Maverick politician and prospective mayoral candidate Lembit Opik is to appear as an exhibit at an unusual event at an Islington pub.

The former I’m A Celebrity contestant will take part in a number of bizarre activities including reading his own poetry, hearing a song and dance written in his honour and arm wrestling the audience at the George Orwell, in Essex Road, tonight (Thursday) at 6pm.

Arm wrestling

Mr Opik said: “They won’t have to do a great deal to win the arm wrestling. I think John Prescott might be �better at it than me.

“I considered the nature of my campaign, and I am all about being accessible and I thought this would be a good way to reach people.

“I think Boris and Ken are a bit in the same mould in that respect.”

William Kherbeck, 33, a former Holloway resident who arranged the exhibition, said: “I wanted to get him leg wrestling, but he hurt his leg in an accident.

“I continue to be shocked by how far he is willing to push things.”