the fitness guru The fitness guru
From waterskiing across the Channel to climbing Africa’s highest mountain, one man is helping celebrities achieve amazing feats of sporting daring-do. Who is he? Greg Whyte, LJMU’s Professor of Applied Sport and Exercise Science.
Greg’s involvement with Comic Relief began in 2006 when his friend Steve Cram put him forward as coach for comedian David Walliams. Up to that time celebrities had only taken part in light hearted sporting contests for the charity. The challenge facing Walliams couldn’t have been more serious, as Greg explains: “The critical thing with celebrity challenges is not always where you end up but where you are starting from. Walliams was in a woeful state. He could swim a mile but it took him a long time and we were asking him to tackle the blue ribbon open water sports event, the toughest swim in the world.”
Greg’s involvement with Comic Relief began in 2006 when his friend Steve Cram put him forward as coach for comedian
Greg Whyte with TV and radio presenter Fearne Cotton
It takes someone special to transform out-of- condition celebrities into inspirational role models and Greg ticks all the boxes. He’s a double Olympian, having represented Great Britain in the Modern Pentathlon in Barcelona in 1986 and then in Atlanta ten years later. An acclaimed researcher and academic, he is also a Director for the English Institute of Sport and the British Olympic Medical Unit. Plus, he advises Olympic squads and other elite athletes competing in a wide range of sports.
To date Greg has helped raise £9.5million for the charity and with so many amazing challenges completed, what lies ahead for the next batch of celebrities? “Your impulse is to keep pushing for bigger, harder, longer challenges but it’s not about the size of the challenge,” Greg stresses, “it’s the journey these guys go on and the backdrop is always that it’s about raising money. That’s why the most iconic event I’ve done is still David Walliams swimming the channel. It was the first sole charity event to raise £1million. It set the benchmark and defined future Comic Relief events.”
With his regular appearances on programmes like The One Show, Greg is now something of a celebrity himself but standing in front of a camera isn’t that much different, he says, to being a lecturer. “I really enjoy doing the TV stuff but it’s just as nerve wracking standing in front of students as it is standing in front of a camera. I’m just applying the things I do in different environments.”
...Greg has helped raise £9.5million for charity
LJMU 25
From watersk ing across the Channel to climbing Africa’s highest mountain, one man is helping celebrities achieve amazing feats of sporting daring-do. Who is he? Greg Whyte, LJMU’s Professor of Applied Sport and Exercise Science.
Professor Greg Whyte
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