John Fashanu and Tony Bellew are the latest sports stars to hit reality TV after being confirmed as contestants in the upcoming Channel 4 series Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look back at five more sporting heroes who left their comfort zones to prove themselves in the jungle and the ballroom.
Jimmy White
The snooker star was a surprise hit on the 2009 edition of I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, avoiding eviction and staying until the end. However, the six-time World Championship finalist faced a familiar ordeal as he was beaten by Kim Woodburn and Gino D’Acampo and had to settle for another near-victory.
Joe Calzaghe
During his undefeated boxing career, Calzaghe earned a reputation for blistering hand and foot speed, making him seem like a natural candidate for the 2009 edition of Strictly Come Dancing. Unfortunately, he wasn’t. Calzaghe was dragged through five elimination bouts by his partner Kristina Rihanoff – and quite possibly half of Wales – before his ordeal was finally, and belatedly, alleviated.
Beth Tweedle
As reality TV ideas go, Channel 4’s The Jump – which saw celebrities trained to perform various nerve-racking feats at the Winter Olympics – teetered on the edge of recklessness. The show was cancelled after four seasons after several athletes were injured, including gymnast Beth Tweddle, who had to undergo surgery on her neck and spinal cord after crashing into a barrier during training.
Phil Tuffnell
The laid-back cricket star launched a brand new career after being declared the winner of I’m a Celebrity in 2003, less than 12 months after quitting his sporting career. Tufnell took full advantage of his unlikely fame, appearing in a number of other reality shows, including Strictly six years later.
Chris Eubank
Although Eubank had an exciting career as a boxer, he was knocked out of Celebrity Big Brother and suffered the humiliation of being the first star to be eliminated from the first series in 2001. Eubank shrugged off his ignominious exit, voted for by the British public, saying: “I could take it quite well. I fought for a living.” Eubank also entered the jungle.
