TV historian Tristram Hunt has been selected as a Labour general election candidate.
The author and broadcaster was picked by local members from a shortlist of three to fight the Stoke-on-Trent Central seat after veteran MP Mark Fisher announced he would step down.
Although he won an overwhelming majority of votes, Mr Hunt's selection caused some friction among party activists upset that no local people were included on the shortlist.
Mr Fisher held the seat with a majority of 9,774 at the last general election in 2005.
It is the second time in recent weeks that a television personality has been picked to fight a relatively safe seat for Labour.
Gloria De Piero, GMTV's former political editor, will fight the Ashfield seat in Nottinghamshire being vacated by former cabinet minister Geoff Hoon.
