, while a robotic arm spins around in a circular motion. The challengers have to jump over it, with the arm getting faster and higher after each rotation.

Several contenders are eliminated from the competition after each round.

After the fourth and final round, the fastest of the remaining three around a specially designed course wins the game and the cash prize.

Mrs Brackstone, who is a lecturer in radiotherapy at the Birmingham City University, feels her busy life will stand her in good stead for the show.

As well as running pole dancing, burlesque and can-can lessons for Polestar, usually at hen nights in Birmingham and Nottingham, the mother of two also teaches pole dancing at the Black Horse pub, in Stanton, on Thursday nights.

"I run pole dancing lessons so my strength is pretty good," she said. "I am quite short though - that might be my downfall.

"I think you need a fair amount of luck, such as not bouncing off something the wrong way.

"I am fairly quick on my feet, and that could work in my favour." The show is set to be aired in the New Year.