It’s that time of the year again, when the men of Jupiter down their razors in the name of charity. Yes folks, Beard Off is back for 2009.

Jupiter’s reigning Beard Off champion and senior designer Paddy Leverton has chosen the Alzheimer’s Research Trust as this year’s worthy cause. And in a change from last year, beards will be grown for three weeks rather than two, starting from Friday 20th February. Then, after three weeks are up, our surviving contestants will be asked to sculpt their beards into award-winning styles on Friday 13th March.

Our very own expert panel of judges – Kelli, India and Becky – will therefore not only be considering quantity, but also finesse. They’ll select a final three contestants, who’ll then face the Jupiter company vote for the crown of Beard Off champion 2009. This means even the less hairy Jupiterites among us have a chance of winning the coveted prize if they manage to create something beautiful, resulting in the most open Beard Off since records began.

Stay tuned for regular updates on this year’s titanic battle for glory right here. We’ll be hoping for as many donations as possible for our chosen charity, so please dig deep and show your support for our champs as they battle against the odds to go unshaven for three weeks. It’s going to be tashtastic…