Alex’s fort-astic TV adventure

Alex Williams, 12, had to rope-climb, swim in the sea, and even handle scorpions and tarantulas when he took part in adventure-themed gameshow Fort Boyard this summer.

Alex, from The Coppice, travelled with 25 other contestants to take part in challenges in the fort, located in the Pertuis d’Antioche straits off the west coast of France, in July.

He said: “It was really good to be there – I had a lot of fun!”

After arriving on the set, he was asked to be captain of the show’s Silver Dragons team.

“I was so pleased to be made captain,” he said. “Overall, I did four challenges, and I won two, so I was happy about that.

But it wasn’t all plain sailing for Alex.

He said: “There was one challenge where I had to pick up scorpions and tarantulas. At first I was trying to act really cool about it, but once I touched them, it was quite frightening – they felt so strange!”

Alex was up against 1,200 other applicants to appear on the show. After appearing in an audition in Birmingham, he was chosen to become his team’s youngest member.

His father, Mark Williams, said: “It must have been fantastic fun for him.

“With Alex being quite young , I was quite nervous about him being away at first,, but he took it in his stride!

“I am very proud of what he managed to do.”

The Mirfield Free Grammar pupil also enjoys acting and martial arts, and is in the England Karate team.

Fort Boyard’s UK series has run since 1998 and has featured names such as Melinda Messenger, Leslie Grantham and Tom Baker. It is hosted by former Dancing on Ice star Laura Hamilton (inset).

See how Alex got on when his episode is aired on ITV, Sunday November 3 at 8.30am.