Lee Ryan Excused From Jury Service After Horse Blunder

Blue star Lee Ryan has been excused from jury duty after it emerged he bought a horse from the judge.

The Blue star was selected as the eighth juror on the 12-person panel at Oxford Crown Court this week, but when he was about to take his seat for the trial against a defendant facing assault charges, Judge Mary Jane Mowat reined him in.

She asked the All Rise singer: "Don't I know you?", to which the cocky pop star replied: "If you like music you might have done. I haven't been to court or anything."

However, the judge did recognise him, and it wasn't because she was a fan of boy bands, replying: "I was thinking more about horses."

Suddenly Lee twigged, saying: "Oh, yeah", and was duly excused from the proceedings.

By the look of his beaming face, he wasn't too disappointed and happily left the courtroom.

Lee took to Twitter to clarify their bizarre conversation, explaining, "It was funny!! I was buying a horse off of the judge!! It's coz I'm posh innit..."

And Lee is set to have more money to pursue his equestrian habit - he has been linked to the new series of Celebrity Big Brother. He turned down appearing on the show earlier this year after reportedly wanting more than the £175,000 offer, but The Sun reports producers have approached the pop star to appear on the upcoming series.