HE is one of Westminster’s most colourful characters, known for his striking blond locks and unfiltered interactions, who is never far from controversy.
Now Sir Michael Fabricant is headed on his next adventure when he enters the Celebrity house on Monday, having lost his seat in the Houses of Commons after 32 years.
The former MP’s ex-employee tells Flying Eze: “It’ll be explosive because he has no filter. He once called a constituent a t**t on X. She was rude to him to be fair, it went all over the news.”;
Ben Harris, who worked as a senior researcher for Michael from 2016-2024, was forced to deal with the backlash whenever the outspoken politician sparked controversy.
Some of Michael’s biggest blunders include defending over by suggesting teachers and nurses enjoyed a “quiet drink” in staff rooms during lockdown. He was later forced to apologise.
Ben says: “I think the general point he was making was sound, but it was poorly worded and resulted in a furious backlash from the entire country.
“I was on holiday at the time, and while I wasn't working I was still getting emails. For about 36 hours, my phone was going off literally every 2 minutes with a new email, mostly from non-constituents, sending us angry and often abusive emails and voicemail messages.
“I got a notification every time he sent a tweet too, to keep an eye on what he was posting.
“Most of the time it was fine, but there would be the odd clanger that I'd have to tell him to delete.
“After one of his controversies, I sent Michael some links to the media articles about it and he simply replied back with ‘you have to admit, working for me isn't boring!’ He was right.”;
Some other of Michael’s most shocking moments include shouting out ‘b******' loudly in the Commons chamber as MPs discussed the in 2016 and once revealing he had used sex drugs poppers amid the government's considerations to ban them as part of a crackdown on legal highs.
However he also used his wild antics to raise money and awareness for charity, having filmed himself cycling naked around a park in London.
Ben said: “Michael is definitely a talker, and I was happy to listen, and he's always got an interesting story to tell. In our very first meeting, he told me about the time when he got caught urinating in the bushes by an armed police officer at an away day near Chequers, the Prime Minister’s residence.”;
In 2017, Michael appeared on in which he revealed he is ‘probably bisexual' and is looking for ‘a bit of sex'.
The episode, filmed in support of Stand Up To Cancer, saw Michael hit the headlines once again after a fiery exchange with his date, Jan who commented on his sexuality and said “the wig is a bit of a giveaway”; before she told him to ‘get rid of it'.
He told Jan it was rude to comment on his appearance – adding “I won't discuss your breasts if you promise not to discuss my hair.”;
Posting on social media about the toe-curling episode,
Michael wrote: “I am cringing with embarrassment.
“I will have to resign after this! And what are those red rings round my eyes. Who did the make-up??? I think I'm going to kill myself.”;
Anticipating Michael may have several run-ins with his housemates, Ben said: “I have no doubt that Michael will be anything less than explosive, a grenade of rambunctiousness tossed into a room full of rookies.
“There are no mind games with Michael – he has no filter. If he doesn't like something you've said or done you'll soon find out about it, and that's why we love him.
“I admit I haven't heard of most of the other contestants, but I don't think Michael will struggle making friends, because although he's direct he's also got a good heart.
“Michael may come across as a fire-breathing right-winger on TV sometimes, but he's actually fairly moderate on a lot of issues, and is a big believer in evidence over rhetoric. He is quite rare in politics that he's open to being swayed by a good argument.
“However, I definitely think he’ll get involved in a row or two, probably because other people will unfairly, try and pin all the problems in the country on him.
Although he's direct, he's also got a good heart
Ben Harris
“I don’t think he’d quit though, but it’s hard to say.
“I’m not as worried about any controversy he creates in Celebrity Big Brother because unlike when I worked for him, I don’t have to deal with the fallout!”;
Alongside discussing politics in the house, viewers are likely to hear about Michael’s fascinating life before he became an MP – that has sparked rumours within parliament that he once worked as a spy.
Ben added: “Before getting into politics, Michael travelled all round the world selling radio equipment, and often picked up souvenirs from his travels – including a small flag from Apartheid-era South Africa, which he kept up on his mantle piece in his office.
“This generated some more controversy on one occasion where it was spotted in the background during a TV interview.
“Michael has spoken publicly about how he once had survival training during the 1980s and was part of a mission to try and get some guy to defect from the Soviet Union and was motorbiking around Czechoslovakia around the time communism fell there
“Seeing as his father worked in army intelligence during World War Two, I and many others have long suspected Michael was a spy of some kind, but I never really asked him about it, and I accept that even if he was, he's bound to secrecy.
“If anyone should write an autobiography, it's Michael.”;
From the House of Commons to the CBB House
Encouraging viewers to vote for Michael to win CBB, Ben adds: “Michael is first and foremost a great friend, and was the best boss I could ever hope for.
“He took a chance on me when he had no reason to, and I have always been fiercely loyal to him. Some MPs can be notoriously difficult to work for, but he was most certainly not.
“I'm looking forward to seeing how Michael gets on in the house, and I have no doubt that he will get people talking.”;
Celebrity Big Brother begins on April 7 on ITV.
