Cannonball
Season 1 ITV Choice (*123) 20:00 Reality
You can take the sportsman out of competition but you can’t take the competition out of the sportsman. Retired English cricket star Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff is hosting new obstacle reality show Cannonball (2017-current), sending contestants through a giant waterpark in the hopes of winning the Cannonball Cup. “What’s not to love?” says the 40-year-old host. “Water and giant inflatable slides are the perfect recipe for spectacular comedy moments with incredible athleticism thrown in!”
Which game would you love a bash at? I’d like to have had a go at Skimmer or Blob, but I’m not sure they have big enough Blobbers to catapult me into the air. [Laughs] Are you an adrenaline junkie? As I’ve got older, I’m not. Playing cricket, you lived on adrenaline. In Freddie Flintoff Versus The World (2011), I did extreme sports for six weeks, from bull riding to cliff diving and I think I got my fix. Now I’m just happy at home with a cup of tea! Speaking of home, Cannonball took you away from the UK to Malta for filming… Of course you miss your family, but it was only for a few weeks and I did it for my cricket career anyway. I’m such a creature of habit that I had the same meal every night while filming. What sets Cannonball apart from other obstacle shows like Wipeout (2008-2014)? We have a tacky trophy that we can’t wait to get rid of and the contestants don’t really want it! [Laughs] It’s fun – the contestants enjoy taking part, the audience enjoys watching and it’s for no real purpose whatsoever! It’s a show that I can watch with my kids – most of what I watch, I can’t watch with them. How would you do on the course? Hosting made me realise how old I am! I had to stop to catch my breath! [Laughs]