[Kaz]

New Reality TV show, starting on C4 at 9 p.m. on Sunday night. This is the write-up from Radio Times:

The launch of a new reality television series. Ten celebrities, five men and five women who have already undergone two months of intensive training with Olympic coaches, will be tested for both physical and mental strength in a week-long athletics championship. The sexes compete separately in different sports themed around the swimming pool, stadium, ice rink and gymnasium, while living in a purpose-built training village in Sheffield where cameras follow their every move. The athletes are singers Melanie C, Lee Latchford Evans and Harvey from So Solid, actors Terri Dwyer and Josie d’Arby, presenter Gail Porter, comedian Bobby Davro, chef Jean-Christophe Novelli, Miss World Azra Akin, and James Hewitt.

. . . . and this is the latest news on the programme from Ananova:

The swanky, minimalist pad which will house 10 celebrities as they take part in a Channel 4 series in which Big Brother meets Superstars has been revealed.



Ex-Spice Girl Mel C, cad James Hewitt and former Hollyoaks star Terri Dwyer are among the figures taking part in the Games.

They will be seen competing in live sporting challenges next week, from Monday to Friday.

The competitors will all be living together in the specially built home at the Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield, and 26 cameras will capture their every move when they are not competing.

There are four bedrooms and the celebrities do not yet know with whom they will be sharing.

They will be able to take advantage of two treatment rooms which include a sauna and spa, and there is shared gym where they will have daily sessions.

Close by there is an indoor training area with 18-metre running track as well as an indoor hammer throwing net.

The only places without cameras are washrooms and toilets.

The week-long series kicks off on Sunday with a taster show in which viewers will see high and low points from the celebrities' two months of intensive training.

Sports to be tackled include speed skating and curling.

Sounds fascinating!

Anyone else tempted to tune in? I definitely am!!!

[steve_o]

It sounds really different so I'll be having a look. Makes a change from jungles. Just watched the bb4 dvd it's no wonder Steph's keeping a low profile. It is good though, more action crammed into 1hr 45 than in the whole 9 weeks.

[BigSister]

Im going 2 be tuning in

[BusyBee]

Sounds worth watching - wonder if there will be any Vanessa Feltz type tantrums? But why oh why have they got James Hewitt

[BusyBee]

Been watching this. Crumbs they really are being put through it as far as this programme is concerned. Not the usual reality programme. Gail Porter certainly has put in more than 100%. The girls look fitter than the boys.

[Janette]

I started watching this and was pleasantly surprised with two people in particular, Harvey and James.

Harvey is a "gansta rapper" and I expected him to be all talk and no action. But he was very charming and even though he's eager to win, he showed friendship and encouraged the others to do as well as they could. Also his diving was hilarious!

James (the cad!) was really nice! He's worked extremely hard and gets on with all the other competitors. I took an instant like to him and I cringed when he hurt his back on the vault, that looked so painful!

I think this is going to be VERY enjoyable to watch!

[miss little glitzee]

its great

dont yer love james hewitt??!!

[BigSister]

I enjoyed this
I felt sooo sorry for Gail though
I think that the winners in the girls is between Mel and Terri but the boys its anyones game
Tonight its diving for the boys and swimming for the girls

[BusyBee]

Well anyone who watched the Games tonight couldnt say that they havent been working hard. They all put in really good performances and the lads with their diving were brilliant.

[BigSister]

Yep they did great
Poor Bobby though ouch
Tonight its the Weighlifting for the Boys and hurdling for the girls

[Kaz]

Poor Gail Hipgrave (Porter) has had to withdraw with a hamstring injury.

Bobby Davro won the curling competition tonight and was ecstatic!! But I can't help thinking that James Hewitt deliberately didn't quality for the finals of this event to make it a more open competition . . . . . . he didn't admit it, but I have my suspicions . . . . . .

Miss World (Azra) did really well to win the women's speed skating. Hats off to all the girls - that looked absolutely terrifying!!!

[BigSister]

I know. poor Gail
Well done Miss World though
Yeah for Bobby
Tonight it is Judo for the girls and the vault for the Boys

[Romantic Old Bird]

Whatever happens, you just have to pray that the 'lounge lizard' that is James Hewitt is not victorious. Just looking at that chap makes me want to take a bath.

What was Di thinking of?

[WILDCHILD]

Apparently Mel C has suffered a serious injury in a judo game -go to Ananova.

[BigSister]

Tonight it loos like a two hourse race between Terri and Miss World
The boys: Im not sure

[BusyBee]

So Terri and Miss World tied for first place with Josie obviously coming third.

In the boys it was Harvey, then James, then Lee.

Well done to all of them.

[steve_o]

There's two much competiton and fitness in it for me, I gave up with it 15 mins after it started, I got bored. I'd rather see proper athletes than celebs playing at it. When I also saw they had curling in it, that was it for me, I started channel hopping.

[BigSister]

Well done to all the athletes

[Romantic Old Bird]

Proper athletes?

I think they all did enough to prove that they were proper athletes to me. They acheived very well, and given the disparity in age, (and fitness levels before they embarked on this enterprise) they made remarkable progress.

OH get's apopleptic when people describe him as a jogger. He runs at least five times a week, and covers at least 40 miles overall. He goes to the gym 4 times a week, and swims about 100 lengths 4 times a week.

He may be 52, he may not be the fastest, his beer consumption may ensure he isn't sporting a clearly defined 6 pack, but, he is undoubtedly an athlete!

I however am a complete slob.

It would be interesting to see a contest between the likes of me, Jo Brand, Dawn French, Jonny Vegas, Phil Jupitus and maybe Peter Kay. I'm sure the Japanese would buy the format. Vulcanologists would amass, directing their seismographs at the field having identified it as the epicentre of an imminent cataclysmic earthquake.

[steve_o]

Bobby Davoros belly flop dive into the pool is not being a proper athlete in fact he could have killed himself. I've seen better dives than that at the local pool when I was a kid. It turned out to be just another bunch of has been celebs playing at being Olympic athletes. Daly Thompson, Seb Coe, Steve Cram, Olga Corbit, Duncan Goodhue, Mark Spit's, Jonny Wisemuller, Sharon Davis, I could go on, thats what I mean by proper Athletes. Good try for the celbs having a go, but there not proper Athletes even they'd probably admit it, I hope. As John Fashenue said the other day if any one becomes injured they carry on threw it, because that is what they do at the end of the day, now there's proper Athletes for you. This was more in the League of Eddie the Eagle and that other fella who couldn't swim very fast, a bit of a laugh