A TELEVISION show starring a Leigh hairdresser has been shortlisted for a national award.

Extreme Hair Wars, on Channel 5, is in the running for the National Reality Television Awards in the best fashion and make up category.

Hairdresser Martyn Holmes, 50, is a judge on the show.

The second series is due to be aired on Channel Five Star from tomorrow with the award ceremony on Tuesday at Porchester Hall, London.

The show has been shortlisted and will be competing with shows such as Britain’s Next Top Model and Tattoo Fixers.

The creative hair director said it is amazing to be nominated.

He said: “It’s just so awesome as it’s our first series.

“Just to be nominated and alongside these shows is so great, but to win would be so amazing.

“We really want the community to all get behind us, I think it’s very important to support each other.

“I see this as a good way to encourage more youngsters to get into the industry.

“We could do with new young people to come into hairdressing.

“The show means such a lot to me.

“I have been doing this for 35 years now and it’s great to branch out and do something more diverse.”

He said starring on the show is great, but hard work.

Mr Holmes said they work very long days, but he is loving it.

The stylist said there are talks about the third series before the second has aired.

Mr Holmes said: “It all came about last year when I was lucky enough to be asked to join the show.

“The first series was on TV in January this year.

“It was so successful, that they decided to film the second series.

“It is filmed at Jet Hairdressing Academy, Crompton Close, Basildon.

“I think it’s just so incredible to be nominated.

“It is a big competition and this is the eighth awards, there are similar awards in America.

“I am encouraging all my friends to vote and it can be done on the website and is easy to do so.”

The National Reality TV Awards, also known as Reality TV Awards or NRTA, is an annual award show produced by the IEG Global and National Media Group.

The awards show became the first ever awards ceremony to launch in both the UK and US to celebrate the cast and crew from the reality TV industry.

Mr Holmes has worked for the likes of Granada Television during his varied career.

The show sees four teams of professional stylists go head to head in a battle to make the most creative hairstyle possible.

Along with hair, contestants use make up in order to complete challenges to fight their way to a final show.

To vote and support the show and hair stylist, see /nationalrealitytvawards.org/