大象传媒

Ed Balls reveals what got him to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro: Little Mix and Brexit! Ten years after the first Kilimanjaro climb for Comic Relief, the former Labour Shadow Chancellor and Strictly star, was among another group of celebrities taking up the challenge of conquering Africa's highest peak. He reveals that the last hour of the climb to reach the summit was the toughest part of the challenge. After walking through the night for more than five hours, having reached above than 19 thousand feet, he says "The doctor told me I was in trouble". As the realisation dawned on him that "I'm about to fail", the words of his teenage son sprang to mind: "Whatever you do don't not get there if Little Mix make it!". After being given a thorough examination by the expedition doctor - which included walking in a straight line and being made to answer a question about Brexit - he was given the all clear to complete the last leg of the climb to the top. He needed the doctor and two guides to help him stay upright for the final hour of the climb, before finally reaching the summit in arm in arm with Dan Walker and Alexander Armstrong. He says the experts said not all of them would make it, but "all nine of us touched the sign (at the top) at the same time" - he says that was "the most emotional moment of the week". This clip is originally from Peter Allen and Caroline Barker on Sunday 10th March 2019.