Denise

The BT Red Nose Climb

After finding fame on the legendary Big Breakfast, Denise Van Outen has become one of our most celebrated musical theatre performers.

A sound start at the Sylvia Young Theatre School saw Denise show an early flair for performing and she was soon winning parts in various TV dramas as well as acting in A Midsummer Night's Dream with the RSC.

In 1995, Van Outen joined The Big Breakfast as a weather and travel reporter, but a couple of years later she started co-presenting the show with Johnny Vaughan.

The multi talented Essex lass then launched a fantastically successful career in musicals which saw her make her West End debut in 2001 as Roxie in Chicago – a role she also played on Broadway.

After a string of further Theatre hits, Denise appeared back on our TV screens in Any Dream Will Do in 2007. Victor, Lee Mead, not only won the part of Joseph but also Denise’s heart – the pair have been together ever since.

I'm exited but nervous about the climb. I've been looking online a lot at the different routes and all sorts of things so I think I’ve scared myself a bit!

Physically performing musicals where there’s a lot of dancing and singing for 8 shows a week means you have to be quite fit, but this is a different type of fitness altogether so I’ve been out walking a lot to try and get in shape and prepare for it.

I’ve wanted to do something for Comic Relief for a very long time so when I heard about this through Gary it was something I couldn’t refuse.

When I was little I was quite partial to setting up the tent in our back garden, but I always quite liked the fact I was quite close to the indoors and the facilities of my Mum and Dad's house like the toilets - so this will be interesting!

I'll really miss my boyfriend and mates while I’m away and I’ll be having withdrawal symptoms for cups of nice tea too!

Press play to watch this video and see how Denise feels about climbing Africa's tallest Mountain!

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