Anthea Turner has “rediscovered enjoying cooking” and exploring a quieter London during lockdown.
The TV presenter was one of three stars who exited Channel 4’s Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins on Monday night.
The 59-year-old braved a helicopter jump into icy waters and a psychological test with guns which simulated a war zone – followed by a 5km run carrying a heavy backpack.
She told PA news agency: “Never again in my life I hope will I ever be able to see London like it is and when I go out for my exercise – and I have started running – but when I go out and also on a bike, discovering this amazing capital city that we live in.
“As Londoners we’ve never had it to ourselves because it’s full of… tourists and so much going on.
“Obviously these are not circumstances you would have wished upon us but it is truly unbelievable to be breathing fresh air in London and getting on my bike and going, finding places I’ve never seen before.”
The former Blue Peter presenter opted to hand in her armband on Monday night, signalling the end of her time on the series and making her the second celebrity to leave in the show’s second episode.
Glamour model Katie Price was the first to hand in her armband and YouTuber Jack Maynard the last during Monday’s episode of the series, which started with a 12-strong list of famous faces trying to see if they have what it takes to pass SAS selection.
She said on having to strip down in front of her fellow celebrity contestants that it was a case of “just get on with it”.
She said: “You just think, right, what am I going to do now? Are you going to go ‘No, I can’t do that, or just get on with it. So I think you realise very quickly all I need to do now is just get on with it.
“I’m standing there next to Joey Essex, he’s taken all his clothes off and there’s Katie (Price), and then everybody else, I look around well what can you do, you’ve just got to strip down and get on with it.”
Turner, the oldest contestant in the current series, also said she had realised her cardiovascular fitness was not at the level as some of her fellow recruits.
She explained: “I think I took the wisest approach, the most sensible approach for the sake of the team. If it was for myself, no, I would have stayed but you have to do it for the team because you cannot weaken the team.
“So my decision to give in number five, which I didn’t do lightly, I didn’t want to, was because I would let the team down.”
Asked about the prospect of spending her upcoming 60th birthday in May in lockdown, she said: “I think a lot of people who have birthdays during lockdown are just saying: ‘Do you know, we’re just going to sit this one out’. When this is all over I’m sure I’ll be on a plane going somewhere, doing something to have a belated birthday.”
The remaining celebrities are former Strictly Come Dancing professional Brendan Cole, reality star Joey Essex, TV presenter Helen Skelton and former Wimbledon footballer John Fashanu.
They are joined by Hollyoaks actress Nikki Sanderson, Paralympian Lauren Steadman, Rudimental DJ Locksmith and Radio 1Xtra DJ Yasmin Evans and former boxing champion Tony Bellew.
Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins airs on Channel 4 on Monday nights at 9pm.
