Splash! (British TV series) explained

Genre:Reality
Presenter:Gabby Logan
Vernon Kay
Judges:Andy Banks
Jo Brand
Leon Taylor
Starring:Tom Daley
Narrated:Alan March
Language:English
Num Series:2
Num Episodes:12
Executive Producer:Shirley Jones
Darren Smith
Producer:Aaron Kidd
Gyles Neville
Director:Julia Knowles
Location:Inspire: Luton Sports Village, Luton, Bedfordshire
Runtime:90 minutes (advertisements)
Company:Twofour
Network:ITV
Related:Celebrity Splash!

Splash! is a British television series that follows celebrities learning diving. The celebrities performed each week in front of a panel of judges and a live audience in an Olympic-size diving pool with the result each week partly determined by public vote. Gabby Logan and Vernon Kay presented the show, whilst Team GB Olympic Gold Medal-winning diver Tom Daley was the expert mentor to the celebrities.[1] It was filmed at the Inspire: Luton Sports Village, which is based in Stopsley, Luton.[2] The show premiered on ITV on 5 January 2013 winning the ratings battle for its 7:15–8:15 p.m. slot with an average audience of 5.6 million viewers, a network share of 23.6%,[3] [4] however, it was cancelled on 24 June 2014 after just two series.[5]

The format for the show originated from the Celebrity Splash! franchise created by television production company Eyeworks in the Netherlands,[6] and was broadcast on SBS 6 as Sterren Springen Op Zaterdag (Celebrities Jumping on Saturday).[7]

Format

See main article: Celebrity Splash!. The show was broadcast live on ITV on Saturday evenings, and was presented by Gabby Logan and Vernon Kay. In the show celebrities competed against each other performing dives in order to impress a judging panel and the viewing public. The series consisted of heats where two celebrities from each go into the semi-finals, and then followed by a live final on successive Saturdays.

Series overview

Two series were broadcast, as summarised below.

SeriesStartFinishWinnerRunner-upThird placeFourth placeHostsJudges
15 January 20132 February 2013Eddie "The Eagle" EdwardsJake CanusoLinda BarkerGabby Logan
Vernon Kay
Andy Banks
Jo Brand
Leon Taylor
24 January 201415 February 2014Perri KielyRichard WhiteheadKeith DuffyDan Osborne

Main series results

Series 1 (2013)

See main article: Splash! (British series 1). The first series began airing on 5 January 2013 and ran for 5 weeks ending on 2 February 2013.

The contestants for the first series were:

CelebrityKnown forStatus
Jade EwenSingerEliminated 1st
Helen LedererComedian, actress & writerEliminated 2nd
Jenni FalconerTV presenterEliminated 3rd
Diarmuid GavinGarden designerEliminated 4th
CapriceModel and actressEliminated 5th
Joey EssexReality TV starEliminated 6th
Donna AirTV presenterEliminated 7th
Dom JolyComedian and actorEliminated 8th
Tina MaloneActressEliminated 9th
Anthony OgogoOlympic professional boxerstyle=background:lightgreen; text-align:center;"Withdrew
Charlotte JacksonJournalist and TV presenterEliminated 10th
Omid DjaliliComedian and actorEliminated 10th
Linda BarkerInterior designer and TV presenterstyle=background:tan; text-align:center;"Third place
Jake CanusoActorstyle=background:silver; text-align:center;"Runner-up
Eddie "The Eagle" EdwardsOlympic ski jumperstyle=background:gold; text-align:center;"Winner

Series 2 (2014)

See main article: Splash! (British series 2). On 4 February 2013, a second series was confirmed[8] and began airing on 4 January 2014[9] and ran for 7 weeks ending on 15 February 2014.

The contestants for the second series were:

CelebrityKnown forStatus
Gemma MernaActressEliminated 1st
Ricky GrovesActorEliminated 2nd
Gemma CollinsReality TV starEliminated 3rd
Martin OffiahRugby playerEliminated 4th
Paul RossJournalistEliminated 5th
Toyah WillcoxSingerEliminated 6th
Patrick MonahanComedianEliminated 7th
Paul YoungSingerEliminated 8th
Penny MordauntPoliticianEliminated 9th
Pollyanna WoodwardTV presenterEliminated 10th
Jenny EclairComedianEliminated 11th
Una HealySingerEliminated 12th
Michaela StrachanTV presenterEliminated 13th
Danielle LloydModelEliminated 14th
Austin HealeyRugby playerWithdrew
Anna WilliamsonTV presenterEliminated 15th
Dan OsborneReality TV starFourth place
Keith DuffySingerstyle=background:tan; text-align:center;"Third place
Richard WhiteheadParalympic runnerstyle=background:silver; text-align:center;"Runner-up
Perri KielyDancerWinner

Reception

The show received generally poor reviews from critics after its premiere, including "utterly awful",[10] "a new low for television"[11] and "probably the worst programme ever screened in primetime".[12] Despite the critical drubbing, however, it achieved reasonable ratings and was recommissioned for a second series,[13] before being cancelled in 2014.

Concern was shown for Daley's role in the show by the head of British Swimming David Sparkes, who claimed that he is in danger of putting his media work before his sporting career, and possibly hampering his chances of a gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.[14] Andy Banks, Daley's coach at Plymouth Diving and British Swimming and judge on the show, hit back at Sparkes' criticism airing his concerns that such negative comments might take the fun out of diving for Daley and indeed drive him away from the sport altogether to pursue his media career.[15] Daley eventually won a bronze medal in the men's synchronized platform dive in the 2016 Games.

Heat 3 contestant Tina Malone made negative comments in an interview with Liverpool radio station Juice FM several days before her appearance on the show. She called this and other reality shows "garbage" as well as stating that "It’s the big fat cheques that make me happy" in reference to the fact she appears in such TV shows only for the financial reward.[16]

International versions

A US version, under the title Splash, premiered on 19 March 2013 from the Riverside Aquatics Complex at Riverside City College and Pasadena's Rose Bowl Aquatics Center on ABC television.[17] [18] The US version features 2012 Olympic 10 m diving champion David Boudia and American diving legend Greg Louganis as judges.[19] The Seven Network in Australia have also commissioned Celebrity Splash! which aired in 2013.[20] In 2015, a Lithuanian version of the show, called Šuolis, premiered on TV3.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Olympic star Tom Daley launches celebrity diving show . . 31 October 2012 . 11 May 2013.
  2. Web site: Celebs making a splash with Tom . Luton Today . 4 January 2013 . 11 May 2013.
  3. Web site: Tom Daley proves he's chairman of the board with solid debut for Splash! . . London . 7 January 2013 . Mark . Sweney . 11 May 2013.
  4. Splash! secures second series . 4 February 2013 . Ellie . Walker-Arnott . . 11 May 2013.
  5. Web site: ITV's Splash! gets the axe after two series . Tellymix . 25 June 2014.
  6. Web site: Celebrity Splash . . 11 May 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130508131437/http://www.eyeworks.tv/catalogue/catalogue_item/t/celebrity_splash . 8 May 2013.
  7. Web site: Sterren Springen Op Zaterdag . . Dutch . 11 May 2013.
  8. Web site: 'Splash!': Tom Daley reality show to return for second series in 2014 . . 4 February 2013 . Mayer . Nissim . 11 May 2013.
  9. http://tellymix.co.uk/reality-tv/splash/169134-itvs-splash-2014-start-date-set-for-january-4.html ITV’s Splash! 2014 start date set for January 4 | Splash! | Telly Mix
  10. Web site: Splash! Some TV is so bad it's good . guardian.co.uk . 7 January 2013 . Ben . Dowell . 11 May 2013.
  11. News: Tom Daley's belly flop: ITV diving show Splash! sunk by fans – yet 6.1m still tune in. Daily Mirror. Tom. Bryant. 6 January 2013. 11 May 2013.
  12. News: Saturday night flop Splash has me diving bored already. Daily Record. 9 January 2013. Stephen . Jardine . 11 May 2013.
  13. News: Splash! returns for a second series - hurrah!. The Guardian. 5 February 2013. Stuart. Heritage. 18 January 2014.
  14. Web site: TV show 'could cost Daley medal in Rio' . ESPN.co.uk . 8 January 2013 . 11 May 2013.
  15. News: Tom Daley's coach fears diver may quit sport after latest row over his media commitments . . Simon . Hart . 9 January 2013 . 11 May 2013.
  16. Web site: 'Splash!' Contestant Tina Malone Calls Tom Daley's Show 'Garbage' . HuffPost. 9 January 2013 . 11 May 2013.
  17. Web site: Stars in Danger: High Diving and Celebrity Splash – Upcoming Shows Full of Awesome . Unreality TV . 26 October 2012 . Carrie . Grosvenor . 11 May 2013.
  18. News: Patrick Kevin Day . ABC, Louie Anderson take the plunge with 'Splash' . . 19 March 2013 . 11 May 2013.
  19. Web site: Olympian David Boudia to Judge ABC's Celebrity Diving Series (Exclusive) . . 29 November 2012 . Lesley . Goldberg . 11 May 2013.
  20. Web site: Seven set to Celebrity Splash into 2013 . . 16 October 2012 . 19 January 2013 . David . Knox.