BBC3 spoofs celebrity weddings

In the UK, the media obsession with high-profile celebrity weddings has taken a bizarre turn, as diginet BBC3 produces a spoof documentary featuring a celeb marriage as a tabloid wind-up.

The BBC is being deliberately mysterious, but C21 has learned that the show, entitled Celebrity Wedding, has seen camp perma-tanned gameshow host Dale Winton 'marry' lads mag favourite Nell McAndrew in a star-studded ceremony in Surrey last weekend.

Blackburn soccer boss Graeme Souness was Winton's best man and Blind Date host Cilla Black was maid of honour. Other guests, all sworn to secrecy, included Esther Rantzen, Kym Marsh and Jack Ryder.

Selected media and press were invited to the secret event but were not told whether it was real or fake, and stories duly appeared in the press – some with suspicions given Winton's apparent sexuality.

In fact, the entire event was staged for the BBC3 show, expected to air Sunday May 25. The hour was commissioned by channel boss Stuart Murphy and produced by indie Scream Films.

Industry sources maintain that further such spoof weddings are in the pipeline, including a pairing of Ruby Wax and Julio Englesias, although the BBC is denying everything.