Love Island’s Chris Hughes had his first taste of an electric vehicle last week - a gleaming Tesla Model Y - after teaming-up with Select Car Leasing.
Select challenged Chris, a keen golfer who has played in a string of Pro-Am events, to drive the Tesla from his home in Hertfordshire on a 430 mile jaunt to St Andrews in Scotland for the 150th Open Championship.
But how did the Model Y perform - how far did it travel and what’s it like compared to his own powerful BMW X6 M Competition SUV, that he currently leases from Select Car Leasing?
Select sat down with the 29-year-old for a chat about cars, his sporting passions, his incredible charity work, a show to look out for later this year - as why a nightmarish recent motorway mishap put a new slant on the phrase ‘taking the car out for a spin’..
Read on to find out why:
So, Chris, how did you get on with the Tesla Model Y?
Chris says he’d never driven a fully-electric car before - and wanted to experience just how much he could save on fuel compared with his own 4.4 litre V8 SUV.
Speaking about the Model Y, which has a range of up to 331 miles between charges, he reveals:
“This is the first time I’ve driven an electric car, and also the first time I’ve sat in one and really appreciated it. And it’s unbelievable. These Teslas are fantastic, with a huge screen in the front that’s as big as a TV. We stopped at one of the Tesla ‘Supercharger’ charging stations on the way up to Scotland, and you can top-up the battery really quickly. You can sit and watch YouTube or Netflix while you’re waiting, too, so you could entertain yourself for hours.
"And this Model Y is so crisp and smooth to drive. It’s almost like a go-kart - it handles so well and it’s quick when you put your foot down. My BMW is obviously rapid, but the Tesla almost surprises you with its power. For me, the Model Y is perfect - it has blown me away. I can’t find anything negative to say about it.”
What about your history with cars?
Like most of us, Chris says he’s had the odd scary moment on the road - including slipping on a patch of black ice back in his home county Gloucestershire and taking out a grass verge in the process.
And back in February this year, he had his most frightening moment yet behind the wheel, when he hit a patch of standing water on the A1M near Stevenage, Herts.
(Pic, above, from Chris' Instagram)
He explains:
“I had another BMW X6 M before my current car, and I was making my way to watch the Super Bowl with some friends. I wasn’t going fast - but it was a wet night, I hit standing water and ended up completely aquaplaning. I lost it - left, right, left, right, slaloming - and went sideways into the central reservation. My car then spun so that I ended up facing oncoming traffic. It was 6pm on a Sunday night and they had to close the road while they dragged my car to the hard shoulder. It was a scary moment. It wasn’t a nice experience at all. I had people messaging me saying that this particular stretch of motorway is notorious for standing water so I don’t think I’m not the only one this has happened to.”
Charity work
Back in June this year, Chris joined forces with Cobra Puma Golf UK and the charity ‘It’s Never You’ to help raise money to support the families of children with cancer. The team completed a staggering five rounds of golf in 24 hours as part of the ‘Longest Day’ challenge - with Chris contributing to a tiring 22 holes.
The charity was created to honour the memory of Hugh Menai-Davis, a brave and beloved boy who passed away in September last year just days after his sixth birthday.
It’s a cause Chris is passionate about supporting, and he says:
“Playing five rounds of golf in a day is a struggle - but it’s nothing compared with what families go through when their child is diagnosed with cancer. And it’s great to support a charity like that and to raise money to support people who go through these awful experiences. It was lovely to be able to give something back, and to raise awareness for the charity itself.”
Making horse racing accessible to the masses
Chris is also on a mission to make the sport of horse racing more accessible. He’s been a presenter on ITV Racing since 2018, and adds:
“I’m a Great British Racing ambassador and we do a lot to both promote the sport but to also show the welfare of the animals and how well looked-after they are. It’s also about inclusivity for everybody and how racing can accommodate people from all walks of life. It’s so important to highlight this. I’ve grown up around racing and have loved it since I was a 10-year-old, so for me to be able to use my platform to show people how enjoyable it is is really special. There’s something for everybody and you can go to the races for all sorts of reasons - the horses, good food, entertainment and just to socialise. There’s more to events like Royal Ascot than ‘top hat and tails’. Turn up, have a picnic, and have fun.”
Chris’ thoughts on Love Island 2022 - and his favourite to win it
Model Chris shot to fame in the third series of the ITV2 reality series - ultimately won by Amber Davies and close pal Kem Cetinay.
And Chris reckons the current series - a run where the males on the show have been accused of displaying ‘toxic masculinity’ - has been the most ‘dramatic’ yet.
He reveals:
“I haven’t really watched Love Island for the last few years as I’ve been so busy, but I have actually watched the current series. It has been full of drama, that’s for sure! I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much drama. In the other series, you could tune-in and see good banter, lots of personality and plenty of laughs. But there has been a lot less of that this time. It’s so full-on that it has actually been hard to watch at times.
"You have to remember, though, that this is a tough, intense environment to be in, where relationships are accelerated. You’re with these people 24 hours a day. You can’t talk to your friends on the outside. And unless you’ve been in that situation, it’s hard to understand how these people feel. You miss your home, you miss your family, and you miss your phone to be able to communicate with people. I will say this, the girls have been great. Indiyah (Polack) is great, and I love Paige (Thorne) too. Indiyah or Paige would be my picks to finish as winners!”
What about advice for when the contestants leave the island later this month?
Chris says the transition from Love Island life to reality can be tough.
And he adds:
“When we were in it, the show was blowing up and we didn’t know what to expect when we came out. I think now, though, you can almost anticipate what’s to come and you can semi-prepare for it, even before you enter the villa. The best advice I can give when you find yourself in the public eye is just to be you. If you’re not, you’ll get sussed-out straightaway.
"Enjoy it, take it all in. People will have opinions about you, and they won’t always be kind, but try to stay appreciative of your situation - even when things get tough or when you see a negative article written about you that’s not fair. The other thing is to follow your passions and to seize the opportunities that come your way. I enjoy what I do, and I think that in broadcasting you can’t fake having a passion for something.”
And what about upcoming ITV show ‘Queens for the Night’?
Later this year Chris will appear in ITV’s Queens for the Night, a one-off spectacular that’ll see a host of celebs channel their inner drag queen.
Chris laughs:
“I’m comfortable in my own skin and I wear my heart on my sleeve. I work in the entertainment industry, and to step foot into a completely different type of entertainment with the drag world is fascinating to me. There’s so much toxic masculinity, particularly on social media, and it shouldn’t be like that. For me, it’s about breaking down stigmas and showing that everyone should be comfortable in their own skin, free to do what they want to do and to be who they want to be. I really enjoyed it.
"It’s made me want to tune-in and watch drag shows when I’m at home flicking through channels on the TV. And these drag queens are seriously talented - whether it’s comedy, dancing or singing. To embrace that world was really great. We had a blast filming it, I learned so much, and it was great to step out of my comfort zone. And I’ve had absolutely no negative comments from people on social media. I think everyone is just really looking forward to watching it.”
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