Entertainment

The Jump line-up: All you need to know

The Jump line-up: All you need to know
The Jump line-up: All you need to know The Jump line-up: All you need to know

Medal-winning sports men and women, reality TV stars and models will be tackling an array of winter sports as the new series of The Jump kicks off.

This year, 14 competitors will battle it out to be crowned the winner of the Channel 4 programme.

Here is what you need to know about the contestants:

Kadeena Cox MBE

Kadeena Cox (Channel 4)

Kadeena, 25, has multiple sclerosis and won four medals at the Rio Paralympics including golds in athletics and cycling.

She became the first Briton since 1988 to win a medal in two sports at the same Paralympics as she won the C4-5 women’s cycling time trial and the T38 400m sprint on the athletics track at the Rio Games.

Kadeena wants to do The Jump to “put disability sport on the map but also to show other disabled people that there are no limits, we can still push boundaries”.

She said: “I’m not telling everyone to go out and compete in the Olympics, but push yourself to do what you want to achieve whether that might be getting to the shop for a paper.

“Yeah I have struggles to achieve things within this show but I’m going to put the hard work in to do the best I can.”

Vogue Williams

Vogue Williams (Channel 4)

Irish model, television and radio personality Vogue is no stranger to reality TV, having appeared on shows such as Dancing With The Stars and Bear Grylls: Mission Survive, which she won in 2015.

The 31-year-old used to be married to Westlife singer Brian McFadden.

Vogue said she is going to get extremely competitive and joked that she might “do something” to fellow contestant Spencer Matthews.

She said: “I’m not up for any sabotage but I’ll do something to Spencer! Maybe I’ll cut holes in his ski suit!

“He’s the mischief maker, he says he’s looking for trouble so I’m staying out of his way!”

Sir Bradley Wiggins

Sir Bradley Wiggins (Channel 4)

Retired cyclist Bradley, 36, is known for being Britain’s most decorated Olympian.

The father-of-two announced his retirement last year, ending a career which had seen him scoop eight Olympic medals and win the Tour de France.

So far he has enjoyed training for the show as he says he is used to a strict training routine,

And he says preparing for the snow sports challenges is “not as scary as I thought it was going to be”.

He is not worried about injuries, saying: “People go skiing and hurt themselves all the time, it’s the nature of the sport.”

Gareth Thomas

Gareth Thomas (Channel 4)

Gareth is known for his rugby career, and is a former Welsh international.

He came out as gay in 2009.

Gareth, 42, might have to face a few fears when he competes on the show as he admits to having several phobias.

He said: “I might be a big guy but there’s nothing I don’t have a phobia of! I absolutely despise heights like you would not believe.

“I don’t like helmets, I’ve got a thing about putting my head in the helmet because I don’t like being in an enclosed space. And it’s going to sound crazy but I hate the cold!”

Josie Gibson

Josie Gibson (Channel 4)

Josie found fame when she won Big Brother in 2010, captivating audiences with her on-screen romance with fellow housemate John James Parton.

She lost a lot of weight after her appearance on the programme and went on to release fitness DVDs.

Now 32, Josie admitted she has some concerns going into The Jump.

“I don’t like waterslides so I’m imagining that the skeleton and the jump are a bit like that,” she said.

“I’ve got this fear that I am going to be sick in my helmet and it all goes in my eyes.”

Caprice Bourret

Caprice (Channel 4)

Caprice, 45, was born in the US but moved to the UK about 20 years ago.

Best known for her successful modelling career, she also has several film and television appearances to her name.

She is mum to sons Jax and Jett who were delivered just weeks apart – one born via a surrogate and the other carried by Caprice.

The star said she is not sure how competitive she will be on the show.

She said: “Before I was a mum I was an absolute animal! I was so aggressive with everything, I had to win everything.

“It’ll be interesting to see when I get out on the slopes whether that streak in me is going to come back out. I’m a wild card in that respect, but I will say that if it does come back then look out, everyone!”

Jason Robinson OBE

Jason Robinson (Channel 4)

Jason is a former England international rugby player and 2003 World Cup winner.

The 42-year-old was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2008 New Year Honours.

He says that he has not found anything to get his teeth into since retiring nine years ago, and hopes The Jump fills that void.

He said his years on the field have prepared him for the programme, as he is not too worried about getting hurt.

He said: “I’m not exactly the biggest of rugby players but that sport is more dangerous than this.

“I’d sooner go on the ski slopes than run at some guy who is 6ft and 22st, that’s dangerous!”

Robbie Fowler

Robbie Fowler (Channel 4)

Robbie is a former England international and Liverpool footballer, who is the sixth-highest goalscorer in the Premier League’s history.

Now 41, Robbie has retired from football and makes regular appearances on television.

He said he is looking forward to being involved with sport again.

He said: “I’m sure some of the other lads would say the same, when you’ve been involved in sport for such a long time and then you retire, you miss the day-to-day life and the dressing room banter.

“This is the closest we’re going to get to being back in that dressing room.”

Spencer Matthews

Spencer Matthews (Channel 4)

Spencer, 27, made his name on Made In Chelsea, where he became known as a bit of a ladies’ man.

He previously admitted to briefly using steroids for vanity reasons and, as a result, left reality show I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!

The star is looking forward to being seen a little differently, saying: “To be honest, at least this time people are less interested in my sex life and more interested in how quickly I can get down a hill!

“I think that’s more appealing to them and me too.”

And he joked that he is not above playing a little dirty: “I’m going to sabotage Jason (Robinson) in the ski cross, that’s for sure.

“No loosening of the boots or anything, but a little shoulder barge or shove where possible to wake people up could be on the cards.”

Mark Dolan

Mark Dolan (Channel 4)

Comedian Mark has joked that he only won his place on the show because of “a clerical error”, but said he now plans to make the most of it.

An accomplished presenter, Mark is probably best known for fronting comedy game show Balls Of Steel.

The father-of-six says he has been having some trouble with the outfits that need to be worn for the winter sports show, claiming they have given him “a beer belly I never knew I had”.

He joked: “Some of the guys are embarrassed about the lunchbox department. I’m lucky because I’m quite tightly tailored in that department. One of the seamstresses told me to tuck and we quickly realised it wasn’t necessary, such is my form.

“I hasten to stress the low temperatures on that mountain have reduced me to Greek statue-like proportions! Basically these outfits make you look like you’ve got a beer belly and no willy!”

Louis Smith MBE

Louis Smith (Channel 4)

Peterborough-born Louis made his name in gymnastics, where he excels in the pommel horse.

He is the only British gymnast to medal at three Olympic games, taking home medals from Beijing, London and Rio.

Louis, 27, won Strictly Come Dancing in 2012 alongside professional partner Flavia Cacace.

He has said he might incorporate some of his gymnastics skills into his challenges on The Jump.

He said: “I don’t want to be a rebel for the sake of it, so I have permission, but I want to add some flips into the jump!

“I asked if I could do some flips and tricks, they said I could do what I want as long as I don’t come up shorter than the person I’m up against!”

Jade Jones MBE

Jade Jones (Channel 4)

Welsh-born Jade, 23, is a two-time Olympic gold medal-winning Taekwondo champion.

She has said she wanted to try something different otherwise she did not think she would enjoy the next four years of training for Tokyo.

Jade, who is hoping to be the first female to win the show, said she thought about signing up for weeks because she is aware she could be injured.

“But I don’t think you can live your life like that, you could cross over the road and get hit by a bus, you never know what’s around the corner,” she said.

“I thought I would regret it more if I didn’t do this show. I’m 23 at the end of the day, I want to enjoy my life.”

Lydia Bright

Lydia Bright (Channel 4)

Lydia found fame in The Only Way Is Essex, where she became known for her on-off romance with fellow cast member James “Arg” Argent.

The 27-year-old is interested in fashion and has her own shop in Essex.

Lydia said she is already seeing the results of all the training for The Jump.

She said: “I’ve toned up so much already; imagine what I’m going to be like at the end of this?

“I said to the girls that we need to go to Vegas as soon as I’ve finished because my bikini body is never going to look so good.”

Emma Parker-Bowles

Emma Parker-Bowles (Channel 4)

Journalist and TV presenter Emma is the niece of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.

She said she has not spoken to her royal relative about The Jump but added: “Maybe they’ll tune in when I get to the final! Maybe that’s wishful thinking that I’ll get to the final, but you never know!”

Emma, who was born in 1974, said she is picking up plenty of tips during training – including how to eat like an Olympian.

She said: “Now I’ve decided that whatever Kadeena eats, I’m going to eat. I’m going on an Olympian diet!

“I was about to have a Snickers at break and then thought to myself whether Kadeena would and went for a banana instead!”