Comics take a dive

In new ITV reality show

Omid Djalili, Dom Joly and Helen Lederer are to take part in the new celebrity diving show Splash!

Olympic bronze medallist Tom Daley will be training the comics and other celebrities on the ITV1 programme, which starts this weekend.

Jo Brand will also be taking part – but only as a judge.

Djalili said: ‘Someone told me when I dived off the 7.5 metre board that I looked like hungry pig flying through the air into a massive trough! I landed on my face and let off a nuclear mushroom of splash.

‘But everyone laughed when I came out of the water so I hope that when I throw myself off a high board in the live shows, people will at least be entertained!’

Lederer said: ‘We are all feeble in our own way, and this show is about challenging your feebleness. I’m the oldest in my group by far, but each day I feel like I have really achieved something.

‘Going out on stage is a very similar experience to jumping off a high board. It’s about the same feeling of nervousness beforehand. There is no going back.’

The rest of the celebrities are model Caprice,Sugababe Jade Ewen, TOWIE’s Joey Essex, Hollyoaks actress Jennifer Metcalfe, Tina Malone from Shameless, Benidorm's Jake Canuso, TV host Jenni Falconer, Sky Sports News presenter Charlotte Jackson, gardener Diarmuid Gavin, interior designer Linda Barker, ski jumper Eddie 'the Eagle' Edwards, and boxer Anthony Ogogo.

Daley said: ‘People think diving's easy because divers who've done it for a long time make it look like that - but it is very far from easy. It is a very psychological sport. Half the battle is getting over the fear factor.

‘Once you're up there, there is no turning back. If you freak out, you freak out on live TV. You'll see lots of smacks and wallops.’

Splash! starts this Saturday at 7.15pm on ITV.

Published: 2 Jan 2013

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