Entertainment

Tanni Grey-Thompson and Gregg Wallace confirmed for Impossible Celebrities

The game show will be hosted by Rick Edwards.
The game show will be hosted by Rick Edwards. The game show will be hosted by Rick Edwards.

MasterChef’s Gregg Wallace, Paralympian Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and Strictly Come Dancing star Debbie McGee are in the line-up for new primetime show Impossible Celebrities.

A spin-off of BBC One daytime series Impossible, it will involve 18 celebrities competing across six episodes to give themselves a chance of winning £10,000 for a charity of their choice.

In the game show, hosted by Rick Edwards, the celebrities have to “avoid giving impossible answers”, which can knock them out of an episode.

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson
Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson (Ian West/PA)

Along with Baroness Grey-Thompson, Wallace and McGee, presenters Angela Scanlon and Rory Reid, and actresses Chizzy Akudolu and Jorgie Porter are on the celebrity panel.

Broadcaster Dotty, actress Liz Carr, comedians Russell Kane, Rachel Parris, Imran Yusuf and Craig Hill, Olympian Iwan Thomas, Steps singer Ian “H” Watkins, reality TV stars Spencer Matthews and Vicky Pattison, and YouTuber Louise Pentland complete the line-up.

There will also be six additional celebrities who will be drafted in each week, as the star winner of each episode makes way for a newcomer.

TV presenters Dick and Dom, journalist and broadcaster Reverend Kate Bottley, former S Club 7 star Hannah Spearritt, Strictly dancer Anton Du Beke and ex-JLS star JB Gill will each get their turn on the programme.

“The best bit was that it was really nice to spend so much time with people,” Baroness Grey-Thompson said of taking part in the game show.

Gregg Wallace
Gregg Wallace Gregg Wallace (David Davies/PA)

“There was a massive camaraderie about people getting to the final.”

MasterChef judge Wallace said: “My happiest moment was watching the lovely Debbie McGee trying to figure out the nicknames of darts players. Debbie and darts is not a natural combo.”

Top Gear presenter Reid said one of his memorable moments during filming involved making “small talk” with Wallace over lunch.

Reid said: “I figured I’d bring up my attempt to follow a vegan diet, so I somewhat flippantly said ‘Some vegan food is actually quite decent, mate, you’d be surprised.’

“He replied ‘No, I don’t think I’d be that surprised. I’ve only been in the food industry for 20 years.’ Forget food, this was more foot in mouth.”

Impossible Celebrities will air on BBC One this summer.