CANVEY’S biggest supporter is set to take on Anne Robinson when he appears in a special edition of the Weakest Link.

Founder of the We Love Canvey buy-local campaign James Parkin, is set to appear on the BBC quiz show after coming through a rigorous application process.

James, 31, who plans to wear an I Love Canvey jumper for the show, will be representing the island against someone from the Isle of Man and the Shetland Islands in a one-off special of the quiz show which will be screened shortly before Christmas.

James, who also owns a leisure complex on Canvey seafront which includes the Movie Starr cinema and Canvey Chippy, said: “I’m proud to represent Canvey.

“I’m sure Anne will have plenty of jokes about us being inbred and things like that, but I’ll give as good as I get.

“I’m looking forward to it, but if I go out early I might have to leave Canvey to avoid the shame.”

The makers of the show originally wrote to Canvey Town Council to see if they had anyone who wanted to appear on the show. No one stepped forward, but Conservative councillor Ray Howard asked James if he fancied trying out.

He was then put through his paces at a screening event at the BBC’s Television Centre in London.

James added: “They were trying to find out if I could deal with Anne’s comments.

“One question was, ‘you seem like a big lad, how did you get to be that size?’ “I told them, ‘I run a chip shop, how do you think?’”

The businessman also scored highly on his practice general knowledge questions, getting 19 out of 20.

He added: “A lot of them were pretty straight forward. I’m sure it’ll be tougher when the cameras are rolling.”

He is now set to fly to Glasgow, where the show will be filmed next Tuesday and will then be screened about a fortnight later.

James, who is also a Conservative party activist, has long been banging the drum for the island.

He set up community website Mud, Methane and Memories with fellow Tory activist Colin MacLean, to promote all things Canvey, as well as score a few political points.

In September, he launched the We Love Canvey campaign to encourage people to shop on the island instead of going to Basildon and Southend.

He is now hoping to get businesses signed up to a community card that will offer shoppers a discount for buying at Canvey stores.