Taking a Jump of faith! Amy Childs, Sinitta, Ritchie Neville and Steve Redgrave will compete in The Jump as full line-up is confirmed
By SARAH BULL and JESSICA EARNSHAW
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It is too late to slope off for the 12 celebrities ski-suited and booted to take part in a new winter sports challenge show, starting next week.
Olympian Sir Steve Redgrave will be joined on the slippery slope by stars including Sinitta, Amy Childs and ex-England cricketer Darren Gough.
They will battle it out in Channel 4's The Jump as they take on the bobsleigh, skeleton, speed-skating, slalom skiing and cross-country skiing with the worst performers having to brave a huge ski jump to stay in the competition.
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Taking a Jump of faith: L-R Richie Neville, Marcus Bridgestock, Nicky Clark, Henry Conway, Darren Gough, Sir Steve Redgrave, Anthea Turner, Amy Childs, Melinda Messenger, Laura Hamilton, Sinitta and Kimberly Wyatt
Also taking part in hair-raising feats are former Pussycat Doll Kimberly Wyatt, presenters Anthea Turner and Melinda Messenger, and Ritchie Neville of reformed boyband 5ive.
Winter Olympics star skier Graham Bell and skeleton gold medallist Amy Williams will be among those training the daring hopefuls.
They will also be coached by daredevil Eddie 'The Eagle' Edwards, who won last year's ITV Splash! highdiving contest, as he teaches them how to ski jump.
'Determination': Melinda Messenger and Amy Childs were spotted flying out of Gatwick for training last month
He said: 'This competition is as much about mental strength as it is about physical agility. Winter sports are tough to master; it takes skill, guts and determination to get round a course.
'The ultimate test will be the jump itself. I know how hard it can be when the world is watching.'
Former The Only Way is Essex star, Amy, tweeted about the show this week, saying: Thank you all for your amazing messages about #thejump so nervous but am working so hard... Hardest I have ever worked. DETERMINATION.'
While Sinitta too to Twitter to add: 'Good morning from Austria... speed skating this am. Out favourite--NOT #thejump'.
Departure: Sam Jones, seen here last year jetting to Austria to start training for the show, has pulled out of the series after suffering a shoulder injury
Back in the day: Sam is most famous for his role as Flash Gordon
It's arguably the most dangerous celebrity reality show to date so it stands to reason that it would lose some of its famous faces to injuries before it even aired.
The series lost two stars in two days after Flash Gordon star Sam Jones pulled out with a shoulder injury just hours after Tara Palmer-Tomkinson quit after deciding the show was 'not for her'.
A spokesperson for Channel 4 said: 'We had hoped that he would recover in time to still take part in the show but unfortunately he has had to pull out of the series on medical advice.'
Sam was replaced by Ritchie, while Laura filled Tara's spot.
While it could be understood if Sam had hurt himself during a fall on the show, it was in fact an entirely different way that he suffered the injury.
He damaged his shoulder when he celebrated landing a successful jump by raising his arms, punching the air and shouting 'Yeah!', according to reports.
Speaking about taking on Sam's role in the show, Ritchie said he was suffering from a severe case of nerves.
He said: 'Good clean "adventure" where you're absolutely terrified is, for some unbeknownst reason, one of my greatest pleasures.
'Having no previous experience I've had to learn so much but I am loving it. When you're up against the likes of Sir Steve Redgrave, my biggest fear is looking soft by comparison and that is the greatest motivator.'
New arrival: Former 5ive singer Ritchie Neville has taken Sam's place on the show
Dropping like flies: Tara Palmer-Tomkinson pulled out the show after deciding it wasn't for her. She was replaced by Laura Hamilton
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2540016/Amy-Childs-Sinitta-Ritchie-Neville-Steve-Redgrave-compete-The-Jump-line-announced.html#ixzz2qYKXw6MW
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