SAS Who Dares Wins star Pete Wicks nearly drowned after helicopter stunt went horribly wrong
PETE WICKS has revealed how he almost drowned while filming Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.
The Towie stalwart was challenged to jump out a helicopter into a lake but managed to knocked himself out with his huge backpack.
It left him with broken ribs as his lifeless body floated face down in the water, leaving him minutes from death as show staff screamed for help.
Pete told me: “I got it wrong, I got it very wrong. I think my leg got a little bit caught in the bag and I went straight down onto the bag, knocked myself out and broke my ribs.
“I was unconscious in the water so I don’t really remember much, just the rescue swimmers coming to get me and they flicked me over and then said, ‘Oh, we need to get you in the boat.’
“I didn’t want to get in the boat because if you start something you have to finish it, so then I remember trying to swim back. We got to shore and then I realised, ‘f**k I’ve actually hurt myself here’.”
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The high jump is just one of the death-defying challenges faced by Pete during filming for the Channel 4 series in Jordan.
Other stars involved include Jennifer Ellison and Dwain Chambers.
Pete went on: “I felt dazed and confused. I was struggling to move my upper body, where I’d hit the bag, and I think just the impact of being unconscious and everything else, I was very confused.
“I didn’t really know exactly what was going on and even moving my arms was quite painful just because the pressure that was on my ribs and everything, so yeah, it just wasn’t nice.”
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The experience was a wake up call for the party boy.
He added: “Listen, I drink too much, I smoke too much. Years ago, I was training and fell on my arse basically and shattered my coccyx, it stopped me from training and all that stuff and then I just never went back to it.
“I suppose partying and that kind of thing took.”
Watch the dramatic scenes on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins this Sunday at 9pm on Channel 4.
LEN EYES CHANGE
SINCE LENNY HENRY co-founded Comic Relief nearly 40 years ago a lot has changed – but the comedian reckons it’s not enough.
He said: “I’m really looking forward to the day when there’s new comedians coming on, new actors, new writers.
“It’s gonna change, it’s gonna mutate, the old people are gonna have to do something else.”
On the event organiser Fane’s Evening With podcast, Lenny added: “But how awful that we’re still having to talk about food banks.
“It’s not just happening in Uganda, these things are happening in Britain, and we have to support our allies in this country as well as everywhere else.”
Really Pulling Teeth
ITV Tonight has discovered almost 4,000 dentists with NHS contracts are treating just ONE NHS patient a month.
In Pulling Teeth: The End Of NHS Dentistry? Reporter Daniel Hewitt travels across the country to hear from those who have been affected the most. Watch tonight on ITV at 8.30pm.
Seann’s begging for fans
YOU would think locking lips with a Strictly siren would be good for business.
But four years after smooching Katya Jones behind his girlfriend’s back, Seann Walsh is struggling.
He has been begging fans to help fill his gig at Brighton’s Theatre Royal, because he intends to film the show for a comedy special.
The stand-up comedian wrote on Instagram: “If you haven’t yet got your ticket, what are you doing with your life? Saving up in fear of rising energy prices and not being able to afford to simply live?! Pathetic.
“There are more important things at stake here like my ego.”
God forbid that takes another bashing.
AJ’S NEW ODU-’DO
AJ ODUDU is rocking a new ‘do to launch her show for E4, The Big Blow Out.
The show, which comes from the makers of Bake Off, comes to screens on September 19 and today the eleven stylists vying to be crowned champ will be unveiled.
But my sneak peek shows they’ve got a fine bunch of barnets.
AJ will have help from celebrity hairdressers Sam McKnight and Lisa Farrall.
She said: “The Big Blow Out is full of drama, dedication, excitement and most importantly, creative hairstyles on all hair types that will be sure to blow your socks off.”
NO FOOL
ONLY Fools And Horses legend Sir David Jason has made a cushty deal that even Del Boy would be proud of.
The veteran actor’s firm banked £2million last year from royalties, book deals, documentaries and voiceovers.
Accounts for Jason’s TV production company Peglington Productions Limited show the huge profit, with David paying himself a £600,000 dividend as a result.
He played wheeler dealer Del Boy for two decades but also had starring roles in Open All Hours, Darling Buds Of May and A Touch Of Frost.
David is now kept busy by making documentaries and has recently lent his voice to children’s TV series Pip Ahoy!
For someone who once had the catchphrase, “This time next year, we’ll be millionaires,” he’s doing very well for himself.
ENDERS THE WAY
FRESH from his EastEnders debut, Bobby Brazier says dad Jeff is chuffed – because it means he is finally paying rent.
Bobby, who is the son of the late Jade Goody, has joined the BBC soap as Freddie Slater.
He said: “This is completely different to anything I’ve done before. I’ve never acted before. I’ve been thrown in the deep end a bit but I’d like to say I’m swimming.
“There were nerves but everyone made me so comfortable straight away literally from the first scene.
“Dad is happy I’m working consistently and earning and paying rent.”
Of late mum Jade, he added: “She’d be proud. Why wouldn’t she be? Anyone who loves and cares about me, all my friends and family, they’re all proud and all supportive, so I’m sure – well I know – she’d be the same.”
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Disney's pocket-friendly offer
DISNEY+ has a new pocket-friendly offer. New and returning users can sign up for a month’s telly for just £1.99.
It comes just in time for the streaming release of Chris Hemsworth‘s Thor: Love And Thunder, plus a new Captain Marvel short starring Brie Larson. See Disneyplus.com.