AN old colleague of mine once said the closest he ever came to danger in showbiz was choking on a lily sausage.
So when GARY BARLOW challenged me to climb Mount Kilimanjaro for Comic Relief, I thought it might be time to do something worthwhile.

The Take That star has assembled a gang of nine celebs (and me) to tackle the 19,340ft peak in February.

And with CHRIS MOYLES and CHERYL COLE as part of the team, I couldn’t say no.

Gary told me: “I went to Africa for Comic Relief 18 months ago and the images from that trip have stayed with me and made me want to do something big to make a difference and raise money.

“The other people on the climb feel similarly, so it made sense to ask them to join me.

“I have chosen the people I want to be stuck on the side of a mountain with, even if we are the least likely you would expect to find there.

“We are all nervous and are trying to fit training into our schedules but the team spirit, enthusiasm and commitment are incredible.”

Over the next few months I’ll be cutting back on the ale and getting in shape.

If Moyles can get up there with a few extra tyres, that’s incentive enough.

The altitude training is meant to be brutal.

In training sessions so far Moyles has coped best – thanks to his smoking habit.

Apparently, he needs less oxygen to exercise.

Other stars climbing the Tanzanian peak – the highest in Africa – include DENISE VAN OUTEN, ALESHA DIXON, KIMBERLEY WALSH, FEARNE COTTON, BEN SHEPHARD and RONAN KEATING.

Kimberley said: “Since visiting Africa with Comic Relief a year ago, I haven’t been able to forget how easy it is for someone in my position to help change the lives of poor and vulnerable people by raising money.

“When Gary approached me and Cheryl about doing the climb, I didn’t think twice.

“It was only after I put the phone down that I wondered what we’d signed up for.”

Hats off to the big names involved for putting themselves through hell for a good cause.

I’ll be keeping you posted with the training and how the stars are coping.

What have I let myself in for?

The climbers have an eight-day trek ahead of them to reach the summit which stands 19,340ft above sea level.

They are embarking on the gruelling climb in a bid to raise enough money to buy a million malaria nets as well as raising money for good causes across Africa and the UK.

Fearne said: "It's mad, it's mental, I can't believe I'm doing it."

She said that she had concerns about the "tiny" Cheryl Cole and Kimberley Walsh, as well as her larger fellow Radio One presenter Moyles managing the climb.

The idea is the brainchild of Take That star Gary. She said: "He came up with this ludicrous idea."

The public can sponsor each climber on the official Red Nose Day website. Fern said: "Just sponsor me because Gary can call Mark, Howard and Jason and they're all millionaires. I'm just going to ring my mum and ask her to give me a tenner so I need you to sponsor me."

Comedienne Jo Brand later advised the presenter to "have a sandwich before you go" in a bid to bulk her up before the arduous climb. But Jo added that Chris would have to be "winched up" and "rolled down".

The climb will be followed throughout by a documentary team and there will be live updates from the mountain on BBC Radio One
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I imagined joining TAKE THAT on stage at Wembley in ROBBIE WILLIAMS’ shoes for a rendition of Back For Good – not climbing Africa’s biggest mountain.

But nine celebrities and Bizarre signed up to the BT Red Nose Climb to raise money for Comic Relief.
And the countdown to the ten-day expedition begins today.

On February 27, Gary, RONAN KEATING, CHRIS MOYLES,BEN SHEPHARD,CHERYL COLE, KIMBERLEY WALSH,DENISE VAN OUTEN, FEARNE COTTON, and ALESHA DIXON will be setting off to Tanzania to tackle Mount Kilimanjaro.

It is shaping up to be one of the biggest challenges they will ever face, and a million miles away from the life of luxury they live at home.

Altitude sickness, dehydration, blisters, diarrhoea, snakes, spiders, biting cold, a stifling jungle and angry monkeys are only a few of the challenges just around the corner.

But at the launch on Thursday, the team were in determined spirits to do summit worthwhile to raise a mountain of cash for an absolutely brilliant cause.
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There are elephants, naughty monkeys, spiders, snakes and a world of grim weather conditions for the celebs to contend with.

But that didn’t put the famous faces off when GARY BARLOW rang them up to ask if they would join the BT Red Nose Climb.
Gary told me: “Everyone has been great.

To read more about the charity expedition check out related stories in right-hand column.

“I thought I would have to have a huge list of people and work my way down because they wouldn’t want to do it.

“But more or less everyone I asked was up for it.

“It started off because I just wanted a challenge and to raise money for a great cause like Comic Relief. Anyone who wants to donate money to us please go to rednoseday.com and help us raise a mountain of cash.”

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Every slip and stumble will be filmed for a BBC documentary to be aired on March 12.
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Football fanatic Gaz, who came up with the trek idea, was having a chuckle at The Sun story about DAVID BECKHAM becoming AC Milan’s lucky charm.

Becks’ superstar team-mates, including KAKA and RONALDINHO, have been patting his bum for good luck after the team went on an unbeaten run following the arrival of the former England skipper.

And Gary joked that he would be willing to fill the same role for his mountain-climbing squad.

He told me: “I read in the paper about Beckham and this new ritual where all the players touch his bum for luck.
“Moylesy was laughing about it earlier.

“I could just stand there first thing in the morning and get everyone to form and orderly queue and one by one you can all come up and give it a gentle pat for luck.”

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Gary, who became a dad for the third time last month, confessed he was feeling the strain of sleepless nights and a brutal training schedule.

He said: “It has been tough. I forget I’m ten years older than when Dawn and I had our first. Training on top of the sleepless nights has been really hard work. It’s the one thing that will be really hard.

“My little girl Daisy will only be six weeks old when I am away, so that will be tough. I’ll miss the kids, but at least I’ll get a full night’s sleep for a change.”

CHRIS MOYLES was up to his usual tricks at the launch.

The girls were asked if they would be stocking up on talcum powder, vaseline and other products to ease the pain of the demanding journey.

The Radio 1 breakfast show host said: “CHERYL COLE, vaseline and talcum powder. That sounds like a dream I had the other night.”

Celeb team ... ready to climb

Celeb team ... ready to climb

Gary joins Moyles on the breakfast show today to talk about the trek.

Chris will be broadcasting from Kili every day of the trip.

The big man has been training hard since Christmas, but hasn’t kicked the fags yet.

He said: “I walked 100 metres the other day. Running, walking and not drinking have been part of the training.

“Over the last few weeks some of the lads have been training in an oxygen chamber which is ridiculously stupid.”
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