Ranvir Singh has revealed that filming ITV’s new celebrity gameshow The Box helped her overcome a longstanding fear of deep water, giving her the confidence to snorkel in the sea with her son for the first time.
The Good Morning Britain presenter said the experience pushed her far beyond the familiar territory of interviewing politicians and delivering the news. She described the entertainment programme as being “out of my comfort zone”, but said it had ultimately changed the way she approached life.
Singh explained that her 14-year-old son, Tushaan, has always loved the water and had regularly encouraged her to join him. However, she had struggled with situations in which she could not touch the bottom, even when wearing a life jacket.
After taking part in The Box, Singh found the courage to enter the sea during a family holiday and snorkel alongside him. She said her son was proud to see her confront the fear, while she felt proud of overcoming something that had held her back for years.
The new ITV series, hosted by former England footballer Gary Lineker, places 10 celebrities inside yellow boxes before transporting them to mystery locations. Contestants must then tackle physical, mental and logical challenges, often with little or no instruction.
At the end of each episode, the two weakest performers face one another in a head-to-head contest known as The Duel, with the loser eliminated from the competition.
Singh is among the cast of contestants, alongside Joey Essex, John Bercow, Jenny Ryan, JB Gill, Danny Aarons, Sara Davies, Graeme Souness, Ellie Taylor and Shakira Khan.
The Box is due to begin on ITV1 and ITVX on Saturday 5 September, with the opening episode scheduled for 8.15pm.
