MILLIONS of viewers have fallen for his character Connell in Normal People – but actor Paul Mescal is likely to have disappointed them.
The star has revealed he is nothing like the Irish student in the BBC drama sensation, whose exploits have resulted in Paul being bombarded with cheeky messages propositioning him.
He said: “To be honest, it’s uncomfortable. I’m not trying to be full of faux humility but it’s a weird thing when people are very quickly attracted to a character you play.
“And I think that’s the thing I’m focusing on. I’m not Connell, I’m totally different to him.
"I think maybe what’s sexy about Connell is he’s kind of classic back-footed, aloof, smart.
“I’m definitely not back-footed or aloof.
SEX SYMBOL
"It was kind of fun at the start — ‘Oh, this is mad, people think that Connell’s sexy’ — and then a weird thing has kind of crept in where, when people DM, there’s this feeling that maybe there’s an anticipation that I’m him.”
Then, as if to make it crystal clear, Paul told the I’m Grand Mam podcast: “This is for the record — if anybody ever dates me, I am not Connell and nor do I want to be him.”
Paul and actress Daisy Edgar-Jones, who plays his on-screen lover Marianne, became overnight sensations, thanks to the hit BBC3 series.
It turned County Kildare-born Paul into a sex symbol, with social media going wild over him.
Even the chain he wore throughout the series has gained its own Instagram account, with thousands of followers.
Last month The Sun on Sunday revealed his close relationship with co-star India Mullen, who plays Peggy in the drama, which set tongues wagging among cast and crew.
The pair share a London flat, and Paul has regularly been spotted jogging nearby with India.
That’s what his fans should be more worried about.
READ ON FOR MORE OF SIMON BOYLE'S BIZARRE COLUMN
Chris is tan-tastic
CHRISTINE McGuinness made sure she covered herself in as much fake tan as possible before donning this tiny bikini.
The model showed off her body in the pink swimsuit to showcase her new bronzed skin, thanks to some fruity-smelling product.
Posting the picture on her Instagram account, Christine wrote: “You are the straw to my berry.”
She added: “I actually smell delicious.”
Her husband, Top Gear presenter Paddy had also been on the product, revealing a new peroxide-blond barnet.
The host said: “Blondie is back.”
They’ll be mixing up their make-up too at this rate.
Judi's truly Dench
JUDI Dench has shown off her moves in another TikTok video, but this time she was able to be with her family.
The Hollywood star performed a rehearsed dance with grandson Sam Williams and daughter Finty, shaking her hips.
Referencing the lockdown restrictions being slowly relaxed, Sam captioned the video: “When Bojo let’s you film a family TikTok.”
Judi’s way cooler than me.
bizbit
KATY Perry says Harry Styles was the first person she revealed her pregnancy to.
She said: “We were having a conversation and I was like, ‘Yeah, and I’m pregnant’ – just off the cuff, because I was like, what else do you say?”
Ari's hair raiser
ARIANA Grande hinted more music could be on the way after penning a new song, My Hair.
She registered it on an online music database for copyright reasons, which shows it was written with her pals and fellow singers Victoria Monet and Tayla Parx, both of whom worked on her fifth album, Thank U, Next, last year.
If it does come out this year, it will follow her two superstar collaborations, Stuck With U with Justin Bieber and Rain On Me with Lady Gaga.
In recent weeks Ariana has been writing and recording at a luxury Tudor-style mansion in California, which she paid £5.35million for last month.
That’s on top of a £10.7million home in the Hollywood Hills she has just bought.
All those royalties must be coming in.
Care-dashians
THE Kardashians reunited for a family do for the first time since lockdown – and not much has changed.
Kim, who munched on an ice-cream, posted pictures from a party for sister Kourtney’s ex, Scott Disick.
Kim said: “We celebrated Scott’s birthday a few weeks ago. It was nice but kind of scary too.
"How is everyone feeling about being out and about?”
It comes after Scott went to rehab.
Family love is exactly what he needs.
bizbit
NOEL Gallagher is planning to have driving lessons at the age of 53.
The former Oasis rocker said: “Sometimes I do think I quite fancy driving, then I think it’d be a b*ll-ache getting anywhere, because I would have to drive.”
Leigh-Anne Havana enough of Camila
SHE’S seen as the darling of pop but Camila Cabello isn’t in Leigh-Anne Pinnock’s good books.
The Little Mix singer has slammed the Havana star for being allowed to perform at the Grammys a month after racist social media posts resurfaced in December.
Camila apologised for using the N-word and posting racist images on Tumblr in 2012 when she was a teen.
Asked what she thought about people’s old tweets resur- facing and revealing bigoted remarks, Leigh-Anne said: “Even recently something came up about someone and stuff that she’d said and she didn’t get no backlash from it.
“Like, she still got to perform at the Grammys. I don’t want to say who it is because I just don’t want to do that. Well, I will eventually but just not now.
"But I just think it’s actually disgusting. Like, it’s so bad to have no sort of . . . [repercussions] yeah, from that.”
Talking on an Instagram Live with Mobo Awards, she added: “That annoyed me.”
Meanwhile, another row erupted when singer Sia confused Nicki Minaj for Cardi B after a fan asked her about a collaboration.
They posted a picture of Nicki, and Sia replied: “I love Cardi B and although this isn’t a collaboration, I would love to collab with her any day!”
In a now-deleted tweet, the Aussie singer, referring to the rappers’ previous bitter war, said: “Hey Cardi B, Nicki Minaj – you aren’t thinking about a feud right now are you? We are focused on the problem of systemic racism.”
Sia later apologised for the tweets, admitting she’d been a “buffoon”.
The Chandelier singer added: “Sorry Nicki Minaj and Cardi B if you hear about it. Can I just like you both?”
bizbit
LOOK out for the new series of Come Dine With Me, starting today at 5.30pm on weekdays on Channel 4.
Former Bizarre writer Benjy Potter features, and will host a Gran Canaria-themed dinner in Thursday’s episode.
Matt: I'm still an addict
MATT Willis battled booze and drug addiction in the Noughties – and now dreads that he might have to do it again.
The Busted singer says he worries he will pass on his addictions to his three kids with his presenter wife Emma.
He told Katie Piper’s Extraordinary People podcast: “I worry I’m passing things on subconsciously to my children.
"I’m a very different person to the person I was ten years ago so I’m hoping that I’m passing on a different message, but it’s still in me.”
Matt, who has admitted he was addicted to cannabis from the age of 13, added: “I’m an addict. I know I am, I tick every box.
“If there’s something you can take too far I have either already taken it too far or I’m in the process of doing so.
“I don’t drink and take drugs any more. I haven’t had a drink for over ten years but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t had this impact on my life in other ways.”
Rob's rocket
I DON’T envy any future boyfriends of Robbie Williams’ daughters.
The Rock DJ singer insists he’ll “break their legs” if they mess about Theodora or Colette and says he and wife Ayda set a good example with their own relationship.
He said: “We’re not angry, we’re not mean with each other and we don’t fall out or raise our voices.
"And I figure that if I give them time and love, they’ll make the right choices.
“If they feel loved and they feel full, they won’t be going out picking idiots. That’s what I hope.
“If not, I will break their legs. Yeah, seriously.”
bizmeter
- Lea Seydoux says she is proud to be a Bond girl who “isn’t defined by her sexuality”. The actor is back as Dr Madeleine Swann in No Time To Die – now rescheduled for release on November 12. The star said: “She is not a typical Bond girl. My role is more intense, more complex.”
- Muse’s Matt Bellamy has become a father for the second time with wife Elle. Sharing the happy news on Instagram, he wrote: “Lovella Dawn Bellamy, born Los Angeles, June 7, 2020, with exactly the same quarantine haircut as her dad! Mum Elle did an amazing job.”
- Foals have released a new compilation, Collected Reworks Vol I, featuring remixes of their songs. Lead singer Yanni Philippakis said: “We’ve gone back through the archives and put together a three-part collected remixes edition with a few spicy new cuts. It’s been great.”
- Maya Jama was so nervous about her new show, Peter Crouch: Save Our Summer, she had to give herself a pep talk in the toilet. The BBC host said: “Doing a whole new show felt like that first-day-of-school vibe. I was like, ‘Nope you’re worked hard. You’re deserving of being here.”
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