A security guard has stepped out of the shadows and into the limelight to help people go wild in the aisles.

Gary Cowan was used to guarding stars at Maidstone Studios, but now he's chasing Love Island celebs and playing the butt of Rylan's jokes on Supermarket Sweep.

The semi-retired granddad said: "My boss text me in June asking 'how do you fancy being famous?'

"When Sweep came to Maidstone they were asking for a security guard. I had to go to London and do an audition, I thought 'this is a bit out of my comfort zone.'

"Now I've got my own dressing room and make-up, but I think that's mainly to de-shine my head."

Mr Cowan, of Fisher Street in Maidstone, has worked at the Grove Green studios since 2006, working on shows including Take Me Out and Later... with Jools Holland.

He said: "I've really enjoyed being on the other side. I'm the butt of a lot of the jokes and they're slowly building me up."

On Monday night Gary was thrust into the limelight as he rapped with So Solid Crew.

Filming between two and three shows a day the former part-time bouncer has had his share of exercise chasing Love Island stars around the makeshift shop - although he didn't always know the would-be thieves.

He said: "I've been in make up and there's been celebrities next to me I didn't know, I don't really watch Love Island but it has been great meeting them.

"The whole show has been a right laugh. My kids have loved it too, one of my daughters works in marketing and another is a great photographer. Together they've helped me set up other social media profiles, now I can't get off them.

"All the response has been really positive. Rylan's been a gentleman to work with, we went up and hugged my wife when she visited.

"He's such a lovely man I've seen other people they might run away at the end of filming but he's outside having a cigarette talking to people."

Leftover food for the show was donated to local foodbanks in Maidstone and Ashford.

Homeless Care Maidstone said it received more than three vans full of donations from the show, which shot to fame when Dale Winton was host in the 1990s.

Supermarket Sweep airs on ITV 2 at 8pm on weeknights.

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