A 30ft effigy of outspoken TV personality and ex-Apprentice contestant Katie Hopkins will be burned at a town's annual bonfire celebrations on Saturday.

A steel-framed model of Hopkins, who has drawn criticism for her views on subjects ranging from obese youngsters to children's names, will go up in flames in Edenbridge, Kent.

The figure, with "Speak before you think" written on the front, will be stuffed with oil-soaked newspapers, packed with fireworks and torched.

Edenbridge bonfire society members said it was easy to choose Hopkins, who provoked a backlash after linking children's names to their social status earlier this year.

Society co-ordinator Charles Laver said: "We were looking for someone who was in the news, and she was one of the people around in the media at the moment.

"Of course, she has come out with silly remarks, so we thought why not? On Tuesday last week we were sitting around thinking who were we going to do.

"We had to come up with someone, so we thought about Katie."

2012's Edenbridge celebrity guy, Lance Armstrong. Photograph: Gareth Fuller/PA

Last year an effigy of disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong wearing a Jim'll Fix It badge in reference to shamed TV presenter Jimmy Savile was torched.

Other well-known figures who have had the dubious honour of being the celebrity guy at Edenbridge's celebrations in past years include Cherie Blair, Katie Price, Gordon Brown and Russell Brand.