Penny Mordaunt becomes first Splash contestant to attend a coronation – no, we haven’t forgotten

Penny Mordaunt has made history (Picture: Rex Features)

Not only was King Charles III the first soap star to have a coronation, but we’ve done our research, and unless Gemma Collins was hiding in one of the pews Penny Mordaunt is the first Splash contestant to have attended one.

Ms Mourdant is Lord President of the Privy council, and so had a starring role in the coronation ceremony.

During the event, the Conservative MP exchanged 100 newly-minted silver 50p pieces bearing an effigy of King Charles for a Jewelled Sword of Offering.

The sword has a hilt encrusted with diamonds rubies and emeralds and a scabbard decorated with jeweled roses, thistles and shamrocks which symbolises royal power and the King accepting his duties.

Ms Mordaunt made the exchange at the alter in Westminster Abbey.

She then became the first woman to present the sword, which was made for George IV’s coronation in 1821, to a monarch.

Ms Mordaunt took her role seriously (Picture: REUTERS)

For the occasion, Ms Mordaunt wore a stunning blue dress, but rewind to 2014 and she was associated with some very different blues.

Ms Mordaunt was one of the contestants on Splash, where Olympian Tom Daley would teach a bunch of celebrities how to dive.

Alongside Gemma, she also competed against Danielle Lloyd, Dan Osbourne and eventual winner – Diversity’s Perri Kiely.

Ms Mordaunt was on the 2014 series of Splash(Picture: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

The crossover that nobody was expecting (Picture: ITV/REX)

She finished 12th out of 20 contestants, but what people mostly remember her time on the show for is quite an epic bellyflop.

Ms Mordaunt rose to real prominence last year when she became a candidate to replace Boris Johnson as Prime Minister, before losing out to Liz Truss. It was around this time that a clip from the show began to resurface.

The throwback video shows her botching a difficult dive and slapping the water chest first.

Dressed in a red swimming costume, Ms Mordaunt looked confident as she psyched herself up to take the plunge.

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But seconds later, she awkwardly hit the pool.

We bet she’s glad there weren’t any diving boards involved in today’s event.

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