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Comedians set to achieve new heights of hilarity with Everest gig

9th February 2014 Print
Simon Evans

This autumn a team of six comedians will set out to conquer new comedic peaks to raise money for Save the Children and aim to set a new record by performing the world’s highest stand-up gig.

Rhys Darby, Stewart Francis, Craig Campbell, Glenn Wool, Simon Evans and Terry Alderton will be accompanied by 50 comedy fans as they take on the tough 9-day trekking challenge to Everest Base Camp in Nepal. Each adrenaline-hungry participant will pledge to raise a minimum of £1000 and all money raised will go to Save the Children’s projects around the world, including Nepal, to provide children with a better start in life.

Following in the footsteps of world-famous adventurers before them, the comic troop will have little chance to catch their breath when they arrive at their destination, 5,365m above sea level, before entertaining their fellow trekkers. The intimate show will take place on 4 October on a purpose-built stage set against the majestic backdrop of Mount Everest. With the comedians performing across two sets, the event will also give much-needed comic relief to any climbers waiting at Base Camp before summiting the world’s highest mountain.

Darby said: “Entertaining at altitude is sure to bring a new set of comic challenges. As if the prospect of an oxygen-deprived audience wasn’t enough on my first ever trek, I’ve also just been told that the Himalaya is also home to snow leopards and wolves. However, spending a total of 13 days battling the mountainous wilderness pales into insignificance when you consider the legacy of ten years of civil war on the lives of hundreds of families in Nepal. It’s an honour to be playing a role in supporting Save the Children’s valuable health and educational projects.”

As one of the world’s top treks, the journey to Everest Base Camp is not to be taken lightly. The participants will battle overwhelming tiredness, struggle to acclimatise to the high altitude and face night temperatures as low as -10°C as they make their way across picturesque valleys to reach Everest’s south side.

Whilst weather conditions in the mountains are notoriously unpredictable and can change very quickly, the group will leave Kathmandu for the trek into the Nepalese Himalaya on 25 September – the start of the dry season – so the participants will be hoping for clear skies to make the most of the incredible scenery en route.

“Whilst hard-core explorers such as Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Bear Grylls have famously gone on to conque Mount Everest, just being able to reach Base Camp – which is three times the height of Ben Nevis and a good 500m higher than Mont Blanc – will be no mean feat. The team’s main challenge will be to avoid altitude sickness so the key thing for us will be to ascend gradually and try to stay focused on the end goal,” said Richard Kirtley, the Expedition Leader from Altitude Events International who has been brought in to lead the trek by the event organisers, The Aid Fundraiser.

Although Richard and his expert team are no strangers to world record-breaking events, having previously organised a Twenty20 game of cricket on Everest, one of their biggest challenges will be ensuring the comedians are able to find time within their busy touring schedules over the coming months to start the essential endurance training.

Tanya Steele, Director of Fundraising for Save the Children, added: “We are delighted that Stand Up on Everest has chosen to support Save the Children. We wish the team lots of luck as they bring a touch of humour to the Himalayas whilst highlighting the serious plight of children in Nepal and across the globe, inspiring the British public to help raise vital funds for Save the Children’s work worldwide. You could certainly say the sky’s the limit for the Stand Up on Everest team’s fundraising ambitions!”

Places are being allocated on a first-come first-served basis for those keen to embark on this iconic trek and be part of entertainment history. To sign up to join the comedic mission or to sponsor those involved visit standuponeverest.co.uk.

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Simon Evans Stewart Francis