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Sara Davies, Vicky Pattison, Alex Scott and Laura Whitmore touch down in the Arctic Circle The foursome will be pushing themselves physically and mentally as they battle in temperatures as low as -20 degrees and sleep in tents in freezing and unpredictable conditions
Viewers will be able to follow every step of their mission in a special BBC One and iPlayer documentary filmed by Shine TV, airing in the lead up to Red Nose Day which returns on Friday 15 March
Money raised by their extraordinary efforts could help tackle poverty, provide food, essential healthcare or safe shelter for people in the UK and around the world
Find out how you can get involved and support Sara, Vicky, Alex and Laura: www.comicrelief.com/arctic(opens in new window)
Monday 19 February: The highly anticipated Snow Going Back: Comic Relief vs The Arctic challenge has officially begun! Having arrived at the Arctic Circle in Tromsø, Norway over the weekend, Sara Davies, Vicky Pattison, Alex Scott, and Laura Whitmore have this morning set off into the Arctic wilderness to take on Comic Relief's coldest challenge yet, all in the hope of raising life-changing funds for Red Nose Day.
On Saturday, Sara, Vicky, Alex and Laura bid farewell to their family and friends as they packed their bags and left to start the challenge of a lifetime. Upon arrival, the foursome were welcomed by Norwegian local guide and seasoned explorer, Torbjørn Ness, who will be supporting them throughout their journey.
On Sunday, the celebs appeared nervous as Torbjørn took them on their final training session where he explained the perilous nature of the terrain they will be trekking across. Torbjørn didn’t hold back as he warned them of the unforgiving weather conditions they will experience, as temperatures plummet as low as -20 degrees, which can cause such low visibility, it can test even the most experienced explorers.
As the training day unfolded, Sara, Vicky, Alex, and Laura had to dig deep to find inner strength and resilience as they took on fat wheel bike training and snowshoeing across the snow against harsh winds. They also had to learn how to set up their tents in the snow and use camping stoves to melt snow into drinkable water.
The long road ahead promises even greater challenges as the celebrities brace themselves for four days of trekking across tundras, nights spent in tents, and a diet consisting of dehydrated rations. The journey is undoubtedly tough, but their determination to make a difference remains unwavering.
The team shared their final thoughts ahead of setting off this morning...
Sara Davies said: “We’re just getting ready to go to the start line. I’m equal parts nervous and excited. When we first got here, I was just really excited, thinking, this is going to be great, and that the scenery is beautiful. But then we had our training day, and it was a dose of reality: it hit home how treacherous and dangerous the conditions are going to be. Bear in mind we’re down the side of the Fjord at the training camp, when we actually get up into the mountains it’s going to be so much worse. A snowstorm could come in in seconds. It was like ‘things just got real’. I’m still feeling excited, but I am now significantly nervous. Team morale is high, we’re four lasses and we’re just keeping each other going – but it’ll be different when we’re a couple of days in and we’re exhausted. The thing I’m most worried about is going to the toilet. So, a bit nervous about that but we’ll see how it goes. I just can’t wait to get started!"
Vicky Pattison said: “I am buzzing like an old fridge just to start this incredible challenge with these amazing women for such a wonderful cause. But I am really nervous. It’s colder than I could’ve ever anticipated, and I was expecting it to be cold! This is just next level. The terrain is definitely unforgiving and unpredictable. It’s like nothing I’ve ever done before but I’m going to be positive and give it my all and hope for the best. Wish me luck!"
Alex Scott MBE said: “This is it. We’re off. I know the temperatures are going to be a tough for me. I can’t stand the cold but I’m going to try and push through. I’m doing this with three other incredible, amazing women and we’re going to all try and get through this together, but we know it’s going to be gruelling, and we know it’s going to be our hardest challenge ever. But we know why we’re doing it so please all support us and donate as much as you can."
Laura Whitmore said: “So it’s finally happening. Today is the day. We’ve talked about it long enough, and now we’ve just got to do it. I’m feeling very excited, and a little bit anxious but at the moment that’s being overridden by the fact that we’re doing this for such a great cause, and we have so much support behind us. It’s colder today than when we were training yesterday and the snow is a bit thicker. This morning I had my last shower using hot water and now it’s into the wild, into the Arctic. I hope it’s kind to us."
Norwegian Local Guide, Torbjørn Ness, is supporting the crew in Norway and helping the team to manage the extreme conditions they will face every day. Torbjørn said: “Today is going to be a long and challenging day, where Sara, Vicky, Alex and Laura will be battling against the cold and snow as they use the fat wheel bikes. They will realise the extremity of the environment for the next four days. We are so far down at the sea level, which means it will be extremely wet, cold and windy. When they swap to snowshoes, they will be pulling their own sled and equipment weighing around 20kg and trekking an incline of 400m. Today is an intense start and they need to be aware of their body temperature and use all their strength and resilience to help each other to stay strong."
Sara, Vicky, Alex and Laura’s journey will be filmed for a special BBC One and iPlayer documentary that will air in the lead up to Red Nose Day, which returns on Friday 15 March.
To support this fearless foursome on this life-changing challenge, visit, www.comicrelief.com/arctic(opens in new window)
