rock boat craig

Craig Charles talks being disappointed in himself on Don't Rock the Boat

The Red Dwarf actor opened up about the experience

TV & Film Editor
November 6, 2020

Craig Charles has opened up about his experience on Don't Rock the Boat, admitting that he felt like a "success and a failure" while appearing on the show. 

MORE: Take a look at Don't Rock the Boat presenter Freddie Flintoff's gorgeous family

The Red Dwarf star was a member of the red team, and was tasked with rowing from Cornwall to Scotland. Craig struggled with seasickness during the journey, and spoke to The Guardian about his experience, explaining: "I got through it, but I was scared and disappointed in myself on many occasions. I realised that I’m not a young man any more. I used to be able to party all night, work all day and nothing would really have an effect on me." 

WATCH: Presenter AJ Odudu chats Don't Rock the Boat

He added: "Doing Don’t Rock the Boat was my midlife crisis moment. I should have just bought the... Porsche... I was trying to prove to myself that I could do all these things that perhaps I can’t do any more, really."

Craig opened up about the experience 

During the show, Charles clashed with his fellow teammate Victoria Pendleton. After Victoria voiced her frustration that Craig was struggling, he told her: "Victoria, with the greatest of respect, I’ve felt really uncomfortable, I’ve felt really awkward, I’ve felt really unhappy and it’s generally down to you. Some of the energy that you exude towards me has been fairly toxic, to be honest."

MORE: Viewers are saying the same thing about ITV's Don't Rock the Boat 

MORE: Don't Rock the Boat star AJ Odudu reveals how show made her cry 

Victoria responded to criticism following the episode, tweeting: "If you are given three select pages from an epic dark and stormy novel, do you think you would be in a position to review it and judge the characters in it accurately? #DontRockTheBoat." 

She also shared a snap of herself with a lengthy caption, which read: "If I were a boy... I have been told to man up and act like a man, to harden up, toughen up and suck it up. You don’t always get it right....but you have to walk in with your head held high, put your hand up and accept responsibility and the consequences for your failures and weaknesses when your heart is broken with disappointment and your body is aching from exertion." 

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