THE BIG CHILL
Shivering celebs try to conquer their fears by plunging into an icy lake and abseiling down cliffs in a riveting new series...
High in the Italian Alps, a group of celebrities are psyching themselves up for a terrifying — and very chilly — challenge. Sports presenter Gabby Logan, chart-topping tenor Alfie Boe and former Manchester United and France footballer Patrice Evra are among those being invited to jump into a lake through a hole in the ice wearing just swimming costumes. It’s winter and the water is close to freezing — anything other than a quick in-and-out risks bringing on hypothermia, which could be fatal.
We’ll find out how they get on this week in BBC1’s Freeze The Fear With Wim Hof, hosted by Holly Willoughby and Lee Mack, which promises to be more than a sub-zero version of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
Those involved in the six-part series will be taught mind techniques to help them conquer their fear of the cold by extreme athlete Wim Hof, a 62-year-old Dutchman. ‘It’s a learning process but one that’s achievable,’ says Wim, aka The Iceman. ‘It’s about training your mind by going deeper into the realms of your brain. The challenges on Freeze The Fear get tougher, but the celebrities gain more control over their fear of the cold — over their fears, full stop — and are therefore better able to cope with the bigger problems.’
Accommodation for the celebrities — who also include actress Tamzin Outhwaite, rapper Professor Green, weatherman Owain Wyn Evans, Strictly Come Dancing’s Dianne Buswell and singer Chelcee Grimes — is a luxurious tented village, complete with roaring campfire. But in order to gain access to it at the end of episode one they have to complete another chilly challenge — a nerve-jangling abseil down an icy cliff-face. There was genuine terror among the group, but funnyman Lee Mack did his best to help lighten the mood. ‘I asked Patrice Evra why, having gained 81 caps for France, he didn’t wear at least one of them on his head to protect himself when he first arrived,’ says Lee. ‘But that’s as close to goading anyone as I got. What I like about Freeze The Fear is that it’s not trying to push people into arguments for the sake of controversial TV — it’s challenging them to improve themselves.’ Co-host Holly adds, ‘For a show set in the cold, it has a lot of warmth! I’m always looking for ways to make life better, and this series aims to make a difference to those taking part.’
–Tim Oglethorpe Freeze The Fear With Wim Hof, Tuesday, 9pm, BBC1.