David Walliams swims Thames NEWS
Comedian, actor and philanthropist David Walliams, best known for starring in Little Britain, has started his 140 mile swimming challenge, swimming down the River Thames from Gloucestershire to London in an expected 8 days to raise money for Sport Relief.
Starting at the river's source near Lechlade, the 140-mile journey will finish at Big Ben in London. Walliams expects to arrive in eight days, swimming a length equivalent to crossing the English Channel every day for eight days.
Today the water has measured 15 degrees, which is actually colder than the English Channel and Walliams will be swimming in two hour sessions for up to 8 - 10 hours a day.
'I must be a masochist. I wanted to do something else and I'd just turned 40 and I thought I haven't got much time left because my body is falling apart.' Walliams told BBC News.
Walliams will burn the equivalent of 4,400 calories every day and said when the challenge got tough that he would focus on 'happy things'.
There is said to be 39 million cubic metres of raw sewage that runs into the Thames every year due to heavy rainfall and added challenges include strong currents, boats (with Walliams admitting to being hit by oars while in-training) and swans, which are known to be very territorial:
'When I got here last night there were about 30 swans and I have been attacked by swans in the training, so I am actually quite nervous about them. When they're coming towards you fluffing their wings and hissing when you're in the water, it's quite scary' said Walliams.
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