Call The Midwife star unveils 'deep rooted fear' that left her in tears
Helen George admitted that swimming with sharks left her in floods of tears as she's revealed her aquaphobia.
In SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters, seven famous faces swap red carpets and glamour for open waters in The Bahamas. But they won't have much time for sunbathing - it's all about survival.
Under the guidance of three elite shark experts, the stars must confront one of nature's most misunderstood creatures: the shark. From the striking Hammerhead to the formidable Bull shark, each dive plunges them deeper into shark territory.
It's heart-racing, myth-busting and, sometimes, downright terrifying. But as they learn, the real nightmare isn't sharks - it's a sea without them.
Fifty years after JAWS stoked global shark mania, this series flips the script, showing us just how vital these apex predators truly are to marine life everywhere.
With legends like Sir Lenny Henry, McFly 's Dougie Poynter and beloved presenters and actors on board, SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters delivers thrills, truth and a wake-up call from beyond the waves.
As Trixie in Call The Midwife, Helen George is used to high-stakes drama - but diving with sharks was next-level. 'I am quite scared of swimming,' she says.
'I have a real deep rooted fear of putting my head under water, and hadn't realised how bad it was until it was day one and we were doing scuba training.'
Things didn't ease up. 'I then found out our challenge was a cage dive with Bull sharks. I cried some more.' Luckily, Helen was able to rely on her co-stars for some levity throughout the process.
"There were so many moments because it's such a funny group of people. There was a challenge that we had to do when we were sent out at sea and told that we had to hold onto this raft.
It was really treacherous weather that day, really stormy and the sea was really rough and choppy. Ross Noble managed to sneak out a bag of snacks strapped to his leg with gaffer tape.'
Freewheeling comic Ross brought his trademark chaos to the depths, though he found himself mesmerised by sharks. 'I was in a hypnotic state,' he says. 'You're in the water and these things are moving around, your brain can't comprehend it. I was so taken with how incredible it was.'
Sir Lenny Henry, on the other hand, entered the programme while he was still on the mend after an injury. "I had a dodgy knee when I arrived, and my experience in the water and the exercise just made it go away. It was amazing," he says.
"I would just get in the water and I'm not the best of swimmers, but I really worked hard on it and it paid off. I think it means, don't give up, don't mind about how old you are, just get in there and have a go."
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