Jedward as you've never seen them before: Singers pose as bruised and battered victims for anti-bullying campaign

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER


Jedward as you've never seen them before: Former X Factor stars John and Edward Grimes are seen bruised and battered in a new anti-bullying campaign

They can usually be seen bounding around the stage in outrageous outfits performing a variety of catchy tunes.

But in a hard-hitting campaign against bullying, Jedward are seen posing as assault victims, looking bruised and battered in the shots launched by children's campaigners.

X Factor judge Louis Walsh, Westlife star Mark Feehily, MTV presenter Laura Whitmore and actress Saoirse Ronan have also been photographed as part of the series of images launched by the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC).


Bold and bright: The twins as they usually are, bounding around the stage at this year's Eurovision


Westlife singer Feehily, who came up with the idea, said he was inspired by his own personal experiences of bullying when he was younger.

He said: 'I know at first hand how the impact of being bullied as a teenager can quite literally last a lifetime and I thought that if we could involve well-known ISPCC ambassadors perhaps people will think twice about bullying or indeed allowing bullying to happen.'

All those who took part in the campaign gave their services for free, including the celebrities, photographer Barry McCall, make-up artist Tom McInerney and several advertising agencies.


Bruised and battered: Louis Walsh and Westlife singer Mark Feehily also lent their support to the campaign


Last year Ireland's Childline service received around 2,300 calls and messages everyday from young people, with almost a quarter of these contacts relating to abuse and welfare, including bullying and issues around mental health.

ISPCC chief executive Ashley Balbirnie said: 'We are very grateful to Mark Feehily and our ambassadors for their support in raising awareness of this important issue.'


Famous faces: Actress Saoirse Ronan and MTV presenter Laura Whitmore also appear in the shots


source: dailymail