Superfit Christine McGuinness seems to have nothing to worry about when The Games commence on Monday night on ITV.
The highly toned former model looks in great shape to take on fellow celebs in the week-long reality sports show.
But it’s not the physical challenges filling the 34-year-old mum of three with terror.
It is the thought of doing live TV that is giving Christine, wife of comic and A Question of Sport host Paddy McGuinness, “meltdowns”.
In November, brave Christine publicly revealed she has autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Now she admits that she is “absolutely petrified” at being filmed live and in front of a stadium audience.
This week she will be one of the 12 stars – six male and six female – to battle it out in Olympic events to see who will top the medals table and be crowned the winners at the end of the week.
Celebs such as ex-Strictly pro Kevin Clifton, Love Islander Olivia Attwood, ex-Coronation Street actor Ryan Thomas and Emmerdale star Rebecca Sarker are competing.
They, like singer-songwriter Chelcee Grimes, newsreader Lucrezia Millarini, and Harry Potter actor Josh Herdman, have been intensively training and coached for weeks.
The show’s events will take them to the athletics arena, velodrome, swimming pool and gymnasium. Christine says: “Physically I feel fine. But I do get quite emotional sometimes and it all gets a bit too much, so I’ve struggled with that.
“I don’t really feel tired at the end of the day, I’m active anyway. It’s just emotionally I’m drained. More so as it’s getting nearer and nearer thinking about it being on telly and so many people watching.
“Having to do it with a stadium full of people for me is so overwhelming and it petrifies me and as we’re getting closer I’m having meltdowns – it’s hard.
“It’s sensory overload anxiety times 1,000. No one is feeling great about it being on telly and the place being full. For me it’s just an awful lot more and it takes over – I will panic.”
Christine and Paddy, 48, who also presents Top Gear, have been open about their children having autism.
But Christine, who was a recluse for eight years, hopes by taking part in The Games she will show her children that their diagnoses do not have to hold them back. She says: “I want them to know they can do anything.
“I don’t want them to ever think autism can hold them back, I want them to believe they can do whatever they put their minds to.
“I need to try and lead by example and get on with it. It will be too much for them to come down with Paddy.
“I wouldn’t have walked in these rooms three years ago. I wouldn’t walk into a football stadium. I love Liverpool, but I’d never go and watch them. I’ve avoided situations. I was a recluse for eight years in my 20s.
“I did not go out and socialise and if I went to the shop I’d only go at one or two in the morning when it was quiet. Stuck to my own little bubble and life. I avoided weddings, birthdays and red carpets because I found it all too much. Had to turn up at my own!
“I didn’t understand that’s why I was like that, but when my children were diagnosed and going to therapy with them four times a week – I was like: ‘Oh my god, this is me’.
“My diagnosis has opened up my life and given me so much more opportunity to understand that’s why I was the way I was, and that I don’t need to be like that and I can go to the shop during the day.
“Knowledge is key, if you know what you’re dealing with you can deal with it. I am proud.”
The Games will be hosted by Holly Willoughby and Freddie Flintoff.
The commentator will be former professional footballer and presenter Chris Kamara. Ex-women’s professional footballer Alex Scott will be a trackside reporter.
ITV said: “Each will put their sporting prowess to the test in events, from the 100-metre sprint to doubles diving, racking up points on the medals table.
“As well as live coverage of the events, each episode will feature the celebrities’ preparation, their gruelling training programme leading up to the competition as they aim to reach their peak physical condition.
“As the medals table takes shape with each episode, the series will culminate in an exhilarating final show in which the overall winner will be crowned.”
Other celebs taking part are musician Wes Nelson, model Phoenix Brown, The Wanted’s Max George and Corrie’s Colson Smith.
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