BBC presenters face their swimming fears for Children in Need

BBC presenters face their swimming fears for Children in Need


Martin Giles/BBC Gemma Stevenson is looking directly at the camera and smiling slightly while wearing a black swimming cap and pink goggles, which are off her eyes and resting on her head. She is holding onto the side of the pool.  Behind her the water is a bright blue and there are no other people in the swimming pool. There are droplets of water on her nose and the edges of her swimming cap. The straps of her swimming costume are pink and can be seen on shoulders, just in frame of the camera. Martin Giles/BBC

Until now Gemma Stevenson said the biggest swimming challenge she had post-accident was carrying her strawberry daiquiris from the swim up bar to the end of the pool

Before a life-changing car accident eight years ago, BBC radio presenter Gemma Stevenson would not have thought twice about swimming 500 lengths for charity.

Gemma, 39, from Peterborough, suffered a brain injury in the 2016 crash and now relies on a wheelchair to get around.

The BBC Radio Cambridgeshire journalist, along with BBC colleagues from across the country, are pushing their limits for the Children in Need Big Swim.

Here, they talk about the personal challenges they will overcome to take part.

‘When things get tough, I’m tougher’

Supplied Gemma's mum Sheila Hodgson is stood pool side holding a blue and white megaphone while shouting at Gemma. Sheila has white hair in a bob style haircut, a light blue long sleeve top, and is stood side on to the camera. Supplied

“My mum is completely upstaging me and ended up live on radio shouting at me through a megaphone,” Gemma said

Gemma was diagnosed with a form of dystonia in her upper body – an issue in the part of the brain that controls movement – which can cause uncontrolled and sometimes painful muscle spasms.

Gemma was told to manage her expectations of what she could do, having swum competitively, played tennis, hockey, netball and performed in shows.

Less than a decade later, she has become a wheelchair tennis player, sports broadcaster, ICU World Champion and a coach.

“Sometimes people say you can’t do something,” she said.

“Maybe I can’t do it in the traditional way that you would see it being done, but let’s see how I can adapt it.”

Gemma came up with a form of swimming she likes to call a “free paddle”.

Her left arm does front crawl, while her right arm, which she calls her “nemo fin” as it is impacted by her dystonia, does a doggy paddle.

Her target of swimming 474 lengths of the pool in five days was something she could not have imagined doing eight years ago.

“When things get tough, I’m a lot tougher than I think I am. I’ve really enjoyed being in the pool there is something freeing about it.

Gemma, along with scores of other BBC presenters and their colleagues, are attempting to swim 24 miles each – aiming for a 1,000-mile total.

‘I’ve fallen in love with swimming’

Trish Adudu/BBC Trish Adudu is taking a selfie while in her swimming costume and wearing a black soul cap on her head. She is looking joyfully at the camera with a open mouth smile. She has one had pulling at the top of the hat to show how much room there is in it for her hair. Trish Adudu/BBC

Trish said she has been using a Soul cap, “a larger than life swimming cap” specially made to cover and protect afro hair

Since primary school, Trish Adudu’s relationship with swimming was set back by a misconception that black people struggled to swim.

She remembered sitting at the edge of the pool during school swimming lessons.

Never made to feel horrible, she said, but protected from taking the plunge.

“I remember the teachers being aware I’d find it difficult to swim.. I think they were trying to protect me.

“Somewhere in some city someone had read that black kids found it difficult to swim.”

But the trauma of swimming has lessened while taking to the pool for BBC Radio WM.

“Before my mum died suddenly, one of the things she said to me was just embrace life, Trish,” she said.

“Don’t be scared and just challenge yourself, don’t panic about things.

“[The swim] is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I’ve done half marathons, but this is nothing like it, it’s really hard.”

She said: “I’m definitely going to continue swimming…I’ve fallen in love with it.

“It’s not this horrible scary activity which brings back horrible memories anymore.”

‘I feel empowered’

BBC Radio Merseyside Kevin Duala is mid swim and has just taken his head out of the water for a breath of air. He has a black beard and is wearing a black swimming cap, goggles and a black shirt. His mouth is open wide as he take a breath before putting his head back underwater to continue his swim stroke. BBC Radio Merseyside

“Throw me any challenge – but learning to swim and overcoming my fear was really difficult,” said Kevin Dulala

“It was the first time I’ve been in a swimming pool in 30 to 35 years,” said Kevin Duala, after signing up for the Big Swim with BBC Radio Merseyside.

“I didn’t realise until this challenge came about, the reason why I couldn’t swim: I’ve actually I’ve got a fear of submerging my head in water.”

While physically fit and always up for a challenge, Kevin said learning the techniques had been difficult, but he had felt empowered.

“It is phenomenal,” he said.

“Hearing our listeners talk about their journey and their fears and what they’re now going to do, I’ve thought to myself, I’ve done that.

“The fact that listening to my story has empowered them to do it, that’s priceless.

“It has made me feel very proud of myself, but also proud of the team for accepting the challenge.”

‘My burkini made me self-conscious’

Parin Begum is in the pool and is stood at the edge with her arms resting on the side. She wears a swim cap and goggles and a blue white and black burkini which has patterns of leaves on the sleeves. She is smiling at the camera after finishing the swim challenge.

Parin Begum decided to face her fear of the water and learn how to swim

Parin Begum decided she would learn to swim while on a lake trip with her friends in Sweden.

Although she had learned, she never got over her fear of the water and felt self-conscious wearing her burkini.

“I felt a bit weird because sometimes I might be the only person there with a swimming costume like that,” she said.

“You get the odd looks. It’s already uncomfortable to go underwater and face my fears.

“Combining all of that together was not ideal for me.”

While training with BBC Radio Lancashire, Parin said her confidence had increased and she encouraged others to “take the plunge and drown out the noise”.

“I think it always starts with baby steps and over time you get over your fear.

“Go with someone you’re comfortable with and who will make you feel confident. You’ll realise that it’s not as hard as it seems.

“When you take too much notice of the noise around you, that’s when you get distracted.”



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