The Skipping Dog Officially Amazing

# Officially, officially, officially

# Amazing! #

Hello, and welcome to Officially Amazing: The Best Of The Bunker.

Very shortly, our Competitive Legends

will be battling it out for another record.

And there will be gunge.

But first, this incredible canine.

Meet Jessica, the jumping Jack Russell.

She can dance.

She can barrel walk.

She can skateboard.

She can drive!

And she can impersonate royalty with her best mate, Jacob.

But today, this talented terrier

will team up with her human sidekick, Rachael.

To attempt the record for...

How did you discover that this was one of her skills?

I was playing with her, just asking her to jump without skipping.

And then I thought, "She's jumping quite high, I'm going

-"to give it a go."

-So basically, you were there with a rope anyway...

Well, I started off with a bit of sausage in my hand.

Just seeing if she could jump up for the sausage.

Many great stories start that way.

Jessica, don't take this the wrong way,

but you have got quite little legs.

Is that going to make things harder?

They might be small, Shires, but I've got four of them.

Ha-ha-ha!

So, the record at the moment stands at a gargantuan 51 in a minute.

-That's a lot, isn't it?

-That's a lot of skips, yeah.

So, what have you been averaging in training, then?

In training, we've been doing about 60, 64 skips.

-Ooh, so breaking the record?

-Yeah.

Of course, in a pressure environment like this, anything can change.

That's right, anything can happen on the day.

-I often get my foot caught in the rope!

-Oh, really?

-Yeah!

Before Jessica and Rachael jump to it, let's get the rules.

Jessica and Rachael must jump simultaneously over the same rope.

If either of them touches the rope while jumping,

that skip will not count.

And the record to beat

is a flabbergasting 51 skips in one minute.

Despite this mammoth target, back in the Bunker,

88% of our perceptive predictors reckon this pairing

will be jumping with record-breaking joy.

But do you agree at home?

The time will start when Rachael begins the first skip.

Stay, Jessie. Stay.

Ready?

And they're off!

Look at this!

Skippidy-doo-dah!

This is possibly the most joyous thing I've ever seen.

As you might be able to tell from my happy face.

Jessica sure can jump.

Those little legs are propelling her so high,

she could be bouncing over herself.

Disaster! Jessica jumped too late, and her back leg snagged the rope.

Valuable seconds lost, will it cost them?

Eye of the tiger! Yes! Go on!

Oh, no! Not again!

Magnificent.

And now, Jessica's jumping without the rope.

They've completely lost their rhythm.

Yes, go on!

But they're back in the groove. Come on!

This is magnificent, this is poochy poetry in motion!

Time!

Scintillating skipping.

But was it a new world record?

It's over to official adjudicator, Mark.

The record to beat today was 51.

In the time, you achieved...

-..47.

-Oh, it's close! It is so close!

Just four skips short of the record.

Those entanglements cost Jessica and Rachael dearly.

Gutting.

But, after time out for a sports massage,

Jessica is ready for one last attempt.

This is it!

Great start! Human and dog united in perfect motion.

Aw, Jessie, go on.

No! Jessica's going walkies.

It's a reluctant dog.

Oh, a superb recovery! That is not easy.

And look at Jessica's tail, wagging with joy.

They're right back on world-record pace now. Jump, Jessica, jump!

Oh, no, did Rachael's heel catch the rope then?

Let's look at the slow-mo.

It certainly looks like a foot foul.

If Mark saw that, that skip won't count.

They've strayed right off course.

Rachael's exhausted, and yet still, they skip.

-Right to the end...

-Time!

-Oh, well done!

Wow!

Did they reach 51 skips for a new record?

We did need to disqualify one skip

as the rope did catch your foot as it went under.

You achieved...

..50.

And the disqualified one!

Ugh!

Devastation as that flailing foot prevents Jessica and Rachael

from equalling the world record.

It's subdued in the Bunker too, as only 12% predicted that sad outcome.

Oh, Jessica, you're still officially amazing in our eyes.

And at least you got a lift home.

And now, it's time for...

Today's record could have been made for Ray. It's the...

Let's get the rules.

This is what a jumping jack looks like.

To count, the hands must meet at the top, and at the same time,

the feet must be spread at least shoulder-width apart at the bottom

before the contestant returns to the start position.

And the record to beat is 53 jumping jacks in 30 seconds.

So, who do you predict will be our jubilant jump-jacker?

Well, our Bunker crew were clearly impressed by Ray's demo.

But a surprisingly high 2% have gone for Sizzler?

Oh! Maybe his mum and dad are in?

He's up first.

So, it's over to official adjudicator, Shantha.

Three, two, one...

..go!

Wait, what's this?

The Sizzy Rascal seems to know what he's doing!

Come on, Sizzler!

No-one could have predicted this, Ben.

Especially from a man who thinks sensible shoes

and casual slacks are acceptable athletic attire.

Just look at the concentration.

He's putting everything into this.

Fact alert - Steve is wearing an extra layer of deodorant.

Presumably in case this 30 seconds of moderate exercise

causes a tsunami of sizzling sweat.

Ugh! TMI, Ben.

TMI.

But Britain's little flower is beginning to wilt.

Oh, and he's lost his rhythm.

Five, four, three, two, one...

..stop!

And what a finish!

Pure showbiz from the Sizz-biz.

Well, that was a revelation.

Cherry's up next.

Mr Cherry, are you ready?

I was born ready!

Go!

Ooh...

Ben's right, this is quick.

Possibly helped by those aerodynamic leggings and spangly pants.

Cherry, Cherry, Cherry!

Ooh, starting to get a little bit wobbly there.

And what was that?

He was going so fast that he lost control

and collided with the Ramp Of Glory.

That jumping jack may not count. Will that cost him?

But he's recovered again and picked up speed.

Could he threaten the target of 53?

Three, two, one...

..stop!

Oh, dear me!

Man down!

Cherry topples to the floor

after 30 seconds of extraordinary, exhausting exercise.

Two unexpectedly impressive displays, then.

The pressure is on US Ray.

Go!

Look at that speed.

Impeccable technique.

Ray's got this in the bag.

Mesmerising.

This is the difference between a real athlete

and a man in casual slacks, Ben.

Come on, Ray!

Flawless.

But Ray's feet aren't always coming together,

and those jacks won't count.

Minor errors, Ben.

Time's nearly up and Ray's superspeed is showing

no signs of slowing. This is a world-class workout.

Come on, Ray.

Five, four, three, two, one...

..stop!

Textbook technique, as Ray jump jacks to the max.

But did he do enough to earn a record?

Shantha, do we have a record?

Yes.

In third place...

..with a total of 44...

..is...

..Steve.

44!

The very definition of heroic failure from Sizz!

We salute him.

And in first place...

..equalling the current record of 53, is...

..Ray!

My man has done it.

And he treats the Bunker to a spectacular celebration.

Cherry and Ray actually managed exactly 57 jacks each.

But while six of Cherry's didn't count, only four of Ray's were

disqualified, leaving him with a narrow, but record-equalling, win.

Just as 73% of the Bunker predicted.

That's one win each,

one record each.

It couldn't be closer.

And finally, why is Cherry pulling this face?

Well, it's because audience member Owen here has just put him

into our gunge tank of doom.

Gungey!

He seems fine.

This means Steve and Ray join forces for the record for...

However, there's far too much going coin toppling going on

in this attempt for the record to be broken.

Meaning Owen's delighted and, well, you know what comes next.

Splendidly splodgy scenes.

We'll see you next time.