The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
IT’S A LOCH OF THEIR OWN AS FREDDIE HUNTS NESSIE
As A League Of Their Own Road Trip: Loch Ness To London airs on Sky, Danielle de Wolfe hears from stars Andrew Flintoff and Jamie Redknapp
Cricket legend Andrew ‘‘Freddie’’ Flintoff is grinning. “Are you going to try and get me on conspiracy theories? Because I love ’em,” he declares. “Moon landings, Big Foot, flat Earth, I love all this.” It’s precisely the sort of jovial chatter we’ve grown to know and love from the 43-year-old, particularly when it comes to hit Sky television series A League Of Their Own (or ALOTO as it’s affectionately known by many).
Together with former England footballer Jamie Redknapp and comedian Romesh Ranganathan, the trio regularly find themselves in mischief.
With previous instalments of the sportmeets-comedy road trip taking in the sunny climes of the US, and the vibrant contours of Europe, the latest home-grown spin-off comes with cloud and rain.
“Do you know what, it was a chance to see more of Britain,” reflects Flintoff. “At that time of year, in the past, we’ve been down Venice Beach and Los Angeles and exploring them – we’re playing basketball and we’ve got a pair of shorts on. This time, we’re in Scotland, in the winter, being chucked in a loch.”
Spanning the length and breadth of the nation, A League Of Their Own Road Trip: Loch Ness To London is every inch the comedy-fuelled adventure.
“It’s bonkers, that’s the thing,” says Flintoff. “A League of Their Own started 10 years ago; we’ve done 20 studio shows and if you’d have seen the first one, you probably wouldn’t have thought we’d get a second. Now we’re doing all these road trips and things, it’s not the direction I thought my life would go in but I’m loving it.”
LOCHS AND LEGENDS
“I’d love to believe there’s something in there,” says Flintoff of the first episode, shot on the shores of Loch Ness. “When we got put in, you still have in the back of your mind that there’s something down there – whether it’s a monster or just a big fish or something prehistoric, I’m not quite sure.”
It was an opening challenge that saw Flintoff contemplating his final moments should Nessie appear. ”What a way to go, eh?
What a way to go,” Flintoff grins. “Not quite what I’d expect; I’d expect it in Preston town centre with a kebab on my chest.”
“That would be a great front page though,” interjects Redknapp gleefully. “’Freddie Flintoff eaten by the Loch Ness monster’.”
FAMILIAR FACES
Flintoff, Redknapp and Ranganathan find themselves reunited with former ALOTO star and comedian Jack Whitehall.
“We knew it was going to be under different restrictions but it was fun and to have the level of people we did,” says Redknapp of the series. “We got a little bit lucky.
“Jack (Whitehall) would have been promoting his film with The Rock, but because he hasn’t got any work on, all of a sudden Jack went ‘all right, yeah, that will be great fun, let’s go and do a road trip!’
“But as I say, Jack, Romesh, Alan Carr, Tom Davis, Micah Richards, Alex Scott – an array of people coming on that love the show,” he says. And as Freddie said, it showed Britain at its beautiful best, we had a really, really good time. The other one we had on that’s an absolute treat every time you see him is Shaun Williamson – Barry from EastEnders,” continues Flintoff.
THE CHALLENGES
With a new series comes new challenges. Alongside the depths of lochs, the opening episode sees Flintoff and Redknapp tackle a forest, complete with the guidance of former Royal Marine Commandos Aldo Kane and Jason Fox, star of SAS: Who Dares Wins. “Foxy and Aldo are amazing,” says Flintoff. “We see that programme, SAS: Who Dares Wins, where everyone thinks they can do it and have a go... But then the more I’ve seen of these guys, there’s not a chance. Me and Jamie have played a bit of sport, we might have a few physical attributes, but let’s be honest, SAS? No. Not a chance.”
Redknapp agrees. Yet the ex-footballer is quick to note that Flintoff is a man you want by your side. “In terms of people I think might have been the closest to getting into (the SAS), it would be Freddie; he’s fearless.
A League Of Their Own Road Trip: Loch Ness To London arrives on April 8 on Sky One and NOW TV.