Blond Bombshell: Does Boris Dye His Hair?
It's been whispered for some time that Boris Johnson's blond mop has a little help and now he has revealed all - or has he?
Sunday 12 June 2016 08:45, UK
Boris Johnson has denied dyeing his hair and insisted he was joking when he said he did in an interview.
The former London mayor told the Sunday Times that his famous mop was "the real thing" and "all natural".
But when asked: "You do dye it, don't you Boris?", Mr Johnson replied: "Yes."
However, the Sunday Times political editor, Tim Shipman, later said he had been contacted by Mr Johnson requesting "an urgent point of clarification" amid "a circus about hair dye".
Shipman tweeted: "REVERSE BLOND FERRET: Boris Johnson has just called to say he thought I was joking about hair dye and that he was joking too about using it!"
He added: "Boris on hair dye: 'I do remember saying yes in what was a satirical voice. I remember thinking 'God I hope he doesn't take that seriously'."
Mr Johnson's wife also insisted Mr Johnson's hair was all natural.
Shipman added: "Marina Wheeler, Boris's wife, tells me she would 'stake my life on it and that of my children' that Bojo does not dye his hair."
His sister Rachel Johnson also weighed in on Twitter: "All Johnsons are natural blondes!"
Last year celebrated hairdresser Heinz Schumi - whose Chelsea clients include actress Jenny Agutter and novelist Jilly Cooper claimed Boris' blond mop was a forgery.
"I'm telling you, it's bleached," Mr Schumi told a newspaper.
"I went to see him give a speech, and when the spotlights shone on his hair, it was kind of orangey - it doesn't go light enough.
"Also, when hair is bleached, the follicles are broken so you manipulate it how you like - this is what Rod Stewart did, so I am absolutely certain he bleaches it."
At the time, Mr Johnson's father and former MP Stanley, insisted: "I can tell you that's 100%. I remember when he was born in New York, I nipped off to get a pizza and when I returned he was swaddled with all the other babies - but quite distinguishable by this shock of white hair.
"So I can reassure the nation, it's quite genuine."
Boris Johnson also used the Sunday Times interview to claim he was reluctant to declare for Brexit, out of loyalty to the Prime Minister, and denied he did it to boost his leadership prospects.