1. Total Wipeout first aired on 3 January 2009 and ended on 31 December, 2012.
2. There were 69 episodes including Winter Wipeout, North v South and 10 celebrity specials.
3. 'Gymnast Rachel', the winner of episode 2, was the show’s first ever female winner.
4. A total of 5 women have won Total Wipeout. One of them was Danielle Lloyd who won her celebrity special by beating Dominic Littlewood by a second.
5. The show was filmed in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
6. Winner of episode 3, ‘Worm Andy’, had a time of 1.07 minutes on The Wipeout Zone making him one of the fastest ever contestants on the show.
7. 54 seconds is the course record, set by the British athlete Dalton Grant during a celebrity special.
8. Created by Endemol Shine North America, this international format has been adapted in over 30 markets including Australia and across Europe and Latin America.  The iconic format will be making a comeback to US screens after six years with a reimagined series commissioned by TBS earlier this year.

Were you excited to get involved and to be working with Freddie again?

There was a great response when the news was announced so I really hope people enjoy seeing it back on BBC One. We need those big red balls back in our lives! The show, not Fred? 

What do you think makes this format so popular with viewers?

Wipeout is all about not taking yourself too seriously and going for it. It’s silly, pure comfort TV and I think more than ever that’s the kind of telly people have an appetite for.

Have you always been a fan of the show/what are your memories of watching it?

I’ve always loved the mix of contestants that take part in the show - they’re up for anything and aren’t afraid of looking daft, bit like myself and Fred. I think the brilliant thing about it is you can’t really prepare for the course or the obstacles – you have to leave your pride at the door and give it your all! It brought back loads of happy memories watching it, felt really nostalgic.

Which one of you plays good cop/bad cop when giving commentary on contestants? What type of contestant do you root for?

I can probably be a bit harsher on some of the contestants than Fred. I see it more as tough love. 

Do you have any special rituals you do before a recording/ do you have a routine together now as you’ve worked together for quite a while?

Fred still has a lot to learn from me so part of that routine is him getting the chance to sit back and watch a professional at work. But really it’s always fairly easy for us to get stuck in and get the job done while having a laugh.

What would be your 3 top tips for tackling the Total Wipeout course?

My tips would be, don’t be self-conscious, don’t over think it and definitely try to get in swimming practice beforehand as most people end up stuck in the water at some stage or another!

How do you hope audiences will react to the show?

I hope that it’s one parents introduce to their kids and that it gives people the chance to sit down and have a laugh together. For anyone that’s seen before, it’s nostalgic and it’s actually even funnier and more ridiculous than I remembered.

Quickfire round on your co-host:

What would be their strength as a contestant?

His biggest strength would be his ability to stride across the big red balls with ease.

What would be their biggest weakness as a contestant?

His biggest weakness would be getting not being able to maintain his blue steel look for the entire course.

What would they do with the prize?

Use it to pay for the dry-cleaning bill.

What nickname would they have?

Freddie Falloff? The Lanky Lancastrian. So many to choose from really!

Interview supplied by BBC. Paddy McGuinness is on The One Show on Friday night.