New Netflix documentary ‘The Deepest Breath’ is putting viewers off swimming for life

People are getting freaked out after watching Netflix’s new documentary about freediving, The Deepest Breath – and some say they’ll never go swimming again.

The show landed on the streaming platform on Wednesday, 19 July, and has already caused quite a splash.

Viewers get an insider’s view of the swimmers who compete to dive as deep as they can while holding a single breath of air.

It's fair to say it's provoked quite the reaction on social media.

“Sorry, The Deepest Breath has put me off swimming altogether,” one Twitter user said after watching the show.

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“Dunno if it’s because I’ve a slight hangover but I put on The Deepest Breath and I’m panicking tbh. No need to be diving that deep grow up,” another person said.

The documentary tracks the story of champion Italian freediver Alessia Zecchini, in an increasingly tense tale.

At one point she tries to break a world freediving record with a four minute dive. However, on the way back up to the surface she passes out, leaving viewers shaken.

One person said: “Watched The Deepest Breath on Netflix last night. Wasn’t expecting to feel like I was watching a horror movie, the feeling something bad is going to happen whilst shaking my head at how incredible yet how insane these people are. Last 15-20 minutes was intense.”

And a fourth person said: “Deepest Breath is terrifying. Imagine being on the brink of death several times and for what?”

Another commented: “Watching The Deepest Breath on Netflix about freediving and these people who try to set records. It shows them blacking out on the way up. Very disturbing.”

Zecchini holds her breath for more than three-and-a-half minutes in another scene, as she swims nearly the length of a football field.

Stephen Keenan, a safety diver who accompanies the freedivers on their dives, is also given a prominent role. He is the one who saves a diver’s life when they black out, or suffer other effects of oxygen deprivation.

By the time you’ve got to the end of the documentary, you’ll have seen several incidents of divers blacking out and being pulled from the water. Some need mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

It’s a tough watch. But if you think you’re up for it, The Deepest Breath is on Netflix now.

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