Splash! Tom Daley wants to be the new Ant or Dec

Splash! Tom Daley wants to be the new Ant or Dec

6 Jan 2013 00:01

Olympic diving sensation and reality show mentor could ditch university to become a Saturday night TV presenter

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Tom Daley

Splash

Olympic diving sensation Tom Daley is ready to pull the plug on university and plunge into a TV career.

Last night the 18-year-old was seen teaching celebrities to dive in ITV1’s new series, Splash!

And now the Olympic bronze medallist wants to be the next Ant or Dec or Dermot O’Leary.

He told the Sunday People : “I’d like to present Saturday night TV once I’ve finished diving. I don’t know about university, it will depend on different things.”

Brilliant Tom has already got two As and an A in his AS Levels and is revising two hours a day for his A Levels.

He said: “I want to go into TV and if I am getting TV opportunities now I’d rather have work experience than turn it down for the next four years because of university.

“I’d like anything that’s a bit of fun and entertaining. I’m a massive fan of I’m A Celebrity, I could do everything apart from the eating trials.”

But he thinks training 15 celebritie s â€" including model Caprice, 41, ski-jumper Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards, 49, and Sugababe Jade Ewen, 24 â€" will be a good distraction from study.

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ITV

Tom Daley Splash ITV

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He said: “It’s good to have other things to think about. With Splash! it’s every Saturday night and all of the celebrities have been coming to Plymouth so I haven’t had to travel.

“I’m still able to train as well and I’ve actually improved quite a lot since the Games because I’ve been practising so much.”

Tom has also learned from the celebrities.

Katie Price’s Argentinian ex-fiancé Leandro Penna, 27, has helped with his Spanish.

Student-turned-teacher: Leandro Penna has been helping his diving mentor with his Spanish

Splash

 

Now Tom, who was third in the men’s individual 10-metre diving at London 2012 and plans to represent Team GB in Rio 2016, wants to host Splash! which is currently presented by Vernon Kay, 38, and Gabby Logan, 39.

He explained: “Ending up hosting Splash! would be my dream job in a couple of years time. Hopefully it will run for many years, like Dancing On Ice, and I could take Vernon’s spot.

“At the moment I’m a mentor â€" Torvill and Dean have done it on Dancing On Ice. Hopefully I can get a bigger and better role as the years go on.”