Crippendale’s first show

From the Lancashire Telegraph, first published Wednesday 29th Aug 2007.

A DISABLED dancer has made his first appearance as a "Crippendale" stripper with a performance at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Andrew Latham, 32, who suffers from the rare brain condition hyperekplexia, is part of the UK's only disabled male strip group.

He became one of the Crippendales after winning through a series of X-Factor-style auditions to take part in the Channel 4 production.

And after months of preparations the foursome finally made their debut performance at the famous cultural festival.

Andrew, of Blackburn Road, Great Harwood, features in the all-disabled strip group alongside a blind man, a wheelchair-bound paralysed man and another man with a back disability.

He performed in front of an intimate audience at the Degenerate disability arts festival, which is part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, at the city's Theatre Workshop last week.

He said: "It was a brilliant experience. I'm a confident person and I was a bit nervous about doing the full monty but I did it and we're all really pleased it was such a success."

The former pupil at St Christopher's High School, Accrington, is married to Lynn, 34, who says that she backs him in his bid for stardom.

Hyperekplexia is a brain disorder which is characterised by an exaggerated startled response in situations of distress.

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