Sean Heath told the ECHO “My nan gave me strength and it was always get up and get it done”
Sean Heath told the ECHO “My nan gave me strength and it was always get up and get it done”
Scouse contestant Sean Heath thanks the Scouse women in his life as he took part in an exciting new adventure series on ITV1. Hosted by Ben Shephard, reality series The Summit sees 14 strangers attempt to climb a mountain in New Zealand, with a £200,000 prize pot at stake. Sean Heath, 26, from Bootle has spoken to the ECHO about his experience on the show and the reasons why he wanted to take on the once-in-a-lifetime challenge.
The Summit, which airs on ITV1 on Tuesday, is an adventure-style reality series which sees a group of contestants take on the ultimate challenge as they attempt to climb a mountain in New Zealand.
Sean Heath told The ECHO he “always wanted to be on TV” , but never imagined to be jetting off to New Zealand for a reality show. The 26-year-old grew up with a passion for drama and performing arts and said he often looked on the ITV website for shows to apply for.
He added: “I’d always wanted to be on TV, probably nothing this grand, but I kept going onto ITV’s website just to see what was on there.”
When the opportunity came up to go on a new adventure show, Sean said: “When I sat and thought about it I thought ‘what have I got to lose?’.”
Explaining the concept of the show, customer service adviser Sean said: “We were basically dropped off in the middle of New Zealand and were given a map and we had 14 days to reach the summit of a mountain for a potential £200,000.”
However, Sean found the experience particularly scary as producers did not reveal what the contestants would be doing, until after they had confirmed their place on the show.
He told the ECHO: “When I spoke to the producers they couldn’t give anything away which was so hard. I went in blind a little bit, I didn’t have a clue about anything that was happening on the show, so that was a bit of a scary part going in blindsided but it was the best experience.”
He added: “We knew we were going abroad but we didn’t know whereabouts. A couple of months before they told us we were going to New Zealand and I was like ‘wow’ because that’s just an experience of a lifetime just to go to New Zealand alone, and being on TV was a bonus.”
Although being on national TV was Sean’s initial goal, he had also decided to take on the challenge for personal reasons too. He said: “It was about doing something for me and doing a challenge.”
“I’ve always been a two-feet first kind of person. I’ve never really thought too much about things because you can sometimes get in your own head too much. Years ago when I was a lot younger I did, I used to overthink everything. But as you get a bit older you think ‘what’s the worst that can happen?'”
Speaking about filming for the show, he said: “It was physically and mentally challenging, we were sometimes walking for 13 or 14 hours a day, carrying equipment as well, it was really demanding. But me and the rest of the cast were all in the same boat so we got that bonding experience.
“It was so difficult but it was so rewarding as well because I wasn’t doing it for anyone else, I was doing it for myself and I just thought my family would be so proud once I’d done it.”
While Sean faced a gruelling trek to reach the peak of one of New Zealand’s most impressive mountains, he shared the “toughest” thing was actually being away from his family.
Sean explained the “Scouse women” in his life have helped mould him into the person he has become today. Whether it was going round to his nan’s or forming a close bond with his auntie growing up, Sean said his upbringing surrounded by Scouse women made him “strong”.
He said: “Scouse women are built differently. I was brought up by my mum, my nan and my auntie. My mum even lived with my nan for a year or two.
“We were always at my nan’s, and my auntie was always there so I was brought up by Scouse women and I think that’s what made me so strong because I’ve grown up around them.”
He added: “Scouse women are the most genuine, down to earth people and they’d do anything for you.”
Sean spent some time caring for his nan Brenda who died last March, shortly after he returned from filming The Summit. He admitted he had initial doubts about leaving his lovely nan to go to New Zealand, and almost pulled out of the show.
He said: “I didn’t want to go at first. It got to the morning I was due to leave and I got really emotional at leaving my nan because I was caring for her at that point.
“I was about to call the producers and call it quits, but my mum gave me a pep talk in the car and said ‘your nan would be so proud of you’.” He added: “My nan would have cursed me and gave me a clout around the ears if I hadn’t gone.”
Sean has no regrets and is “proud” to be a Scouse representative on TV.
He said: “I am proud because I’m the only Scouser on the show and I don’t think a Scouser has ever done anything like this before. We’ve not had many Scousers fly to the other side of the world to film a TV show like this. It’s huge in itself and to be given this opportunity is so surreal. I still can’t believe I’ve done it, I don’t think I will until I’ve watched it.”
He added: “Scousers are funny and I know I’ve got the gift of the gab and I can make anybody smile and anybody laugh. Sometimes we come across as intimidating and we get a bad reputation but we’re not that at all.
“Scousers are so genuine, we come together in times of crisis and in times of need. We’re so down to earth and I hope that shows on the TV.”
The Summit airs Tuesday, February 10 at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX
