Episode 7
Published: Monday, 17 September 2007, 5:34PM
Saturday 29th September, ITV2, 11pm
This week Jack Osbourne and his recruits are plunged into danger in the shark-infested waters of Hawaii.
The team take on one of the world's most dangerous and extreme sports – free diving, which involves getting into the water, taking a deep breath and diving as far as you possibly can.
It’s a risky business, with collapsed lungs and perforated eardrums just two of the perils that could lie in store, so Jack drafts in professional free dive champion Deron Verbek to assist.
The team need to master one simple thing – holding their breath, preferably for four minutes. For the recruits, this challenge will be a test of fitness, discipline and nerve and after just one day of training in the pool, they hit open water.
Everybody throws themselves into the challenge, but after half an hour it's obvious Georgie is no water baby. Jack is first to hit the initial target of 30 feet, followed later by Becky. Jack then pushes even further to 60 feet. As well as the psychological barrier, each of them must also learn to equalise or release the pressure in their ears as they go down. Kai struggles with this, which causes him agonising pain. Anthony’s stomach can’t handle the sea so he’s forced to take time out.
The recruits must also attempt to swim through a coral trench and natural arch, and avoid being battered against the sharp, ragged rocks. For self-confessed lazy princess Becky, fish phobia plunges in, but she pushes herself deeper and deeper to conquer this challenge. Lisa’s asthma makes this challenge too dangerous, but she’s determined to make the most of it and hits a respectable 20 feet.
The following morning Jack reads the recruits the riot act, as he learns they’ve gorged on chips and fried sausages, and consequently he makes them run up and down the beach to teach them a lesson.
Point made, the team head off for an appointment with something that has an even worse bite than Jack – a tiger shark. The massive tiger shark is one of the more deadly predators off the Hawaiian coast and the team enter a cage to see up close who they’re sharing the sea with. Jack, Becky and Anthony are first into the cage, keeping any trailing limbs well away from the bars. But Anthony quickly loses his sea legs again, bringing up his brekkie.
The team then head off to complete their free diving challenge. With Lisa’s asthma ruling her out, Anthony parrot green and Georgie and Kai not able to equalise enough to safely go for a big dive, only Jack and Becky will be attempting to go really deep.
Jack plunges into the abyss, feeling the crushing weight of water around him and fails his first attempt. His second attempt to dive the equivalent distance of a 10 storey building is a success. Becky aims to push herself to the edge of her limits, beating her previous record of 30 feet and triumphs as she hits 60 – a real achievement.
For their next challenge, the team are about to learn how to dive from something a lot bigger than the back of a boat... a cliff. The world’s number one cliff diver Orlando Duque is on board to help the team dive off a 60-foot cliff into the raging surf. The recruits seem more adept at dive bombing, but after a bit of practice, they hit the cliff to undertake this highly dangerous sport.
Starting off with a 20 foot high cliff, the team are jittery but all have a go – except Kai who needs a bit of a helping hand from Jack. Spirits high, they move on to the main challenge, a 60-foot cliff which even has Jack feeling scared.
Anthony takes himself out of the running and having failed to impress in training Kai and Georgie also sit out. Becky fails as she hesitates one time too many for Jack, who pulls her back for her own safety. Lisa steps up next and triumphantly becomes the only recruit to make the jump, closely followed by mentor Jack.
