Total Wipeout winner reveals ‘horrendous’ audition course of that left him ‘trying like an fool’ – with one lady even ‘breaking her arm’ on set of ‘outrageous’ competitors sequence

A Total Wipeout winner opened up about how the ‘horrendous’ audition process ultimately left him ‘looking like an idiot.’

Presented by Richard Hammond and Amanda Byram, the fast-paced BBC game show aired from 2009 to 2012.

In each episode, competitors faced off against each other in physical challenges – including jumping across giant red balls.

Tomasz Wisniewski, who is originally from Poland, won an installment which aired back in 2011.

Speaking to Zingo Bingo, the now 41-year-old shared details of how he auditioned to take part – and injuries sustained by fellow contestants.

He said: ‘Getting into that show was actually quite difficult because there were so many auditions. I would say six auditions. 

‘At one of the auditions they asked me to dress up so I thought, “I’m going to be really outrageous.” So I dressed up as a male version of a Playboy Bunny.

‘Through the audition, it was just horrendous. I had to pretend like I was a cow. 

‘So we all had to go and make ourselves look like an idiot. It’s because they wanted to see your personality. 

‘At the end of the day, it’s a reality show on the BBC which everyone watches, so you have to have a personality to be on that show.’

Continuing, Tomasz recalled how some of his fellow players injured themselves during the process.

He shared: ‘Some people did end up with injuries. I remember there was a girl in my series – she broke her arm.

‘I’m one of those people who may watch a few episodes and I don’t really care that much. 

‘If I get through the audition, then I will worry. I had no clue. I only watched one episode.’

Tomasz also disclosed that while the winners were presented with a trophy, this was ‘just for TV.’

He added: ‘For five seconds you have it and they take it back from you. 

‘There were three people and then one of the guys who was with me at the final, he actually was sharing a bedroom in the hotel with me.

‘He was a lovely guy and he had throat cancer beforehand. I wanted him to win, but then obviously it’s the competition, so we’re going to fight for it. 

‘And then when I won, I could not believe it. I felt sorry for him because I felt he deserved it more than I did.’

After winning his episode, Tomasz did not automatically receive the prize money, as he explained: ‘I had to wait for quite a long time. 

‘Usually with reality shows, you don’t get money straight away. 

‘You have to wait for a couple of months, and usually it’s after the episode is aired on TV. 

‘So they kind of hold it back in case you do something silly, something stupid, or maybe say something bad. It was usually four or five months.’

After the programme’s initial 2009 to 2012 run, Total Wipeout made a brief ‘return’ to screens in 2020.

Paddy McGuinness and Freddie Flintoff hosted a six-part series looking back on the show’s best moments.