Ryan and Adam Thomas defend new ITV show 99 To Beat after three contestants were rushed to hospital

The brothers host the new ITV challenge show which sees 100 members of the public taking on a series of physical challenges with the aim of finding one winner to walk away with £25,000. However, production of the show was marred by controversy after it emerged that three contestants had been hospitalised due to an allergic reaction, while another person suffered an injury to her ankle.

Ryan, who played Jason Grimshaw in Coronation Street for 16 years, spoke to The Sun’s TV Biz column about the situation, saying: "There was a lot going on at the time and when you've got 100 contestants, there's a lot to manage and there's a lot going on - it's physical, it's demanding.

"One of the girls was having a celebration with one of the other contestants and went over her ankle. I mean accidents happen and you've got to expect it when you're doing a show with 100 contestants that anything is possible from a game perspective and from an injury perspective, you're never going to 100 per cent come out of it unscathed."

Ryan added that despite the setbacks for a handful of contestants, all returned to the competition and only left once they were eliminated. He said: “ Everyone that was a part of the show that injured themselves, were still a part of the show until they didn't come last.

"It went really really well under the circumstances, we got exactly what we wanted out of it. Anyone can play the game, from your youthful 18-year-old self to your 90-year-old grandma or granddad, it's an open book, anyone can play these games."

Ryan, who is set to reprise his Corrie role later this year, also said that the competition got so intense that contestants were left “crying”. He said: "It's the frustration because on paper the games seem so simple, when you're actually in the arena, and you're trying to do those games and you're still struggling - people are crying, it's very dramatic at times.

"I did shed a little tear, I'm not going to lie - it's quite an emotional experience for not just for the contestants, for the hosts as well."

Ryan’s brother Adam, who appeared in Yorkshire soap Emmerdale and is currently appearing in Waterloo Road, added: "It's definitely an emotional rollercoaster for the contestants but also for the viewer and the host as well.

"We go on this journey with them, we get to know then really well, it's quite hard because you want to celebrate for the contestants going through but also we know we're losing some great characters. Especially as you get closer to the £25,000, nobody wants to come last, the emotions as definitely running high and you feel for these guys.”