'Buff Butler' James stands guard for Sacha Baron Cohen's Bruno

Jun 22 2009 By Russell Butt

AN IT worker from Egham tasted the more bizarre limelight when he stepped onto the red carpet for a film premier last week.

Bupa test analyst, James Wani, 31, was in London's Leicester Square for the premier of new Sacha Baron Cohen, film 'Bruno' - dressed as a royal guard in tight leather hotpants.

James, from Crown Street, supplements his office job with work for topless waitering company Butlers in the Buff, who specialise in hen parties and corporate functions. When he was contacted by them for the premier, he never expected to find himself on a podium in the middle of the red carpet, as one of the two 'guards' chosen to stand alongside Sacha Baron Cohen as his alter-ego, Bruno - an overtly gay Austrian TV presenter.

He said: "I got the job through my agency, and it sounded interesting so I accepted it and the next thing I know I am on a podium in Leicester Square.

"Out of all the 20-odd guys they had there, they picked me and another guy to be Bruno's entourage. It was pretty fun."

James, who keeps himself fit and in shape as a member of the Virgin Active gym in Staines, said that the second job was a good way for him to 'break out' from the computer-based role he does nine-to-five, but added that even he was a little surprised when he saw the uniforms they would be wearing on the night.

"We all laughed when we saw them and there was a lot of banter from the boys. Some of them were pretty embarrassed."

He added that the man responsible for bring such outrageous personas as Ali G, Borat and Bruno to our TV screens was not as extrovert behind the scenes.

"He is a funny guy, but he seemed like a pretty cautious kind of guy on the night," said James.

Photograph: James with Isla Fisher, Cohen's fiance at the London Premier of Bruno.