Jo from Manchester quit Jonathan Ross’ Handcuffed: Last Pair Standing after just over 24 hours following a disagreement with producers over showering arrangements
Dan Laurie Deputy Editor of Screen Time
21:23, 03 Mar 2026Updated 21:24, 03 Mar 2026
Handcuffed: Jonathan Ross hosts new Channel 4 show
A contestant from Manchester has withdrawn from a Channel 4 show after merely one day following a disagreement over showering arrangements.Jo and Reuben were one of the nine pairs chained together by Handcuffed: Last Pair Standing host Jonathan Ross in a bid to win £100,000.
Those who signed up will have to manage being chained to one another 24/7, doing everything together. Whilst they can unlock at any time, if they do they’ll be eliminated from the competition and will forfeit a chance to win the prize fund. After spending their first night in the same bed together, Jo confessed that she couldn’t switch her brain off and things took a turn when it came to showering.
An emotional Jo explained: “I was hoping to use the shower to decompress and reset myself to carry on with the challenge.”, reports the Mirror.She later requested a phone call with a producer, who explained to the plus-size fashion brand owner from Manchester that the process was about the two of them “working together”.
Jo from Manchester quit Handcuffed: Last Pair Standing over one day being chained to Reuben(Image: Channel 4)
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The explanation wasn’t sufficient for Jo and despite Reuben’s efforts to reassure her, she dragged him downstairs and smashed open the red box to retrieve the key for the handcuffs. After being freed and departing Jo’s house, Reuben said: “Sorry, I can’t say much. I’m f**king fuming. We signed up for this challenge we knew it was going to be hard. She’s a nice person but she was never cut out for this competition.”
Jo said: “It was like nothing I’ve ever encountered in my life. Every single thing that comes out of his mouth is to impress somebody but he really needs to learn to show a bit of compassion.
Sir Benjamin and George left the experiment after 12 hours(Image: 72 Films)
“There is a positive from this and it is that I’ve stopped him from winning and that is worth £500,000 let alone £50,000.” Reuben and Jo became the second pair to abandon the experiment after enduring just 24 hours and 16 minutes.
British aristocrat Sir Benjamin Slade withdrew after just over 12 hours cuffed together with East London prison officer George.The two men struggled to find common ground as they spent time in the 79-year-old’s 14th century ancestral home in Somerset.
Seven pairs remain in the competition(Image: Colin Hutton)
George clashed with one of Benjamin’s friends about Nigel Farage, the leader of the Reform Party, during a heated dinner party.
Marching through his residence, Benjamin demanded that the Channel 4 filming crew return his phone, despite their strict rules that they were not permitted to have them.
When the crew refused to comply, Benjamin then dragged George to the basement to use a pair of bolt cutters to set them free.
Handcuffed: Last Pair Standing is available to watch or stream Mondays and Tuesdays on Channel 4 at 9pm
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