“FORGET drugs and alcohol,” insists Shane Richie. “Fame is the worst and most addictive drug of them all, definitely in the society we live in today.”
  
The former EastEnders and Minder star adds: “I have noticed a change in the last five years with the whole celebrity culture. It’s almost out of control.”
  
Written by Paula Milne, Whatever It Takes (ITV1, Sunday, 9pm) is a one-off drama which asks questions about the price of instant fame.
  
Young police officer Daisy (Amy Beth Hayes) wins a radio contest to attend a West End film premiere and the VIP party afterwards, where she is picked up by a famous Premiership footballer.
  
The pair are later caught together in the back of his Range Rover, leaving Daisy’s career shattered, along with her relationship with her deputy chief constable father.
  
Even so, it seems she has a saviour in the form of J.J. Merrick, played by Shane. He’s a ruthless publicity agent who catapults Daisy into the world of glamour modelling, where she rides high on a bubble of instant fame, becoming a millionaire with a lifestyle to match.
  
But that cult of unearned celebrity is hard to sustain and events eventually take a turn for the worse.
  
Shane believes Paula has captured the reality behind today’s celebrity culture. “She has almost cut that world in two and has shown you exactly what it is, how it really works and what to expect from it.
  
“I have met the Jodie Marshs and Jordans of this world and, in fact, Chantelle Houghton was a guest star for a red carpet scene in this drama and was lovely. But most of them just thrive for column inches in the papers and magazines. They aren’t too bothered about the content. It’s a big business and that’s what this is all about. The real talent is people doing the groundwork and keeping hold of their career.”
  
He continues: “I have a lot of friends who are actors that are out of the business because there is a lot of money being ploughed into reality shows. The word ‘celebrity’ seems to mean nothing these days.
  
“I remember when I started out in the business about 28 years ago, and the term ‘celebrity’ was seen as someone who was a huge star, usually known worldwide. But ‘celebrity’ now has become a dirty word. You ask most kids what they want to do when they grow up, and all they say these days is, ‘I want to be famous.’ It’s worrying.
  
“I read somewhere that in 30 years’ time everybody in the country could have been on television. The amount of TV shows and channels we have now means everyone can get their five minutes of fame, I guess.
  
“I am fine with it if someone has a talent, whether they can sing or act and are using these shows to get back in the public eye. I suppose a good example is Joe Pasquale – he is a very funny man who clearly has a talent.
  
“But when I see people go on TV shows purely because they want a taste of fame so they can eat at The Ivy, or get to the front of the queue at a nightclub, I detest and loathe them.”
  
Former Doctor Who actress Amy had to spend four hours in make-up each day, being transformed into a glamour model. “Daisy goes from a very natural looking girl-next-door who wears bland colour clothing and has soft wavy hair into a very different looking girl.
  
“She has plastic surgery to increase her bust size, dyes her hair blonde and adds hair extensions to make it longer. Fake nails, fake tan, fake eyelashes, you name it, she changes it to become this woman J.J. and the press want her to be. But I loved it. For any actress to go through a transformation like this is fun.”
  
Gary Lucy plays fading soap star Matthew, another client of J.J’s, who gets together with Daisy. The Bill actor has some advice for wannabe celebs. “Watch this programme! When you go for these meetings or auditions, they promise to make you famous but forget to explain how everything else changes.
  
“If you get too sucked in you’ll be a completely different person in five years’ time and the likelihood that it’ll all be over in two years’ time is very high.” 

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