Date published: 01.09.08 - not release date

From Folkestone to France: David Walliams Successfully Swims the Channel

Following 9 months of training and tireless fundraising, David finally got the call that conditions in the channel were safe.

The Little Britain star entered the water at 5.30am in Folkestone. He spent 10 and a half hours dodging tankers and ploughing through sewage and seaweed to become Britain’s very first cross channel comedian, arriving exhausted, but elated, at Cap Gris Nez on the shore of France at 4pm.

So far he has raised am amazing £432,001 - but the money is still sailing in. We are confident by Sport Relief Saturday on July 15 we will have reached our total of £500,000, and urge the public to keep donating generously.

David joins an elite group of distance swimmers, as more people have climbed Mount Everest than succeeded in completing the channel swim, and less than 10% of people who have attempted the challenge have succeeded in reaching France.

The public are urged to sponsor David following this amazing achievement by logging on to Sport Relief Super Swim.

The Speedo Sport Relief Superswim has been documented in “Sport Relief Presents Little Britain’s Big Swim”, a BBC ONE documentary on July 13th at 8pm.

For more info contact:
Katie Morrison: 07966 545 911
Niamh Bryne: 07977002811

Notes to Editors:
Text DAVID to 82125 to sponsor him. Texts cost £1 and at least 70p from each text goes directly towards David’s total.
For more facts please visit Speedo Sport Relief Super Swim.

Speedo is helping Sport Relief 2006 make a real splash with the Speedo Super Swim. The world's leading swimwear brand has lent its support to comedian David Walliams, throughout the impressive endurance feat.

Professor Greg Whyte is the Director of Science and Research at the English Institute of Sport. The EIS provides sports science and sports medicine support to the country’s top athletes. For more info log on to EIS.

Go the Extra Mile on Sport Relief Saturday, July 15th 2006. Visit Sport Relief to find out more.

To make a donation to Sport Relief call 08457 910 910 (local call charges apply)
Sport Relief was set up by Comic Relief and BBC Sport to tackle poverty and disadvantage here at home and overseas

Since its launch in 2002, Sport Relief has raised over £30 million!
Half of the money raised will be spent in the UK to help give those living in disadvantaged and divided communities a better life; the other half will help children and young people in the world’s poorest countries, faced with the daily reality of extreme poverty, abuse and exploitation
Sport Relief is an initiative of Comic Relief, registered charity 326568, in association with BBC Sport

For press information contact:
Lucy McGill: l.mcgill@comicrelief.org.uk or 020 7840 2529
Or Natalie Forster n.forster@comicrelief.org.uk or 020 7840 2526
For pictures contact:
Kate Knowles: k.Knowles@comicrelief.org.uk or 020 7820 5536
or Lucille Flood: l.flood@comicrelief.org.uk or 020 7820 5583