Ferne McCann almost killed me while we filmed SAS: Who Dares Wins, says Calum Best
CALUM BEST has told how he came within two seconds of death when a stunt went wrong on SAS: Who Dares Wins.
The reality TV regular, one of 14 celebs taking part in the new series, had to fall backwards off a mountain while Towie’s Ferne McCann pulled on a cord to counter his weight and ease him safely down.
But it all went wrong and Ferne didn’t tug hard enough, leaving the directing staff to dash to his rescue.
Calum said: “The DS told me, ‘If we didn’t save the cord, that thing was splitting and you were falling to your death’. Ferne started crying.
In the moment you want to support your friend and say, ‘It’s OK’ but in hindsight you look back and you go, ‘Jesus Christ, what the f***, if that had gone a little bit wrong for two more seconds I could have been falling backwards to my death’
“It was like, ‘For f***’s sake, woman, please pull the cord and don’t kill me!’
READ MORE ON CELEB SAS
Like, ‘Come on, I’m not killing you. You don’t kill me — please!’
“I think then seeing Ferne crying, I just thought, ‘It’s OK. I might have just nearly died, but you have done well learning from this experience’.”
Calum first made his name as the party-loving son of Man United football legend George and then appeared on every reality TV show going.
But he reckons his latest gig, in Jordan, for the Channel 4 challenge show will show viewers how he has changed.
Calum, who features alongside actress Maisie Smith, told me: “I’ve never been able to show that I like extreme adventure.
Most read in TV
I like climbing mountains. My entertainment career has really been focused around dating or documentaries about alcohol and parental drinking
“At the end of the day, I’ve got to pay the bills. I wasn’t left a trust fund. I wasn’t left any money.
"I was left an incredible name that I’m very proud of, but every penny I’ve earned — I’ve had to earn myself
“And that’s why when (SAS: Who Dares Wins instructor) DS Remi Adeleke was trying to psych me up to go fight somebody, talking about the anger I had towards my dad, I wanted to be like, ‘No, mate, I don’t. I love him.
"I’m blessed. It’s all good’.”
Fair play, Calum.
- The new series of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins starts on Sunday at 9pm on C4
IT’S NEAR MISS FOR AMERICA
READERS of a certain age will know the name Miss Hoolie well, along with all the other jolly folk from kids’ TV classic Balamory.
As the series celebrates its 20th anniversary, the actress behind the telly nursery teacher has revealed how the show was so big, they almost cracked America.
Scots actress Julie Wilson Nimmo said: “It was like, ‘It’s going to America and the Americans will love it’. We were like: ‘But do they?’
“They sold it all over the world but we were apparently going to film a new version in America.
“We were all rolling about, laughing about reading our lines in an American accent.”
Julie added on the GlasGo podcast that she’s still in touch with the old cast.
She said: “I meet up with Juliet Cadzow (Edie McCredie) and Andrew Agnew (PC Plum) all of the time, as they also live in Glasgow.”
Balamory will be back on BBC iPlayer from Tuesday, to mark the anniversary.
Bizbit
LEAKY pipes are never good – but Channel 4’s dispatches has found 870 of the sewerage sort are spewing forth.
Jimmy Doherty looks at how waste is being dumped into our rivers and seas.
Hold your nose and tune in to Britain’s Water Scandal, on tonight at 7.30pm.
RYLAN’S DOUBLY AMUSED
HE’S one of the most eligible bachelors on the box after his split from his husband last summer.
But even Rylan Clark is baffled by the weird compliment another ex has paid him – because the telly favourite has told how the former flame is now in a new relationship with a Rylan double.
Rylan said: “One of my exes goes out with my official lookalike who is, may I add, 15 years older than me.”
Chatting with Rylan on Radio 2, cheeky LIZA TARBUCK asked: “ What’s his best angle . . . from behind?”
Naughty Rylan replied: “I am not too sure. Ask my ex?
MATT IS A STAR U-TURN
MATT GOSS is preparing to strut his stuff as a Strictly Come Dancing contestant.
But it marks a U-turn for the lofty Bros singer, because earlier this year he said he would only consider appearing as a judge.
Matt said of talent shows: “I am a fan on an entertainment level. I would like to be in a judge position.
“But at the same time the journey is the most important thing.”
Of his own fame, he added: “I don’t want to be called ‘Matt Goss from Bros’. I am not called that in America. I have done enough stuff.
“Now they do these shows and they are like job interviews and they tell you whether you can have a job or not.”
A job’s a job these days, Matt.
Bizbit
MORGANA ROBINSON will begin filming for her brand new comedy chat show next week.
Morgana Meets will mix celebrity chat with some of the Aussie-born English impressionist’s new characters.
More of Morgana has to be good. It’s sure to be a bundle of laughs
LOOK AT THE SEA ’CHELLE WE FOUND
IT’S a pleasant 25C in Australia – but Michelle Keegan is making Bondi Beach look like Blackpool.
The actress is Down Under filming a new BBC period drama and exploring the country when off work.
So she headed to Sydney’s famous beach over the weekend and struck this pose on the promenade.
But togged up in a puffa jacket and hoodie, she might as well have been in Blighty.
Read More on The Sun
Read More on The Sun
Michelle will star as nurse Kate in a six-parter called Ten Pound Poms, which is set in the Fifties.
Let’s assume those snazzy trainers aren’t part of the costume.
