Penny Mordaunt's Ill-Fated Appearance On Splash! Resurfaces As She Bids To Become PM

Let's just say, her diving wasn't the best.
Penny Mordaunt
Penny Mordaunt
TOLGA AKMEN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock/ITV

With Penny Mordaunt currently among the favourites to succeed Boris Johnson as prime minister, everything from her voting record to her past public gaffes are currently being revisited and scrutinised.

But what many have forgotten about is her ill-fated appearance on a certain celebrity reality show back in the day.

Does anyone remember Splash!, the poorly-received short-lived ITV reality show? Celebrities jumping off diving boards? Tom Daley doing the coaching? Dan Osbourne standing around distractingly in swimming trunks?

Well, the Portsmouth North MP took part in its second season in 2014, alongside the likes of reality star Gemma Collins, model Danielle Lloyd and former Boyzone singer Keith Duffy.

And it has to be said… she didn’t do very well.

Mordaunt with fellow contestants Patrick Monahan, Paul Young, Dan Osborne and Danielle Lloyd in 2014
Mordaunt with fellow contestants Patrick Monahan, Paul Young, Dan Osborne and Danielle Lloyd in 2014
ITV/Shutterstock

While the show itself has been off our screens for the past eight years, footage of Mordaunt’s Splash! appearance is still online.

And now that the government minister is back in the news, clips of her Splash! stint are being widely shared on social media – including one less-than-stellar dive in particular:

Remember when Penny Mourdant went on the TV show “Splash” and attempted a backflip pic.twitter.com/L1jF9hSnKB

— Ollie Thorpe (@OllieThorpe97) July 13, 2022

I see Penny Mourdant has launched her leadership bid. Let's see if it ends less painfully than the last time she launched herself... pic.twitter.com/BClDSW4hOS

— Sooz 💉💉💉💉 😷 (@soozibags) July 10, 2022

If Penny Mourdant wins the leadership contest she would be the first former contestant of Tom Daley’s Splash! to become Prime Minister #UselessPoliticalFacts

— Yelling About Elections (@YellElections) July 10, 2022

Mordaunt eventually became the ninth contestant to be eliminated from her season of Splash!.

While her decision to take part in the show came under fire at the time, she defended her participation, revealing she’d donated her £10,000 fee to help renovate her local lido.

Mordaunt during Splash! training with Tom Daley
Mordaunt during Splash! training with Tom Daley
ITV/Shutterstock

“Not only is Splash! a great personal development experience but it also seemed like the perfect way to fund raise for a charity I’m very passionate about – the Hilsea Lido in Portsmouth which is being renovated by the community,” she said.

“I will be donating my fee for the programme to assist with the renovations. I have the elegance and drive of a paving slab, but my navy training has certainly given me the guts to take on the challenge head on.”

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