Greg James makes a splash for charity as he strips naked in the Zambezi river

PICTURED: Greg James makes a splash for charity as he strips naked in the Zambezi river after raising money for Comic Relief

By JENNIFER RUBY

PUBLISHED: 18:55, 2 February 2013 | UPDATED: 23:32, 2 February 2013

He might better known for his voice than his body, but Radio 1 DJ Greg James gave his fans a treat as he stripped completely naked during his Comic Relief trip to Zambia.

The 27-year-old star has been pictured taking off all of his clothes and jumping into the Zambezi river as he promised after raising £50,000 for The BT Red Nose Challenge: Hell and High Water.

Looking a little hesitant at first, Greg proved that he's a man of his word as he waded into the murky water, using his hands to cup his private parts and preserve a little of his modesty.

Stripped down: BBC Radio 1 DJ Greg James (muzzed to protect his modesty) bares all as he jumps into the Zambezi river after finishing the BT Red Nose Challenge: Hell & High Water

With more than enough donations made to meet the challenge Greg took off his clothes and sprinted into the river.

Showing just how much the money raised meant to him, the DJ kept his promise to the public, going naked in front of the nation.

Radio 1 tweeted: 'Great work @BBCR1 listeners. Mr @gregjames goes naked in the #zambezi.* *warning, may contain butts'.

Man of his word: Greg loses all of clothes and jumps into the river as he promised after raising £50,000

Get your kit off: Greg James stripped naked and ran into the Zambezi river after raising more than £50,000 for Red Nose Day

Gearing up: Greg keeps his promise and seems happy to get his kit off, if being a little hesitant at first

Greg may not have been aware of the situation but he was not the only living creature that was inhabiting the 3,540-kilometre-long river.

The Zambezi supports large numbers of hippopotamuses, lizards and many crocodiles as well as its own bull shark population.

Trek: Greg and the rest of the team trek through Livingstone Island as they make their way to the waterfalls

On top of the world: Greg seems relieved to have made it through the challenge, although it means that he has to strip off

Made it:  Dara O Briain and Greg seem pleased with their teams efforts

Raising money: Dara, Melanie C, Jack Dee, Chelsee Healey, Phillips Idowu and Greg all camp on top of a clifftop during the trip

Greg and his fellow celebrities Dara O’Briain, Melanie C, Jack Dee, Chelsee Healey and Phillips Idowu completed the biggest challenge of their lives on Friday afternoon.

The five day ordeal saw them travel under their own steam down Africa’s mighty Zambezi river to raise as much cash as possible for Red Nose Day.

The triumphant team finished at exactly 3.18pm. After clambering down a 200ft gorge using a ladder locally known as The Steps Of Doom, the six intrepid amateurs spent the morning clinging on for dear life as they battled the most fierce rapids of the week – even the support crew’s raft flipped over and chucked them into the deep.

What a view: The stars gaze out at the view after setting up camp in their new home

What a pro: Comedian Dara looks pretty pleased with himself after all of his hard graft

Under the stars: The team bond as they sit together around a camp fire

Get your nose on: Chelsee and Dara pose in their red noses as they help raise awareness for the annual charity event

Down to the water: The team head down to the river to try out the rapids

Greg said: 'The rapids are really frightening, especially if you're a novice! You can't just sit back, you have to keep paddling otherwise you'll just float off and go miles away. We're in a big raft today and it keeps bouncing around, people are popping out of it like popcorn! 

'I bounced into the air earlier and was only saved by Phillips grabbing me with his massive athletic claw! We’re going through rapids called The Terminator and The Gnashing Jaws of Death; they're just horrible names. I wish we could so through something called ‘small mound’ or ‘babbling brook’ instead.'

Making waves: Greg and his fellow celebrities Dara O¿Briain, Melanie C, Jack Dee, Chelsee Healey and Phillips Idowu completed the biggest challenge of their lives on Friday afternoon

The rough with the smooth: Greg and Chelsee did battle with the dangerous rapids

Power play: The five day ordeal saw them travel under their own steam down Africa¿s mighty Zambezi river to raise as much cash as possible for Red Nose Day

Cool for cats: Greg, pictured earlier this week, made the pledge to get naked if he raised more than 50k

Exhausted, aching, blistered and bruised after travelling over 111km under their own steam, battling raging rapids, manic mosquitos and sweltering sun, the team are now celebrating and reflecting on their success.

Greg said: 'Let me sum up how I'm feeling in one phrase – I'm over it. Big time. I'm over the water, the rapids, the hippos, the boats, the tents, the camping, the sand, the itchy bits, the mosquitos, the blisters, the sunburn, the smell - it’s been really tough. 

Mission accomplished: The triumphant team finished at exactly 3.18pm on Friday

Doing their bit: The team seem proud after completing their challenge on Livingstone Island

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2272444/Greg-James-makes-splash-charity-strips-naked-Zambezi-river-raising-money-Comic-Relief.html#ixzz2Jn62PWZ8
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Greg James gets naked and jumps into the Zambezi river after raising more than £50,000 for Red Nose Day

PUBLISHED: 18:07, 1 February 2013 | UPDATED: 18:14, 1 February 2013

Greg James is clearly a man of his word and he is also extremely brave.

The BBC Radio 1 disc jockey stripped down to his birthday suit as he made good on a bet.

The 27-year-old had promised to get naked and run into the Zambezi river if he raised £50,000 for The BT Red Nose Challenge: Hell and High Water.

Get your kit off: Greg James stripped naked and ran into the Zambezi river after raising more than £50,000 for Red Nose Day

With more than enough donations made to meet the challenge Greg took off his clothes and sprinted into the river.

With only his derriere visible from the back the tall radio personality made quite a splash in the water.

Radio 1 tweeted: 'Great work @BBCR1 listeners. Mr @gregjames goes naked in the #zambezi.* *warning, may contain butts'.

Cool for cats: Greg, pictured earlier this week, made the pledge to get naked if he raised more than 50k

Greg may not have been aware of the situation but he was not the only living creature that was inhabiting the 3,540-kilometre-long river.

The Zambezi supports large numbers of hippopotamuses, lizards and many crocodiles as well as its own bull shark population.

Greg and his fellow celebrities Dara O’Briain, Melanie C, Jack Dee, Chelsee Healey and Phillips Idowu completed the biggest challenge of their lives on Friday afternoon.

Making waves: Greg and his fellow celebrities Dara O¿Briain, Melanie C, Jack Dee, Chelsee Healey and Phillips Idowu completed the biggest challenge of their lives on Friday afternoon

The rough with the smooth: Greg and Chelsee did battle with the dangerous rapids

The five day ordeal saw them travel under their own steam down Africa’s mighty Zambezi river to raise as much cash as possible for Red Nose Day.

The triumphant team finished at exactly 3.18pm. After clambering down a 200ft gorge using a ladder locally known as The Steps Of Doom, the six intrepid amateurs spent the morning clinging on for dear life as they battled the most fierce rapids of the week – even the support crew’s raft flipped over and chucked them into the deep.

Greg said: 'The rapids are really frightening, especially if you're a novice! You can't just sit back, you have to keep paddling otherwise you'll just float off and go miles away. We're in a big raft today and it keeps bouncing around, people are popping out of it like popcorn! 

'I bounced into the air earlier and was only saved by Phillips grabbing me with his massive athletic claw! We’re going through rapids called The Terminator and The Gnashing Jaws of Death; they're just horrible names. I wish we could so through something called ‘small mound’ or ‘babbling brook’ instead.'

Power play: The five day ordeal saw them travel under their own steam down Africa¿s mighty Zambezi river to raise as much cash as possible for Red Nose Day

Exhausted, aching, blistered and bruised after travelling over 111km under their own steam, battling raging rapids, manic mosquitos and sweltering sun, the team are now celebrating and reflecting on their success.

Greg said: 'Let me sum up how I'm feeling in one phrase – I'm over it. Big time. I'm over the water, the rapids, the hippos, the boats, the tents, the camping, the sand, the itchy bits, the mosquitos, the blisters, the sunburn, the smell - it’s been really tough. 

Mission accomplished: The triumphant team finished at exactly 3.18pm on Friday

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2272073/Greg-James-gets-naked-jumps-Zambezi-river-raising-50-000-Red-Nose-Day.html#ixzz2JhFcvw3V
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Comedian Dara O'Briain left clinging to a tree for survival for nearly an HOUR after crashing during Comic Relief Zambezi River challenge

By EMILY SHERIDAN

PUBLISHED: 13:51, 30 January 2013 | UPDATED: 16:59, 30 January 2013

Comedian Dara O'Briain had a scare on Day 2 of the Comic Relief Zambezi River challenge when he was left hanging off a tree after his raft crashed.

The Mock The Week host, 40, and triple jumper Phillips Idowu, 34, left their celebrity teammates fearing something serious had happened after going missing for 90 minutes.

Paddling the last raft through white water rapids on the Zambezi River in Zambia, the pair ended up getting separated from the rest of the group, before crashing their raft.

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It started off so well: Phillips Idowu and Dara O'Briain set off on Day 2 of the Hell and High Water challenge in Zambia

Clinging on for dear life: Dara managed to grab hold of a tree after being thrown from the raft

After Dara was swept overboard, he ended up climbing on to a nearby tree, where he spent close to an hour hanging off before being rescued.

Meanwhile, his raftmate Phillips remained on the boat, but was tangled up in some bushes as they waited for the crew to rescue them.

Dara and Phillips are on the Hell and High Water Challenge alongside Melanie Chisholm, Jack Dee, Chelsee Healey and Greg James.

Uh oh: Dara and Phillips turn their backs towards the trees as they prepare for the collision

Collision: Phillips remained on the raft and got tangled in the bushes, while Dara went off floating towards the tree

Over five days, they will travel 100 kilometres of the Zambezi River, raising money for Comic Relief.

After being rescued by the crew - who had never lost site of them - Irish funnyman Dara was clearly shaken.

Speaking to TV presenter Emma Willis after his dramatic rescue, Dara explained: 'We'd lost both paddles at this stage and we kinda made a conscious decision will we either go down on our backs or hold onto the raft. We had no control either way.

Man overboard: The moment Dara goes flying off the raft as seen on his helmet-cam

Farewell: Dara watches his paddle drift away from him

'(On the tree) I thought I can hold myself up in this, but I'd say it was about 2 1/2 knots in the rapids which is like standing in a 90mph gale.'

While Dara showed off cuts on his legs, Phillips had ripped his T-shirt in the brambles.

When asked if he was apprehensive about getting back on the river, Dara admitted: 'Yes, at the moment... I'm not in a rush to go back out. We were due to have a break at the end of these rapids. I think we've earned it.'

VIDEO Moment Dara clutches to tree for survival after crashing raft 

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Shaken: Dara speaks about his battle to stay on the tree for 40 minutes

Pensive: Dara and Phillips are understandably not in a rush to return to a water raft after their ordeal

After being reunited with their celebrity teammates, Greg, Mel C, Chelsee and Jack listened in horror as Dara and Phillips explained what had happened.

They calculated Dara had been hanging off the tree 'for about 40 minutes', adding: 'I did jump from the tree to a moving boat.'

Speaking to BBC News later on, Greg admits the group were incredibly worried when Dara and Phillips went missing.

War wounds: Dara cut his legs, while Phillips ripped his T-shirt

Survivors: Dara and Phillips are reunited with their teammates after their scary ordeal

Powerful: The celebrities were split into groups of two for the Day 2 rafting challenge

He said: 'Things got really serious. We have no idea (why they weren't the wrong way). They were the back boat. They got too far behind the pack and lost the direction. We went left and they chose right.

'It sounds funny now. There was about an hour, hour or a half where even the guides here were very very worried.'

Speaking to This Morning on Thursday, Emma explained: 'We thankfully managed to bank ourselves in the rapids on a support boat because we were filming everything so we had to try and get both of them. But Dara was on there clinging to the tree for about 30-40 minutes which is a long time.

'We had to negotiate getting across the river to get Phillips and once we got him, we had to go down the river to get Dara. We couldn't stop when we passed Dara so he had to just jump off the tree and grab on to an oar...and thankfully he made it.'

Emotional: Strictly star Chelsee sheds a tear as she meets the children at Mandia School

Making new friends: Phillips chats to some of the students

Sorry to interrupt: Jack sticks his head through a window to chat to a student inside the school

Following their ordeal, the celebrities went on meet villagers at the Siandunda Village and children at the Mandia School, who are being helped by the proceeds raised by Comic Relief.

Strictly Come Dancing star Chelsee was moved to tears as she heard about the children's living conditions.

Meanwhile. Phillips entertained the children by performing the high jump in the fields of their school.

To help the stars raise money for Comic Relief, sponsor them now at www.rednoseday.com/zambezi.

Inspiring future athletes? Phillips shows off her athleticism

That's entertainment: The children clap at Phillips lands on the sand

Close knit: The celebrities before the rafting part of the challenge

Not quite the Hilton! Mel C and Greg lay out one of the mattress as they set up camp

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2270649/Comic-Relief-2013-challenge-Moment-Dara-OBriain-clutched-tree-survival-crashing-raft.html#ixzz2JVSv6r6T
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Mel C, Chelsee Healey and Dara O'Briain touch down in Zambia as they begin gruelling Come Relief challenge

One last bit of luxury: Mel C, Chelsee Healey and Dara O'Briain touch down in Zambia as they begin gruelling Come Relief challenge

By LOUISE SAUNDERS

PUBLISHED: 19:48, 27 January 2013 | UPDATED: 19:51, 27 January 2013

They'll spend the next few days enduing a series of physically strenuous and emotionally challenging tasks in a bid to raise money for this year's Comic Relief.

But the likes of Mel C, Chelsee Healey and Jack Dee made sure to arrive in style as they touched down on African soil on Sunday afternoon. 

Stepping off a British Airways jet, the group seemed to be excited at the prospect of what lay ahead as they settled into their new surroundings. 

Here come the contestants! Dara O'Briain, Melanie C, Jack Dee, Chelsee Healey, Phillips Idowu and Greg James seemed to be in great spirits as they arrived in Zambia on Sunday

Swapping her usual glad rags for a simple grey tracksuit, Chelsee Healey looked worlds away from her usual flamboyant style as she prepared to experience her first day in Zambia.

And it would seem the gruelling challenge was already taking its toll on the actress. 

Writing on her Twitter page, she said: 'Definately Not Mentally Prepared For This! 1st Day And I'm in bits! Putting it down to Jet Lag!!! Jheeeze.

Au naturel: Chelsee Healey ditched her usual attention-grabbing ensembles, opting for a comfortable grey tracksuit instead

Travelling in style: The group touched down on African soil in a British Airways jet

'First night in Zambezi and me and @MelanieCmusic are sharing a tent because where scared.... Waaaa.'

Spice Girls singer Mel C seemed to echo Chelsee's sentiments, but looked happy and relaxed as she posed alongside her fellow celebrities in a safari truck. 

She tweeted: 'I feel like I have experienced every human emotion at it's extreme today #Zambia @rednoseday @comicrelief.'

New showbiz pals: The group seemed to be getting on famously as they prepared to settle into their new surroundings

Need a hand, there? Olympic athlete Phillips Idowu gave Chelsee Healey a hand as she struggled to get her bag on board the group's safari jeep

Comedian Dara O'Briain added: 'Saturday I begin a five day journey by raft/canoe down Zambezi for Comic Relief. Rapids, hippos and crocodiles included.'

The BT Red Nose Hell and High Water challenge will see the celebrity participants push themselves to the limit as they travel 111km down the deadly Zambezi river, battling torrential downpours and negotiating erratic Grade 5 rapids.

Strategy planning: Comedian Jack Dee appeared to be deep in conversation as he made his way across the tarmac

A new experience: The group seemed to be totally at ease as they wandered through the arrivals area

Dara recently said of the challenge: 'When I was first asked to do this challenge, I did a quick Google Search of Zambezi rafting, but after a tenth page of people being instantly flung into the water, I turned off the computer.

'But lives can be changed if people put their hands in their pockets in exchange for our misery so that sounds like a fair deal.'

Bonding: Spice Girls singer Mel C appeared to be in great spirits as she shared a joke with the lads on the safari vehicle

Daring: The BT Red Nose Hell and High Water challenge will see the celebrity participants push themselves to the limit as they travel 111km down the deadly Zambezi river, battling torrential downpours and negotiating erratic Grade 5 rapids

Tough times: Chelsee admitted she was struggling with the emotional aspect of the challenge at the end of the first day

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2269156/Mel-C-Chelsee-Healey-Dara-O-Briain-touch-Zambia-begin-gruelling-Come-Relief-challenge.html#ixzz2JDeuvfT9
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