BBC presenters face their swimming fears for Children in Need

Gemma was diagnosed with a form of dystonia, external in her upper body – an issue in the part of the brain that controls movement – which can cause uncontrolled and sometimes painful muscle spasms.

Gemma was told to manage her expectations of what she could do, having swum competitively, played tennis, hockey, netball and performed in shows.

Less than a decade later, she has become a wheelchair tennis player, sports broadcaster, ICU World Champion and a coach.

“Sometimes people say you can’t do something,” she said.

“Maybe I can’t do it in the traditional way that you would see it being done, but let’s see how I can adapt it.”

Gemma came up with a form of swimming she likes to call a “free paddle”.

Her left arm does front crawl, while her right arm, which she calls her “nemo fin” as it is impacted by her dystonia, does a doggy paddle.

Her target of swimming 474 lengths of the pool in five days was something she could not have imagined doing eight years ago.

“When things get tough, I’m a lot tougher than I think I am. I’ve really enjoyed being in the pool there is something freeing about it.

Gemma, along with scores of other BBC presenters and their colleagues, are attempting to swim 24 miles each – aiming for a 1,000-mile total.