A Perth minister is about to take on one of the toughest and funniest challenges on TV.
The Rev Jim Stewart of Letham St Mark’s Church will be among those lining up on BBC1’s Total Wipeout and tackling the famous big red balls.
He is not giving anything away, but fans of the show and of Mr Stewart himself will be able to find out how he got on by tuning in from 6.10pm on Saturday.
In the show 20 contestants throw themselves into a series of increasingly difficult and often stomach-churning physical challenges, culminating in the ultimate obstacle course.
Its popularity in his own home is perhaps the main reason Mr Stewart decided he would like to be among the contestants.
“It’s compulsive family viewing for us and it’s just one of those things when the kids say ‘wouldn’t it be great if you were on that dad’,” he said.
“So, without telling them, I went away and applied online. I didn’t think much more of it until I received an invitation to an audition at Meadowbank along with a whole host of other people.
“I couldn’t believe it when I saw all the nutters there hoping to take part in the nicest possible sense of the word.Tutus”There were guys in tutus, people dressed as nuns, but once you just got into it the whole thing was just great fun.
“I must have done quite well as things moved on pretty quickly after that and I was soon booking a trip to Buenos Aries in October.”
Mr Stewart said there had been a “wee bit of physical stuff” at the audition, which proved no problem as he is a keen fitness fan and enjoys running and cycling.
However, what the show’s producers Endemol were really after was the mix of characters who along with the obstacles and falls make the show such a hit.
“Because I was a minister I think they liked that, but while I might give the show a different angle I was true to myself throughout,” he said.
Whisked away to Brazil, he joined 19 other contestants none of whom he had met before and found them to be a great bunch.Royal photographerAmong them were a royal photographer, a scientist, a head teacher, IT girl, a number of students and the daughter of an international cricketer.”There was a really good mix of folk and there were some real head cases again in the nicest sense of the word.
“I think the show will crack people up.”
Mr Stewart’s family, wife Anne and children Hannah (15), Adam (13), Ruth (11) and Ellie (10), will all be tuning in tomorrow to see how dad gets on.
Also keen to find out are youngsters at Perth Academy and Viewlands Primary who have now been waiting for months to see their friends’ dad in action.
“You wouldn’t believe the amount of people who have asked me when it’s going to be on TV,” he said.
“I think they just want to see someone they know on the show-and preferably see them humiliated.”