Steve Jones has revealed he once saved rapper P Diddy’s life while they were partying on a boat together in St Tropez.
The Welsh TV presenter made the unlikely admission on an old episode of the BBC series Would I Lie To You? back in 2017, before the rapper’s sordid past was unearthed.
Diddy faces up to 20 years in prison at his October 3 sentencing for being convicted on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, but he was acquitted of the more serious charges (sex trafficking and racketeering) after his federal trial on July 2.
Recalling his meeting with Diddy on the gameshow, Steve read the statement out to host Rob Brydon and the fellow panellists as he began: ‘I once saved P Diddy’s life.’
Understandably confused David Mitchell asked: ‘How? Well, hang on, before we get there. David. P Diddy.’
Guest Fiona Bruce then asked: ‘So, how did you do it?’
Steve Jones has revealed he once saved rapper Diddy’s life after the Welsh presenter rescued him from drowning during a boat party in St Tropez years ago (pictured on Would I Lie To You in 2017)
The Welsh presenter explained Diddy jumped into the sea while hungover before realising he couldn’t swim and appealing to Steve for help (Diddy pictured in July)
Steve then explained: ‘Er, he was drowning and I saved him. I jumped in and I saved him.’
David then asked: ‘So were you…you were socialising with P Diddy beforehand, you didn’t just happen to come across him?’
Steve then confirmed: ‘Yeah, we were socialising. We were on the same boat together.
‘We have a mutual friend who owns a boat. Derek Evans from Pontypridd. Derek has been very close to Diddy for some years now.’
He continued: ‘And we just went there to party and she said, one day, “Oh, P Diddy is joining us tomorrow.” And I was like, “oh, cool.”
‘We got pretty steaming that night when he got on the boat, it was a bit of a raucous party.
‘The next morning he was a bit hungover, I remember him saying, “Yo, I’m hungover.” And I was like, “Yeah. We all are.”
‘He was hungry and I remember him eating a big bowl of pasta for lunch. Then he was like, I’m going to go for a dip. And he jumped into the ocean.’
‘So I jumped in, I swam across to him and I’m like, “You’re OK, calm down.” He’s like, “Argh, help!” and I grabbed him around his chest like this and, kind of, swam back to the boat and you know got him on the ladder and he said thanks’
Detailing how he then saved his life he explained: ‘I didn’t think much of it, I turn around to look how he’s doing. I just glance. It’s P Diddy, you’re going to look.
‘And he’s got his hands balled into fists and he’s kind of doing this [mimicked drowning]. Hitting the water with clenched fists and I thought he was messing around.
‘So I jumped in, I swam across to him and I’m like, “You’re OK, calm down.” He’s like, “Argh, help!” and I grabbed him around his chest like this and, kind of, swam back to the boat and you know got him on the ladder and he said thanks.
‘And I was like, you’re welcome, P Diddy.’
Feeling the story was too far-fetched, David’s team voted that the story was a lie, before Steve unexpectedly revealed: ‘It is true.’
