BEAUTY may be in the eye of the beholder but John Uter hopes it will be in the eyes of millions as he battles for the title of Britain's Sexiest Man!The former Ipswich schoolboy will be strutting his stuff on live TV on Monday night after being shortlisted against four other contestants.

BEAUTY may be in the eye of the beholder but John Uter hopes it will be in the eyes of millions as he battles for the title of Britain's Sexiest Man!

The former Ipswich schoolboy will be strutting his stuff on live TV on Monday night after being shortlisted against four other contestants.

But it won't be his first taste of TV because the gym instructor has previously given the viewers a glimpse of his six pack by doing adverts and modelling work.

He now lives in London and works on the Isle of Dogs but the former Thurleston High School pupil has not forgotten his Ipswich roots and is praying that Suffolk folk won't let him down on his big night.

John, 39, said he got the surprise of his life when he got to what he thought was a modelling job.

He said: "I came back from holiday and thought it was a modelling assignment but I got there and they said: 'so why do you think you are Britain's sexiest man?'

"I got down to the last five."

John may not come across as a shy person, but he admitted that he did have a few pre-show nerves.

He said: "It just feels so weird, everyone is so much more forward than I am.

"I am a bit nervous. It has been really crazy."

Monday night's show will see John taking a trip down the catwalk as well as seeing him in his native habitat in the gym at the Tiller Leisure Centre on the Isle of Dogs.

Once viewers have seen all they need to, they get the chance to vote for who they think is the best.

His customers there are all vying for him and John said his four children cannot wait to see their dad on TV.

He said: "My youngest two could not believe it when they saw it in the local paper (in London.)

"They are all for it."

His manager, Sue King, who started the ball rolling by nominating him said:

"He is a fantastic guy and has a really sexy body.

"He is so kind and loves being around people. If you are down he really lifts you up.

"Everyone on the island knows him and likes him."

John left Ipswich around 20 years ago and worked as a builder in London and in Europe before getting into fitness work around 15 years ago.

Many of John's family, including one of his son's, 19-year-old Jamie still live in Ipswich.

His mum and dad, Youzel and Doris from Spencer Road find the whole situation rather amusing.

Doris, 70, said: "Well he has a very sexy mum!

"I am very proud of him, he is a nice boy.

"I will be sitting here watching him and voting for him on Monday."

Britain's Sexiest Man will be shown on tonight at 10pm on ITV1.