Politics

Penny Mordaunt's hilarious televised belly flop resurfaces amid leadership bid

Penny Mordaunt's hilarious televised belly flop resurfaces amid leadership bid
Penny Mordaunt on Splash 2014
ITV

Penny Mordaunt is back in the news after she announced that she is running for the Tory leadership for the second time in a year following Liz Truss's disastrous reign as prime minister.

The current leader of the House of Commons is still in the race to replace Truss despite not having anywhere near as many backers as the front runner Rishi Sunak.

Announcing her bid for the Tory leadership, Penny Mordaunt tweeted: “I’ve been encouraged by support from colleagues who want a fresh start, a united party and leadership in the national interest.

“I’m running to be the leader of the Conservative Party and your Prime Minister – to unite our country, deliver our pledges and win the next GE.”

Of course with Mordaunt back in the frame to potentially become the next prime minister, TV fans may well remember her from a show called Splash a few years back.

The MP appeared on the diving contest in 2014, and now a clip of her belly flopping into a pool in front of millions of viewers has resurfaced online.

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The MP for Portsmouth North appeared in a red swimsuit and jumped backwards off a platform into water below.

Only, rather than executing the dive, she mistimed the jump and ended up landing belly first.

TikTok users have been reshaping the clip after she was picked out as one of the favourites in the leadership race.

At the time her appearance on Splash proved controversial. While she donated her fee to a local swimming pool, some of her constituents criticised her for taking time away from her work in the House of Commons.

The MP appeared on the show back in 2014ITV

The short-lived ITV competition was hosted by Tom Daley, with judges including comedian Joe Brand.

Mordaunt currently holds the position of Leader of the House of Commons. During the summer's leadership campaign she managed to get down to the final three before being eliminated in the final stage of MPs voting.

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