Cheryl Fernandez-Versini and her husband Jean Bernard Fernandez-Versini were left terrified during their recent holiday when they were snorkelling only to be faced with a shark causing panic amongst swimmers at the beach they were relaxing on.
The shocked X Factor judge reportedly let out a scream when she and others saw the blacktip reef shark heading towards them during the couple's luxurious New Year break at a lavish exclusive resort in the Caribbean. Cheryl, 31, and Jean-Bernard quickly swam to shore as panicked holidaymakers fled the site and lifeguards rushed to get swimmers out of the sea.
A source told the Mirror: “It was a very scary experience for them both. There are warnings up about sharks all year round in that part of the world, but nobody expects to actually see one. The beach was quickly evacuated. Fortunately nobody was hurt, but the sharks in that region can be vicious. Every year people are injured by sharks in the Caribbean, so nobody is complacent. Cheryl was shaken but she was OK.”
Cheryl and Jean-Bernard snorkelling in the Caribbean (JEAN-BERNARD FERNANDEZ-VERSINI)
Jean-Bernard joked about the incident with an image he posted online of a shark and the couple snorkelling, his wife balanced on his back in the water, as he wrote: “Ever heard a Geordie scream, ‘;It's a f****** shark?'”
Blacktip sharks are known to hunt in shallow water for food and can mistake swimmers for their prey. They can grow as lon g as five-feet but are normally shy animals who steer clear of swimmers - however there have been exceptions - but they don't have the ability to cause life-threatening injuries in normal circumstances.
It seems likely Cheryl has probably dealt with worse predators and come off better in the end in her time, with the challenges she has faced in recent years. Cheryl and Jean-Bernard returned home on Wednesday. All in one piece.
