- Title: UK/USA: Fitness fanatic Ben Armitage wins Arnold Schwarzenegger lookalike contest
- Date: 17th April 1996
- Summary: JUDGING PANEL INCLUDING MARK MATTHEWS THE U.S. DOUBLE OF ARNIE U.S. FOOTBALLER WILLIAM PERRY "REFRIGERATOR" WHO WAS ONE OF THE JUDGES SEATED WITH HIS FAMILY
- Embargoed: 2nd May 1996 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM/ORLANDO, FLORIDA
- City:
- Country: USA
- Topics: Entertainment,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVA75HYNHS91VSG3UI29S8AEG3R5
- Story Text: Musclebound hopefuls descended on London's West End on Wednesday (April 17) to compete for the chance to become the next Arnold Schwarzenegger double.
As the lookalikes practised being big and tough outside, inside the judges were packing a few pounds of their own.
The panel choosing the Arnie doppelganger included the United States footballing legend William Perry, better known as "The Fridge".
The American winner of a similar competition, Mark Matthews, was also on the panel.
Unlike the real Arnie, the star of numerous action-packed blockbuster movies, the competition winner will not be sealing his success on celluloid.
First prize for Arnie Number Two was a free ticket to a Universal Studios theme park in Orlando, America.
The winner will help to promote a new "Terminator 2" three dimensional attraction, based on a scene from the action-packed, futuristic cyber-thriller which stars Schwarzenegger. The "Terminator 2" attraction cost 60 million pounds and at just 12 minutes long is the most expensive live action video ever produced.
It was directed by James Cameron who created the character.
Schwarzenegger said the ride was bound to be a hit with audiences.
To win the London lookalike competition the competitors had to show just how much they could talk as well as walk like Arnie.
The judges' first choice was Ben Armitage, a fitness fanatic from London. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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