Channel 4 takes on The Jump

17 January 2014

2014 is set to be a year of brilliant winter sport. In the run up to the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Sochi, Channel 4 is hitting the slopes early as twelve famous faces have limbered up following weeks of rigorous training, ready to face the challenges of daring winter sports for brand new series The Jump. 

Taking to the slopes and competing against each other in some of the most gruelling and exciting winter sporting disciplines will be six brave men and six courageous women from the worlds of sport, comedy, television, music and fashion.

The competitors have been in training for months, preparing for the ultimate challenge of a live Ski Jump from a mountainside in Austria.  

The gutsy girls are 80’s songstress Sinitta, Essex girl Amy Childs, former Pussycat Doll Kimberly Wyatt, broadcaster Anthea Turner and TV presenters Melinda Messenger and Laura Hamilton..  

The daring men are five time Olympic gold medallist Sir Steve Redgrave, ex-England cricket legend Darren Gough, comedian Marcus Brigstocke, celebrity hairdresser Nicky Clarke, socialite and party promoter Henry Conway and Ritchie Neville of reformed 90’s boyband 5ive.

Training alongside the twelve are X Factor winner Joe McElderry and investigative journalist Donal McIntyre, as standby competitors.

 

The twelve competitors will need nerves of steel as they compete in some of the most thrilling winter sports including Skeleton, Bobsleigh, Speed Skating, Ski Cross and Slalom. Winter Olympic skier Graham Bell and Winter Olympic Skeleton gold medallist Amy Williams will put them through their paces as they face their fears and prepare for the biggest challenges of their lives. 

The contenders will also be coached by legendary Winter Olympian Eddie ‘the Eagle’ Edwards, as each night the two celebrities with the lowest overall scores in that nights event will face the Ski Jump to keep their place in the competition. In order to proceed in the competition they must jump the furthest. The loser will be eliminated.  

Eddie said: “This competition is as much about mental strength as it is about physical agility.  Winter sports are tough to master; it takes skill, guts and determination to get round a course. The ultimate test will be The Jump itself. I know how hard it can be when the world is watching.”

The Jump will air on Channel 4 and will be presented by Davina McCall and Alex Brooker.

Davina said: "Skiing is tough enough to learn as it is, so what these guys are taking on is really impressive - it's shaping up to be butt-clenchingly exciting!"

Alex Added: "I'm absolutely delighted to be involved with The Jump. The closest I've come to a winter sport is sledging and I wasn't great at that. I can't wait to see how the celebrities fare. It's going to be nerve wracking!"