The Summit: Former Gladiator Ace and Hull construction worker Dockers take on New Zealand alps
When TV presenter Ben Shephard was 19, he fell in love with New Zealand. He never imagined that some 30 years later he’d be returning there to host a new television series.
The This Morning and Tipping Point star, 51, fronts ITV’s The Summit, which will see 14 contestants tackling the Alps of New Zealand’s South Island over a number of weeks.
Their climb and path is not straightforward as they travel 100km over sometimes tricky terrain, with perilous crossings, and a series of challenges set for them by the mysterious Mountain’s Keeper. They’re competing for a share of a potential prize pot of £200,000, with each contestant carrying an amount of the winnings with them in backpacks up the mountain.
Talking about the appeal of hosting the new series, Shephard says: “The chance to go to New Zealand, which I fell in love with as a country when I was 19 [and] hadn’t had a chance to go back, was a massive bonus. “I think it’s my favourite country in the world. I think it’s just a remarkable place, epic scenery. The backdrop makes you feel like you’re in a Hollywood movie.”
Among the contestants is Afton McKeith, daughter of Scottish TV star Gillian McKeith, the former host of Channel 4’s You Are What You Eat. The 24-year-old, who lives in London, is a pageant and fitness coach, and has said she wanted to take on the challenge to “push myself out of my comfort zone, ground myself and take on a new adventure in order to grow as an individual”.
Another face viewers may recognise among the contestants is Doncaster-born Warren Furman, the former Gladiator known as Ace, but who is now an ordained minister. The 53-year-old said: “Gladiators was the ultimate challenge, but when I was told this will be an adventure of a lifetime, my ears pricked up.”
Also in the line-up is a senior construction manager from Hull, who viewers will come to know as Dockers, a social media influencer named Tara from Manchester, content creator Patrick, from Milton Keynes and a 50-year-old publican from Northampton, named Miranda.
“I think for each and every one of those contestants, The Summit is something different,” says father-of-two Shephard. “It’s just really inspiring. I defy anybody not to watch it and think ‘I wonder if I could do that? How would I cope if I was in that sort of situation? And, gosh, if she can do it, or if he can do it, maybe I could do it. And that’s what makes it so compelling.”
is it the type of TV show that would tempt him to be a contestant? “I’d love to do the journey. I’d love to do the challenges. I’d love to go up and put myself through it,” he muses. “I don’t want to do it on television. I’d be awful. I don’t think any of it would be broadcast-able. And I’d certainly need a more comfortable sleeping scenario than they had as well. I love being outside, I love the adventure side of it, but I also like the fact I could go back to a lovely hotel with a nice mattress and a fluffy pillow.”
The Summit starts February 10 at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.