"I was crying because I was so scared of drowning": Sugababe Jade Ewen on conquering her Splash! diving fears
Pop star had to be convinced by her family to continue with ITV1 show
ITV
What made you want to take part in Splash!?
I've never been able to swim very well.
I hate water – it's a big fear for me, but I wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to work with the best diving trainers in the country.
I thought if it could help me become a bit braver, I'd love to do it.
Did it go well from the start?
No. At the beginning I hated it. I was crying because I was so scared of drowning, I wanted to give up but my family talked me into continuing.
The next day I tried one of the most difficult dives and thought: "Actually, it's not so hard. I think I can do this." Now I'm much more relaxed.
Can you describe the sensation of diving into the water off a high board?
It's such a buzz, you feel so proud of yourself and you just can't believe you have been brave enough to do it.
You've gone from being someone afraid of just being in the pool to diving off the high board.
I feel like I've overcome an obstacle within me. Now I feel I could take that with me into the outside world.
What does Tom Daley give to Splash!?
He is absolutely lovely, but I don't envy him his job at all.
The other day, he just turned up and dived off the 10-metre board, somersaulting all the way through the air. He was so graceful – he looked like a dolphin.
Then he said: "I'm going to teach you how to do that" – I wanted to run for it!
ITV
What you think viewers will take away from this show?
Everyone likes to watch celebrities making fools of themselves, but if they see us doing it, perhaps they’ll think: "I could do that."
Once you get over the initial fear, it's great fun.
What do you hope to gain from being involved with the programme?
I'm really looking forward to the live shows and the specially designed costumes that they're making for us.
That'll be glamorous, but beyond that, if I can keep in the contest and stay competitive, that would be beyond my expectations.
Too often, we feel happy in our comfort zone and don't push ourselves.
This has made me think: "Actually, I can do more than I thought" and that's a very good lesson for life.
* Splash! begins on Saturday January 5, on ITV1 at 7.15pm
