And they say FG is desperate for notice?

'Mr T' jumps on Big Brother bandwagon after face-to-Face with A-Team star

IT is hardly surprising that Mr T should send his best wishes to 'Big Brother' entrant Dirk Benedict.

But this Mr T - Kerry North TD Tom McEllistrim (FF) - is far more conservatively dressed than the mohawked mercenary normally seen marauding with Face.

The celebrity housemates had barely bagged a bed when the bizarre photograph of the bashful Kerry TD and Benedict was doing the rounds yesterday courtesy of the party's press office.

An innocent onlooker might think that Fianna Fail had got so desperate to take on Fine Gael's spindoctors that it enlisted the former A-Team member to beat its election blues.

On further inquiry, it turns out that Dirk should not be associated with a 'crime he didn't commit'.

However, the unlikely rendezvous actually took place over two years ago.

Rather than Face-saving, the politician is actually helping the 1980s legend out by taking him on a tour of Leinster House.

It is probably not that surprising that the A-team's pretty-boy con merchant expressed an interest in Irish politics. But according to Tom there was, of course, no cigar-smoking within the walls of the powerhouse of politics.

"Dick was over in Ireland to do a talk for a number of UCD students," said Tom.

"I think a few of them were A-Team fans and one of the students was a cousin of mine and said Dirk was interested in politics and was thinking of running for the post of Governor of Montana."

He was invited to view the government buildings.

"I told him the history of the house and he was in the Dail gallery and was a very nice guy," Tom recalled. "He was a gas character, joking, and great company. I haven't been in touch with him since and to be honest, I'm out so much that I don't follow 'Big Brother', but I wish him the best of luck."

The Fianna Fail press office said there could not be too more dissimilar people than Tom and Dirk. "Tom wouldn't be seen driving a Corvette," said a spokesperson. "It would rather be more like an Opel."

Yesterday, the Kerry North TD sent out a press release proclaiming he was throwing his political weight behind Face's 'Big Brother' bid in the Channel 4 reality show.

"I hope he will win," said Tom.

Considering the Irish public don't have a vote in the final result, hopefully Face will be of the opinion that it is the thought that counts.

"I hope now that he will go on to win the competition," said Tom.

"And if he does, I'll be the first to invite him back to the Dail as the victor in Celebrity Big Brother 2007."

Anne-Marie Walsh