Reggie Yates always knew that Prized Apart would be tough

REGGIE YATES says he can understand the terrors of contestants in new show Prized Apart . . . but he’ll not be joining them any time soon!

The BBC’s Saturday night entertainment series sees couples try to win £100,000 by competing in a series of daredevil challenges.

“It’s not for me,” laughs Reggie. “I did a thing called Adrenaline Junkies with Jack Osbourne a few years ago where I did all sorts of crazy stuff.

“I jumped off mountains, did canyon swings, bungee jumping and all the rest of it.

“When something extreme like that is thrown my way it’s obviously scary but I’ll give it a go. When I’ve done it, though, once is more than enough and I’ve no desire to do it again.

“But I love the idea of ordinary people doing bonkers things on telly and there are definitely wow moments.

“There’s something we do with a waterfall later that’s unbelievable. And the people who complete the challenge are the last people you expect.”

The series debuted a couple of weeks back and Reggie, who had a taste of the focus that comes with a big-budget Saturday night series on The Voice, knew that there would be no shortage of scrutiny and criticism.

“Saturday night telly is just infinitely different from anything else I do,” he admits.

“It’s not just on whether or not the show is any good, it’s just judged on how many people tune in.

“Traditionally we have always come together with our families to watch the show because that’s what we’ve grown up doing.

“You get people of all ages watching. So it’s lovely to be walking down the street and have somebody’s nan stop to chat as well as the 19 or 21-year-olds I’m used to chatting to about the programmes I make.”

Reggie hosted the first two series of The Voice with Holly Willoughby but he says he’s happy to have moved on and left presenting duties to Prized Apart co-host Emma Willis with Marvin Humes.

“The Voice is ever-changing and always evolving.

“Emma’s fantastic as the lead anchor and Marvin is a good mate of mine. It’s really nice the way the two of them work together. I think it’s a different show and a brilliant one because of the difference they bring.”

Filming his element of Prized Apart took Reggie to Morocco and he’s just back from Mexico as we catch up.

Travelling is obviously in his genes as he’s rung the broadcasting changes with documentary series looking at extreme elements in South Africa and, more recently, Putin’s Russia.

“There were some pretty tough environments,” says the 32-year-old.

“They weren’t so much scary but some of the encounters were definitely uncomfortable.

“The saddest thing like one I did on the far left is that you are meeting young men and women who have these views that just don’t wash.

“It’s sad because in the age of the internet, which lets you self-educate, there’s no excuse for ignorance.

“Making documentaries is now a really key part of my year and I’ll always find time for them. There’s nothing better than pushing yourself.”

What Reggie could do with some foreign planning for is a honeymoon.

He popped the question to long-term girlfriend, model Tina Ward, during a New Year break to Brazil.

“The pair of us are morons,” jokes Reggie, who admits he’d be more than happy to get his passport out again if Prized Apart were to return for a new series.

“We have literally done nothing as far as planning is concerned.

“We’re actually hoping to get married next summer but at the moment we haven’t done a thing, so we’ll have to see how that pans out.

“But we are very happy and everything is lovely.”

Prized Apart, BBC One, Saturday 7pm.