Rylan 'lies awake at night' wondering about having a political career like Zelenskyy

What did you miss?

Rylan has said he lies awake at night thinking about Volodymyr Zelenskyy's path from a similar TV career to leading his country through a war - and admitted he would "love nothing more" than being a politician, too.

The TV star is known for starring in The X Factor, Big Brother and This Morning, but admitted he dreamed about a different life battling out political issues in the House of Commons.

Speaking to Beth Rigby's Electoral Dysfunction podcast, Rylan also shared his difficulties with fame and dating.

What, how, and why?

Rylan might be known for hosting light entertainment shows, but the star has admitted he would love to step away from reality TV and into the reality of politics with an unexpected pivot.

In fact, he told Beth Rigby Ruth Davidson's Sky News podcast Electoral Dysfunction that he has been following Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's career with interest and often lies awake at night thinking about their similar TV history - and whether he could ever step up to the same role.

Rylan was a guest presenter on the podcast standing in for Jess Phillips and declared himself as "obsessed with politics", sharing that he had become politically engaged during Brexit after being left wondering whether he could "still use the e-gates and get cheaper aftershave at the airport".

Asked whether he would ever pursue a career as an MP himself, Rylan admitted: "If I wasn't in the job that I was in. I would love nothing more.

"I lay there at night sometimes and I think about Zelenskyy - he played the Prime Minister, he hosted one of the same shows I've hosted in Ukraine. It's crazy to think you could do something and think 'this'll be a laugh, let's see what happens' and the next thing you know you're leading your country through a war."

He added: "Nothing's ever off limits, I don't sit there and say I want to be a politician. I want to say if I was running the country things would be much better, but you don't know unless you're in that position.

"I'd never rule it out, there might come a day when I want to hang up the veneers and the fake tan," he added. "My biggest decision would be what lectern am I going to choose."

Rylan also praised his co-host Rigby for her reporting during the pandemic, saying: "Beth Rigby and her bob got us through the panny-d."

He shared that his moment of the election so far was "Ed Davey getting a makeover on This Morning - killed me," before revealing his ideas for a radical overhaul of the political system.

"I feel now or very soon is the time for partyless politics," said Rylan, suggesting that all MPs could be independent and form a cabinet of differing views that he described as "a Big Brother All Stars series" of politicians.

He added: "Why can't we have the crack team? Why can't we have the Power Rangers of government working together to make a better country?"

What else did Rylan say on Electoral Dysfunction?

Rylan also shared his feelings on fame, admitting "I hate it" and telling how he feels it has destroyed his chances of finding love again.

He said: "If I'm being honest, I hate it because I am a normal bloke. I'm the same as Rylan who works in Sainsbury's, the only difference is I work on telly, you work in Sainsbury's - we're the same person."

"I live every day thinking, 'what am I going to do today that's going to p*** someone off?'" he admitted.

Davidson shared her previous struggles with dating in the public eye and asked Rylan how he coped with people already having preconceptions of what he would be like.

"Not very well if you want the honest answer," he replied. "My real name's Ross, not Rylan, and 90% of the time I'm very much Ross, 10% of the time I'm Rylan, but Rylan's my job."

He said of being single: "I am f***ing bored of it, I am so bored of it...I thought growing up, imagine being famous and single, you could get with anyone you wanted to. It is the complete f***ing opposite."

Rylan shared that his best piece of advice on navigating fame had come from the late Barbara Windsor: "I was in a shop buying some underwear and felt a little tug on my back, I turned round, looked down and it was Barbara Windsor."

The TV presenter said he had accidentally told her husband Scott Mitchell "nice to meet you", but Windsor pointed out they had actually met the week before.

"She said, 'let me tell you - always 'nice to see you', never 'nice to meet you' because you've probably already met the b******'. And I tell you what, that has probably saved my shows."

Electoral Dysfunction is available as a Sky News podcast.

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