CRAIG Charles has admitted he only signed up for Rock The Boat because he was ‘two stone overweight and boozing too much’.
The Red Dwarf star has described how he agreed to take part in the ITV show after realising he'd been enjoying lockdown a touch too much.
Craig, 56, revealed to The Guardian: "My wife, Jackie, and my kids were having a go at me because I’d put so much weight on.
"I was doing nothing but getting a suntan from the light inside my fridge, and drinking copious amounts of new-world wines.”
His brave decision came despite his two stone lockdown weight gain, a heart attack two years ago, him being a heavy smoker and only having rowed once before in his life.
The former Corrie actor, who also makes a living playing DJ sets at parties and festivals, went on: "Doing Don’t Rock the Boat was my midlife crisis moment.
"I should have just bought the f***ing Porsche!
"I was trying to prove to myself that I could do all these things that perhaps I can’t do any more, really."
The endurance reality show which kicked off this week follows two teams of celebrities as they race to reach Scotland from Cornwall.
Familiar faces on the programme include Emmerdale's Adam Thomas, Corrie's Lucy Fallon, Pussycat Doll Kimberly Wyatt, ex-Olympian Denise Lewis and former Deputy Labour leader Tom Watson among the stars.
In the opening episode Craig was seen puking over the side of the boat three times as the teams battled vicious waves.
Craig was also seen needing to use a bucket for a toilet as his stomach began to churn.
On the experience, he added: "I felt a success and a failure. I got through it, but I was scared and disappointed in myself on many occasions.
"I realised that I’m not a young man any more.
"I used to be able to party all night, work all day and nothing would really have an effect on me."
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