**EMBARGOED UNTIL 5:30PM THURSDAY 4 FEBRUARY**

BLUE PETER’S LINDSEY RUSSELL ‘THE WAVE RUNNER’ TO ZORB THE IRISH CHANNEL FOR

Blue Peter’s Lindsey Russell, ‘The Wave Runner’, is to take on one of the programme’s most daring challenges yet. Relying on her own physical strength and at the mercy of the British weather, the 25 year old presenter – who has already run the Marathon and completed the Swiss Army’s Mountain Marathon – will attempt to cross the Irish Channel in a 3 metre inflatable ball for Sport Relief 2016.

Lindsey will embark from the beaches of Donaghadee (Northern Ireland) and head for the finish line at Portpatrick harbour (Scotland) with a mighty distance of 20 miles of open water between.

Battling all the sea can throw at her, she’ll run the waves, take on the loneliness of night and face a mental battle like nothing she has experienced before. She will need all her courage, powers of endurance and a sea’s worth of stamina to complete this epic, world first, Blue Peter challenge. The task requires exceptional fitness, so Lindsey has been working hard to make sure she is at the top of her physical game, working closely with trainer, Professor Greg Whyte, who has previously prepared Davina McCall and David Walliams for their Sport Relief challenges.

Lindsey will head to Northern Ireland for final preparations on 25 February. The challenge has never been done before but experts predict her incredible feat could take up to 14 hours – the same amount of time it would take to swim the distance.

Lindsey Russell said: “The most daunting part of this challenge has always been how heavily we are relying on the weather. I’ve been training for months for what will be the biggest and best challenge of my life, but I don’t think anything can prepare me for what the Irish Sea has in store. Something I do know is that I’ll give it everything I’ve got – I am so determined to make it to Scotland and I hope it inspires everyone watching to get up and get involved with Sport Relief this year.”

Professor Greg Whyte said: “I’ve been working closely with Lindsey around her preparation for this incredibly tough solo Sport Relief challenge. The unique adventure that Lindsey is about to embark upon holds a host of physical, psychological, nutritional, tactical and technical challenges. In addition, factors beyond Lindsey’s control including the weather will play a crucial part in Lindsey’s success. This is an extraordinary challenge which will require an extraordinary performance from Lindsey to achieve success.”

Lindsey’s ‘ The Wave Runner’ challenge hopes to inspire children to do their own fundraising for Sport Relief by signing up to the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Games, which will raise money to help people living unimaginably tough lives. Half of the money raised will be used to make a difference right here in the UK, and the other half used to transform lives across the world’s poorest communities

Viewers can follow Lindsey’s progress from 26 February every Thursday on Blue Peter on the CBBC channel, with the ‘The Wave Runner’ challenge airing on 17 March. Sport Relief is back from Friday 18 – Sunday 20 March. Blue Peter wants viewers to let them know how they are fundraising by sending in their sweaty socks for Sport Relief! Not their real ones though – a specially designed creative send in unique for Sport Relief 2016. To get involved and find out how to fundraise visit www..co.uk/cbbc/shows/blue-peter

-ENDS -

ABOUT BLUE PETER

Blue Peter began in October 1958 and is the longest running magazine programme for children in the world. Since then there have been 37 presenters, and the current team are , Lindsey Russell and Radzi Chinyanganya.

Blue Peter is named after the blue and white flag which is raised twenty-four hours before a ship leaves harbour. The idea is that the programme is like a ship setting out on a voyage, having new adventures and discovering new things.

There are seven different Blue Peter badges in total: The Blue badge is the most familiar– awarded when you appear on the show or send in an interesting letter, programme idea, story, poem or recipe. Gold Badges are awarded to people who have done something remarkable like save a life or represent their country. Famous Gold Badge winners include: David Beckham, Her Majesty The Queen, and JK Rowling.

ABOUT SPORT RELIEF

Sport Relief brings the entire nation together to get active, raise cash and change lives. Since 2002, Sport Relief has raised over £262 million. The money raised by the public is spent by Comic Relief to help people living incredibly tough lives, across the UK and the world’s poorest communities. It all leads up to the Sport Relief weekend and an unmissable night of TV on the BBC, broadcasting live from Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

Sport Relief 2016 will take place from Friday 18th to Sunday 20th March 2016. You can run, swim, cycle or even walk yourself proud at events across the country. There's a distance for everyone in the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Games, whether you're sporty or not. Find out more at www.sportrelief.com.

Comic Relief is a UK charity, which aims to create a just world, free from poverty.

Since 1985, Comic Relief has raised over £1billion. That money has helped, and is helping, people living incredibly tough lives, both at home in the UK and across the world.

For information about Comic Relief and the work it carries out, please visit www.comicrelief.com

Comic Relief, registered charity 326568 (England/Wales); SC039730 (Scotland)

ABOUT THE SAINSBURY’S SPORT RELIEF GAMES The public are being encouraged to walk, run, swim or cycle yourself proud at the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Games from Friday 18th to Sunday 20th March 2016. There are flagship events at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London and in Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow, Norwich and Sheffield, plus hundreds of events across the UK.

Distances

All challenges are available across a variety of distances for both solo and team participants, please find further details below: Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile  1 mile (walk or run)  3 miles (walk or run)  6 miles (walk or run)

Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Cycle  Family Cycle: A 3-mile ride providing the perfect chance for keen cyclists of all ages to saddle up with family and friends.  25 miles (solo cycle)  50 miles (solo cycle)  SimplyCycle: Create your own sponsored cycle, pick your own distance and time and participate either with individually or with friends and family.

Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Swimathon  1.5k (solo or team swim)  2.5k (solo swim)  5k (solo or team swim)  SimplySwim: Set your own distance and time and swim solo or with friends and family