Interview TV's Ben Fogle Talks To Femalefirst.
20 November 2005
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Why have you chosen to get involved with Walking for Wishes?Make-A-Wish is a charity that I think often gets overlooked - people will regularly donate to charities that are looking for cures to illnesses or providing aid abroad, but forget about the fantastic work that Make-A-Wish does.For the children whose wishes are granted, the charity is providing something amazing in terms of hope and excitement, something that can often go out the window when a child gets ill. I want to help raise awareness of the great work Make-A-Wish does, and also on a more practical level raise money for the charity - which is where Walking for Wishes comes in. It's so easy to take part, and you don't even have to raise any sponsorship, which is great if you're a bit lazy like me! All you have to do is register at www.walkingforwishes.org and hold a one-mile walk - which can be as simple as walking to the pub or shops and back! And for every person who registers Fairy Liquid will donate £1 to the charity - it's that simple!I hear you're about to row the atlantic - what on earth possessed you to agree to do this?!
If I'm honest, I like a challenge and I like to test myself, but I also think alcohol may have played a part! Actually, it was Debra Veal's story that first inspired me - she was the lady who started the Atlantic Row with her husband and then continued by herself when her husband developed a phobia of the sea and had to abandon the race. It's such an inspiring story, and when I heard about it I thought, "what sort of bonkers person would do that"; so naturally I decided to get involved!I also haven't had much time off in the last couple of years, and the idea of taking two months off and being away from everything - mobile phone, emails, TV - and just switching off completely appeals. I think it will be an amazing experience - certainly one that I'll always remember.Do you have any concerns about rowing the atlantic - it sounds pretty gruelling?
I am getting quite nervous about it now! I've never rowed in my life before, and I'm doing this with the Olympic gold medallist James Cracknell - the third best rower in the world. So the pressure's on! The BBC are going to be filming us as well, and I'm starting to worry about what will happen if something goes wrong - it'll be really embarrassing if two days into it I suddenly decide I can't continue and it's all on film!I'm less worried about the physical side of the race, than the thought of sleep deprivation. That really concerns me. We'll be rowing for two hours then sleeping for two hours for the duration of the challenge, and I'm used to my eight hours a night! Also, I've heard that when you get back it takes about a week before you can walk properly, which is why I'm going to be doing my one-mile Walk for Wishes before I leave!Where are you going to do your one-mile walk?
I'll take my dog, Inca, for a walk in one of the parks near me.How will you be celebrating Christmas?
Rowing!And finally, what's next after Walking for Wishes and the Atlantic Row?
We're filming a new series of Wild in Africa for the BBC in 2006, and there's also another series of BBC's Animal Park out in early 2006.Ben is currently working with Make-A-Wish UK & Ireland and Fairy Liquid, the nation's favourite washing-up liquid, to promote Walking for Wishes 2005, a one-mile Christmas walk taking place on 27th December. This year, Walking for Wishes is hoping to raise over £60,000 (90,000 eur) for the charity, which grants wishes to children aged between 3-18 with life threatening illnesses. For further information on the walk, please visit www.walkingforwishes.org. For every person who registers Fairy will donate £1 (1.50 eur) to Make-A-Wish.
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