Unlikely duo Freddie Flintoff and Jason Manford bag new adventure series for ITV
FRESH from trying to create a cricket team from a group of youths in his native Preston, Freddie Flintoff is now taking on a new task in Wales.
The host of Field Of Dreams and Top Gear is teaming up with comedian Jason Manford for an upcoming show for ITV called Two Men In A Tent.
As the name suggests, it will see the former cricket all-rounder and stand-up star Jason join forces for a spot of camping in the one-off, hour-long special, which will air later this year.
But to make things a bit trickier, Freddie and Jason will have to pitch up in the Welsh wilderness — including on the side of the country’s largest peak, Mount Snowdon.
The duo were filming last month and Jason even posted a couple of cheeky images on Snowdon on his Instagram account.
A TV insider said: “Getting these two together is a no-brainer for ITV bosses, though the random challenge might leave a few viewers scratching their heads as neither have huge experience of surviving outdoors.
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“Fortunately Freddie does have some experience of working closely with a comedian as he’s used to filming with Paddy McGuinness on Top Gear.
“Though he won’t have worked quite as closely as this before, as they will be sleeping centimetres away from each other on their jaunt in Wales.”
The show caps off a particularly busy period for both TV stars.
As well as Top Gear and Field Of Dreams for the BBC, Freddie has also hosted The Games for ITV alongside Holly Willoughby.
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Meanwhile Jason has been a judge on Stars In Their Eyes reboot Starstruck, which returns for a second series soon.
And, of course, he showed off his vocal skills as Hedgehog on The Masked Singer in 2020.
With the pair’s busy schedules, getting them together for this show was a miracle.
Here’s hoping scaling Snowdon doesn’t turn out to be a disaster.
GIO HELP FOR JAMIE
JAMIE LAING is the only contestant to ever appear on two series of Strictly, so you’d think he would be well trained.
But the Made In Chelsea lad, who was forced to pull out in 2019 with an injury before returning the following year, reckons he still needs more work on the dancefloor.
On his NearlyWeds podcast, with fiancée Sophie Habboo, she asked whether he thought they should be rehearsing.
Jamie said: “We’re gonna call up to do it, Giovanni Pernice.
“He’s gonna teach us to do our first dance. I think we should do a wicked salsa or something like that.
“This is The Greatest Show . . . and I want to wear a little red jacket.
“You can be the elephant! Let’s put a saddle on you and I could ride you in! This is the greatest show!”
“Sounds like a whip-crackin’ start to married life.
Bizbit
TOP Boy’s Malcolm Kamulete leads a cast including Deja Bowens and Nadine Marshall for new BBC1 drama Champion.
The eight-part musical drama is the first TV project for Candice Carty-Williams, author of hit novel Queenie, and tells the explosive story of what happens when fame collides with family.
SUE’S CROC SHOCK
SUE HOLDERNESS has a scarier tale from Only Fools And Horses than one of Uncle Albert’s old war stories.
The actress has revealed she was nearly eaten by an alligator while filming classic episode Miami Twice.
One half of the special was shot in the Florida Everglades and Sue, who played Marlene, told how the creature went for her after she completed a scene with Del and Rodney, in which it was filmed creeping up on them from behind.
In the end she had to be saved by its handler.
Sue says: “The idea was this alligator would walk up behind Del and Rodney, they’d run off and the alligator would run towards them where there was a bowl of food.
“So the alligator was let off its leash and then headed towards the camera to this bowl of food but didn’t stop.
“The boys were at the other end of the forest by then.
“I, meanwhile, was filming on my video camera. I didn’t notice the boys had gone and I lost the alligator in my camera and it was about two feet from me.
“Sean, the chap who was supposed to be in charge, jumped on its tail, grabbed its jaws shut and wrapped this thing around it.
“I nearly died of fear, in fact – I nearly died. I could have been eaten by an alligator.”
Sue went into real detail for the first time about her brush with death in new Channel 5 documentary Only Fools And Horses: Secrets And Scandals.
Bizbit
HIP-HOP comedy show Don’t Hate The Playaz will be back for a fourth series this autumn.
Maya Jama, Lady Leshurr and Jordan Stephens will all return for the quirky ITV2 hit – and they’ve promised “the very best” performers and comedians as guests.
MYLEENE A STRIPE TEASE
MYLEENE KLASS is really earning her stripes as a pin-up.
The broadcaster has been busy promoting her new range of swimwear for Next and reckons that today’s navy and orange tiger design is just grrrreat.
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Myleene likes it so much, she has used the same pattern for a skimpy bikini as well as this one-shoulder costume.
It would look right at home in the I’m A Celebrity All-Stars jungle shower.