Along with the rest of the UK, we were glued to our screens during Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, watching our favourite reality TV girlies prove that anything boys can do, girls can do better. And now… we’re back with a brand-new adventure reality show: The Summit.
Hosted by Ben Shephard, the series invites 14 contestants to compete for a share of a £200,000 prize by scaling one of New Zealand’s biggest mountains. But it’s not just about reaching the top — they’ll face brutal terrain, unpredictable weather, and a series of challenges set by the Mountain’s Keeper, basically the show’s version of Claudia Winkleman in The Traitors.
To survive, they’ll need guts, determination, and next-level teamwork. So, who exactly is in this daring cast? When and where can we watch? Here’s everything you need to know about The Summit.
Who will make it to the end?
When is The Summit on ITV?
The first episode aired on ITV & ITVX on the 10th of February at 9 pm. One episode will air that time weekly, for 14 weeks, to follow their 14-day trek.
Who’s still in the cast of The Summit?
Here's a list of all the individuals trying to tame this mountain, updated to include who has sadly left in the meantime:
- Afton
- Charlett
- Colleen
- Dockers
- Drew
- Jenny
- Joel
- Miranda
- Patrick
- Sean
- Tara
- Thomas
- Tyra
- Warren
Meet the cast of The Summit
Age: 24
From: London
Job: Pageant and fitness coach
“I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone, ground myself and take on a new adventure in order to grow as an individual," Afton explained when talking about why she signed up for The Summit.
Although she kept it under wraps during filming, Afton is actually TV nutritionist Gillian McKeith’s daughter — yes, that famous fainting moment on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!. Her mum even passed on some advice for life on the mountain: "She did give me advice from her time on I'm A Celebrity, which was keep your dishes to yourself, because we're kind of obsessed with hygiene in my family. We don't like sharing saliva."
Clearly, Afton is ready for adventure… and maybe a little extra hand sanitiser.
Age: 38
From: Wiltshire
Job: Pole fitness instructor
Charlett, a mum to teenagers, admits her love of adventure has taken a bit of a backseat recently, and she’s hoping The Summit will change that.
Her kids feature heavily in both her biggest weakness and her proudest achievement. On the worry side, she shared: "I’ve not been away from friends or family for that long. Having no contact with home… I’m very much a homebird. So not being at home with the kids and dog and family is probably the only thing I’m really concerned about."
But when it comes to pride, her children shine: "This is probably so corny, but my kids. The relationship and bond I have with my kids. I’m just super proud. They come to me for anything.
"My kids will keep me motivated. My son said, ‘You can’t come home a loser.’ So my kids will be at the forefront of my mind the whole time. I live for my kids."
Age: 48
From: Port Talbot
Job: Ex-steel worker
Colleen was a steelworker in Port Talbot before her furnace closed, and now she’s taking on The Summit as a way to reclaim herself. "I just want to find myself. I lost myself for a bit over giving other people control of my life. This is my chance to take control and prove to myself ‘you’ve got this’."
Her biggest fear? Surprisingly, the sea — even though she lives on the coast. "Boats are a real phobia," she admitted.
But Colleen is ready to tackle it all. "Last year and the beginning of this year, so much has changed for me. I was ready for something to change in my life. I just want to regain myself and take control of who I am."
With that kind of mindset, Colleen is shaping up to be one of the most determined contestants on the mountain.
Age: 36
From: Hull
Job: Senior Construction Manager
Dockers knows exactly what he’s signing up for on this mountain. “You get three types of people: people that talk the talk, people that walk the walk, and people that talk the talk and walk the walk… I’m ex-army,” he shared. "I’m not going to be the fittest guy on this show. But from being in the army, I’ve been in positions where I’ve been cold, wet, hungry, tired, and I’ve had to dig deep. So I know when the going gets tough, I’m ready to keep on going. But that was a long time ago. Have I still got that in me? So partly I want to prove to myself I’m good enough to do challenges. Secondly, my kids. They ask me about the army. I don’t talk about it that much to them. But I want to show them, look what your dad can still do. I think it’s going to be amazing for them to see their dad take on the adventure of a lifetime."
"You can take Dockers out of the army, but you can’t take the army out of Dockers," he adds.
Safe to say, this is one contestant we’re already keeping a close eye on.
Age: 32
From: North London
Job: Project Manager
Drew may be one arm down, but he’s not letting that stop him from reaching the summit! A keen endurance athlete, he’s never let anything hold him back: "I was born with one arm, but that’s never stopped me from doing anything before. I was the goalkeeper on the school football team!"
When asked about his biggest weakness, Drew was honest: "Mentally, I guess it would be not saying what is at the front of your mind. Making sure I think before I speak — most of the time that’s because I’ve not eaten enough."
His proudest achievements are equally impressive: "Definitely doing the half Ironman in five hours fifteen… I’ve also been teetotal for two years, which I’m really proud of."
We’re already excited to watch Drew tackle The Summit.
Age: 46
From: Peterborough
Job: Sales and marketing manager
Jenny, a former police officer turned marketing manager, brings both brains and brawn to The Summit. But while she’s physically prepared, it’s the social side of the mountain that has her slightly worried.
"My biggest weakness is probably my patience," she admitted. "Spending lots of time with the same people, if there are some who irritate me then my face will not hide much. Maybe my age. I suspect some people will be younger. If people are picking teams, will they think I’m a weak link?"
Her proudest achievements, however, are all about self-growth. "I’m quite proud of being happy in who I am. Being in my mid-forties, single, never married, I’ve been through a lot of doubt. Changing careers, really having to prove myself. I think getting to a point of being able to say, ‘I am proud of who I am.’ Other than that I’d say leaving the police and having the courage to leave. Plus raising my dog."
Age: 36
From: Loughborough
Job: Sport coach/mentor
There’s an Olympic athlete in the mix! Former sprinter and bobsleigh competitor Joel is trading the Winter Games for a new challenge on The Summit.
When asked about his biggest weakness, he was candid: "Negativity. I struggle with negative people or people that are, you know, ‘cup half empty’ people. I try and make things positive and put myself in positive circles. So if there are people there that are negative, I will be giving them some space."
As for his proudest achievement? Naturally, the Winter Olympics in 2018 tops the list — but it doesn’t stop there. "Being an Olympic athlete and having four children, I think the mixture of that," he explained. "Because I still want to be a father. I still want to be a husband. I still want to be all those things they want me to be. But to be a professional athlete, you have to be selfish. You have to be self-centred. Everything has to revolve around you. So just managing to get that balance right and still having a successful family and a successful career; to be able to say, I've done those two things all at the same time is probably my biggest achievement."
Age: 50
From: Northampton
Job: Publican
Honestly, we’d put our money on a Pub Landlady in this competition, because they never shy away from a challenge. Miranda has been through more than most: she lost her mum to cancer at 15, battled cancer herself, and even ran a pub through Covid. Talk about resilience.
That said, she’s not without her weaknesses. "Heights — I don’t do heights. But I abseiled myself down Northampton Lift Tower, which is the highest tower structure in Europe. I cried halfway down it, but I got through it." (And yes, Miranda, the mountain is probably taller than that.)
Her proudest achievements? They’re as impressive as you’d expect: "I walked 36 miles with a group of friends on the Jurassic Coast. That took training and dedication. I’ve won awards in my industry, including an outstanding achievement award for my support to my peers in hospitality. I’ve been on Good Morning Britain with Susanna and Ed talking about pubs, which was amazing. I have incredible kids. And of course, I’ve beaten cancer."
If anyone’s ready to tackle The Summit, it’s Miranda.
Age: 24
From: Milton Keynes
Job: Content creator
Patrick is a little nervous about being so far from home, as New Zealand is quite the trek from Milton Keynes.
"My weakness going into this is probably being detached from my family, as I am very close to them," he admitted. "I will likely get quite homesick, but hopefully I’ll make friends and try to see bits of personality that are similar to my family in other people."
The content creator also shared his proudest achievement: "I would say being able to turn a hobby into a career. Becoming a content creator was a big risk that really paid off — I’ve been doing it full-time since March this year, which was when I left my 9-to-5."
Clearly, Patrick is ready to tackle the mountain and prove he can thrive even far from home.
Age: 25
From: Liverpool
Job: Customer service advisor
When it comes to weaknesses, Sean isn’t giving much away. "It’s hard to give a weakness because nobody likes to fear their weaknesses. I wouldn’t really know to be honest. I try not to think about my weaknesses and only tend to focus on my strengths."
That said… he did admit to being scared of heights, spiders, and snakes. Fair enough, Sean.
As for his proudest achievement? "Probably getting through to take part in this show." And honestly, we’re here for it.
Age: 31
From: Manchester
Job: Social media influencer
Now, the cast of The Summit might be full of non-celebs, but Tara is probably the closest thing to an influencer, with 52k followers on TikTok.
She’s candid about her biggest challenge in the competition: "I’m a very emotional person. You’ve got to be tactical in this, it’s a competition. If I’ve got a really good relationship with someone, and it comes to a vote or something like that, I’ll be crying."
Tara’s proudest achievement, however, is entirely off-camera. "My son, Riley. I’ve done it all on my own. We’ve got the best bond ever. I had him quite young — I was a teen mum. I remember at the time everyone saying, 'you’re so young.' I’m that headstrong, I said, ‘I’m doing this.’ It’s the best thing I’ve ever done in my life. He tells me everything. I’m glad I did it when I did it."
Clearly, she’s here to prove her emotional strength can also be a superpower on The Summit.
Age: 29
From: Winchester
Job: Tour guide
We already know who we’d trust to read the map on this team: Thomas. A tour guide turned reality adventurer, he’s bringing some much-needed positivity to the group, believing that keeping everyone together and getting along will be a real strength. Refreshing, right?
"My weakness will be my fear of heights," he admitted. "I’m terrible when it comes to looking a long way down. It’s not so much the height but the fear of falling!" (Anyone else noticing that mountains are kind of… tall?)
Thomas is also coming for personal growth, not just the prize. "I hope to win, but first and foremost, I want to reach the summit and be proud of what that entails. I want to learn things about myself. Can I push through hardships, conquer fears, lead people when the going gets tough, and prove I am indeed a nice person even when my temper is frayed?"
Age: 24
From: London
Job: England football scout
Don’t get too jealous of Tyra’s amazing job, as much as she loves it, she admits: "It's a very lonely job."
All that solo time has made her resilient, but she knows it could also be a weakness: "I’m too independent and I don’t want any help. I also don’t show emotion that much, until it builds up."
Tyra has already had some incredible experiences. Asked about her proudest achievements, she said:
“Playing in the Homeless World Cup in 2018 in Mexico. Then going back to coach the men’s Homeless team in Cardiff. Then going back again to coach the women’s England team in Edinburgh and we won the trophy.”
"Also, I got invited to meet the King for a test cricket match at Buckingham Palace, and I did behind-the-scenes social media for that. He’s funny, to be fair."
Safe to say, Tyra will have some of the best campfire stories on The Summit.
Age: 52
From: London
Job: Ordained minister, former Gladiator
Yeah, you read that right: ordained minister, former Gladiator. Now this one might be beating Tyra for campfire stories, but only if he's willing to share.
Before becoming a contestant on The Summit, Warren’s had quite the journey. He first rose to fame as one of the original Gladiators, playing Ace, and in 1997, he got engaged to Katie Price. Their fiery relationship lasted two years, but these days, Warren has found faith and is now an ordained minister.
Reflecting on the challenge ahead, he said:
"I may belong to God, but I’m still in the flesh. I’m a work in progress. I know that I lack self-control. I know that people can make me angry and get on my nerves. I know that I’m scared of a lot of things and that I react wrong in a lot of situations. I know I’ll be challenged mentally and spiritually and physically.
"If people think of Gladiators they think of buff six-packs. I’ve got a one-pack now. As you get older, your core just goes. I don’t like the cold, so somewhere extreme and freezing, I’ll soon be whinging. The most precious thing to me in my life is my family. To be away from them for any length of time… that’s a weakness if I can’t compartmentalise. I am hoping these weaknesses will become strengths."
When asked about his proudest achievements, Warren didn’t hesitate: "Definitely my family. It’s a privilege to be able to share your life with somebody. I was also Mr Turkey in 1993… I am very proud of that."
From Gladiator to minister to reality TV adventurer, Warren’s certainly one to watch on The Summit.
It's going to be one captivating season, so don't miss a moment. Tune in to the first episodes on ITV.
