Rivron expelled from Fame Academy

Roland Rivron performed Tammy Wynette's Stand By Your Man

Comic Roland Rivron has become the first student to be expelled from Comic Relief's Celebrity Fame Academy.

Ex-EastEnders actor Shaun Williamson is the bookmakers' favourite to win the fund-raising reality TV show.

Hosted by Claudia Winkleman and Patrick Kielty, the show climaxes with a live final on 16 March.

Williamson, who played luckless Barry in the soap and has since starred in BBC comedy Extras, is one of 12 remaining contestants.

He is the bookmakers' favourite to win, ahead of BBC Radio 1 DJ Colin Murray.

The actor is "the stand-out favourite", Ladbrokes spokesman Nick Weinberg said.

Birds of a Feather actress Linda Robson and socialite Tara Palmer-Tomkinson are among the others taking part in the show, which began on Saturday.

DJ Edith Bowman and Casualty actor Will Mellor have previously won the charity contest.

A total of 13 personalities are treading the boards this year, including BBC Sport presenter Ray Stubbs and Heartbeat actress Tricia Penrose.

FAME ACADEMY FAVOURITES Shaun Williamson - 2/1 Colin Murray - 6/1 Tricia Penrose - 7/1 Tim Vine - 10/1 Source: Ladbrokes

Other familiar faces include Blue Peter's Zoe Salmon and CBBC presenter Angellica Bell.

Comedians Tim Vine, Fred MacAulay, Rowland Rivron, Miranda Hart and Mel Giedroyc are also taking part.

On Saturday, viewers voted for their favourite students, leaving Rivron, Hart and television presenter Angellica Bell in the bottom three places.

Bell was saved by the judges but Rivron lost out to Hart by 10 out of the 11 votes of their fellow students.

The competition starts in earnest on Wednesday, after which one of the remaining 12 students will be thrown out of the Academy every night until the live final on Red Nose Day.

Money from the public phone vote goes to Comic Relief. The 2005 series raised more than £1.3m for the charity.