Known for years as a bit of a battleaxe, Christine Hamilton has made it official by changing her name to Mrs British Battleaxe by deed poll.

The wife of former Tory MP Neil Hamilton and star of reality TV show ‘I’m a Celebrity’ did the deed for a friend who had set up a new company, the Legal Deed Service.

Mrs British Battleaxe, 59, of Hullavington, said the reality of her name change was only just sinking in.

She said: “Of course it was the obvious name for me.

“My e-mail address is already British Battleaxe and I’ve written a book about them so I thought I may as well make it official.

“But it didn’t really cross my mind that I was actually going to be changing my name until afterwards.

“Neil is delighted as he says he’s now married to a new woman.”

Chief executive of the Legal Deed Service, Jamie Jackson, met Mrs Hamilton while she was at a charity fundraiser in Liverpool about three years ago while he was a student.

Mrs British Battleaxe said: “He hailed me across the room and introduced himself and we got chatting.

“Then the other day I got a phone call out of the blue from him asking if I would be prepared to change my name and film a video for YouTube.” She added that the media attention has been overwhelming.

She said: “Since the press release came out and the video went online it has been ridiculous.

“It has been all over the Internet, on the BBC, Sky, it even said on Wikipedia that I was the woman ‘formerly known as Christine Hamilton’. It’s been a scream.”

Despite having fun with her new moniker she says many people have real reasons to change their name.

She said: “Sometimes it’s because of divorce or their children’s names are changing or they want their names to sound more English. There are all sorts of reasons.

“I was amazed how cheap it was, it only costs about £12 to do.”

She added: “I’ve not changed my bank details or anything like that but I am looking forward to receiving my first letter addressed to Mrs British Battleaxe.”