It started as the result of too much pizza and probably too many beers.
But it ended with a test of skill and endurance as well as quite a few laughs in the process.
Four former Ranelagh School pupils took on one of TV’s toughest game shows and lived to tell the tale.
The five – four from Bracknell and one from Hurst – were picked from thousands of applicants who dared tackle Channel Four’s, The Crystal Maze.
The result will be shown this Friday and fans of the show will need to tune in to see how the Berkshire crew fared against an array of games and puzzles under the watchful eye of the Maze Master, Richard Ayoade.
Callum Spiller from Hurst who captained the team said: “I can’t give too much away but I can say that after the broadcast, we might face a mixture of admiration and quiet humiliation.
“It was an amazing experience and one we will not easily forget. We were all big fans of the show and it was just unreal to actually be taking part instead of just watching it on TV.”
Callum was joined by former Ranelagh pupils and good friends, Lee Simmonds, Matt Hubbart, Oli Wood and Rob Dickinson who all hail from Bracknell.
They applied for the show in February and were delighted to be chosen to take part.
“I’d like to say we were united in our determination to step up to tackle one of the toughest television competitions in the world but it was probably more to do with an excess of beer and pizza,” laughed Callum.
“When you watch it on TV, you get to view what the contestants do through two or three cameras. However, when you are actually on the set, your view is much more limited and with the heat and the clock ticking, the pressures are enormous.
“Having said that, the four of us really enjoyed the tasks and we gave it our all. I was captain and it was amazing how we all pulled together. It was a wonderful experience.”
Callum, who works in recruitment in London, says all four are meeting up this Friday to watch the show together.
“We haven’t actually seen the programme yet so it will be fun to watch,” he added.
“Our families and friends are all looking forward to seeing it. I haven’t told many people at work and all four of us expect to get our legs pulled on Monday.”
The Crystal Maze, Channel 4. Friday, 8pm
