0:00:06 > 0:00:09I kayaked 2,000 miles along the Amazon.
0:00:13 > 0:00:18I walked a high-wire between the chimneys at Battersea Power Station.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22'And in December 2011,
0:00:22 > 0:00:26'I embarked on my most demanding expedition to date,
0:00:26 > 0:00:28'a 500-mile trek to the South Pole
0:00:28 > 0:00:32'by kite, by ski and, in a world first, by bike.'
0:00:32 > 0:00:35My legs! Ow!
0:00:43 > 0:00:47'It was most the incredible journey of my life, and this is my story.'
0:00:59 > 0:01:03'Coming up, I take you behind the scenes of my polar challenge.'
0:01:03 > 0:01:08I thought the crew would use GPS or compass but they follow the penguin.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12'Meet the crew who supported me every step of the way.'
0:01:12 > 0:01:16We've got 20 minutes to get the satellite working.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20'And discover what else goes on at the South Pole.'
0:01:20 > 0:01:23We set up like movie nights.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27We have soccer, volleyball. We're easily entertained down here.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35'On the 4th January 2012,
0:01:35 > 0:01:39'I set off with my Norwegian team-mate, Niklas Norman,
0:01:39 > 0:01:42'on my epic Polar Challenge for Sport Relief.'
0:01:42 > 0:01:47- Three! Two! One!- OK!
0:01:47 > 0:01:48HORNS BLARE
0:01:48 > 0:01:52'Our target, to reach the South Pole in just 20 days,
0:01:52 > 0:01:54'using three modes of transport.'
0:01:54 > 0:01:57- You are going to love the bikes by the end of this, Norman.- I know.
0:01:57 > 0:02:02'We faced fierce winds, temperatures of minus 48
0:02:02 > 0:02:04'and I developed painful blisters and a cough
0:02:04 > 0:02:07'that could have stopped the challenge in its tracks.'
0:02:07 > 0:02:09My cough is starting to really bug me.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12This could, possibly, exclude you from finishing your race.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16'But despite everything Antarctica had to throw at us...'
0:02:16 > 0:02:17Argh! My legs!
0:02:17 > 0:02:19I hate the bike.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21Ow!
0:02:21 > 0:02:23'..we made it...'
0:02:23 > 0:02:24I can do them all!
0:02:24 > 0:02:26'..in just 18 days...'
0:02:26 > 0:02:29That's such a good feeling! Whoo!
0:02:29 > 0:02:33'We'd travelled 329 miles by kite...'
0:02:33 > 0:02:35Woo-hoo!
0:02:35 > 0:02:38I can see why the Norwegians prefer this to cycling.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43'..68 miles by cross-country skis
0:02:43 > 0:02:45'and 103 miles by bike...'
0:02:45 > 0:02:48Come on, the bike!
0:02:48 > 0:02:51'..and set a new kite-skiing world record along the way.'
0:02:51 > 0:02:5520 kilometres to go and you can potentially set a new world record.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58This will go down as one of those days you talk about
0:02:58 > 0:02:59and as a highlight.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02'It was one of the proudest days of my life,
0:03:02 > 0:03:05'to stand where Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen
0:03:05 > 0:03:08'and British explorer Captain Robert Falcon Scott
0:03:08 > 0:03:11'first stood 100 years ago.'
0:03:12 > 0:03:14I'm proud of what we've all achieved as a team.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18I cannot believe we are at the South Pole at the bottom of the world.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23'I'd completed my polar challenge for Sport Relief,
0:03:23 > 0:03:26'I'd made it to the South Pole.'
0:03:26 > 0:03:28Oh!
0:03:28 > 0:03:29Get in!
0:03:36 > 0:03:40'The South Pole is the most southerly point in the world.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43'It's the coldest, driest, windiest place on Earth.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45'Having got there,
0:03:45 > 0:03:49'it's time to uncover some of the secrets behind this amazing place.
0:03:49 > 0:03:54'First up, did you know there are two South Poles?
0:03:54 > 0:03:57'The ceremonial Pole is there to welcome intrepid explorers
0:03:57 > 0:04:02'and, just a snowball's throw away, is the Geographic South Pole,
0:04:02 > 0:04:06'which is the true South Pole, measuring 90 degrees south.'
0:04:06 > 0:04:10The South Pole is on a glacier and that ice is moving.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13Every year the marker which shows people exactly
0:04:13 > 0:04:16where the Geographic South Pole is has to be shifted back ten metres.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18This is it.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21'The marker is moved on the 1st January
0:04:21 > 0:04:24'and every year there's a new design
0:04:24 > 0:04:26'created by people living at the South Pole.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28'People like Sven.'
0:04:28 > 0:04:31I didn't expect there to be a big building at the South Pole.
0:04:31 > 0:04:32I knew there were people here.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35This is the third generation of station.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38This was opened, officially, in 2008.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41The first station was buried under the snow.
0:04:41 > 0:04:42It was opened in 1956, 1957.
0:04:42 > 0:04:47Is that why it's up on stilts, so the place doesn't get buried?
0:04:47 > 0:04:48Yeah, but it still drifts in.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51In the winter, like back here, the snow starts building up,
0:04:51 > 0:04:53even up to the windows.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57- Up to those windows?- Yeah. Just the drifting.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01How do you build a sophisticated facility in Antarctica?
0:05:01 > 0:05:02Where do you get everything?
0:05:02 > 0:05:05Everything we see here, every single item has been flown in.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09It's taken to the coast, by ship or plane,
0:05:09 > 0:05:10and then it is flown in.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14- What do you do here?- I'm with one of the science projects.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16I'm with one of the telescopes
0:05:16 > 0:05:20and we're looking at neutrinos, particles which are hard to detect.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23What do you do when you're not doing science?
0:05:23 > 0:05:26We set up movie nights, soccer, volleyball...
0:05:26 > 0:05:28We're easily entertained down here.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31Some people would say science is a bit geeky.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34You're presenting a totally different image of scientists.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37Oh, no, that's the thing. They think it's geeky,
0:05:37 > 0:05:39they should come down here and see what it's like.
0:05:39 > 0:05:40This is so cool.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44'Sven has plenty of people at the base to keep him company.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48'Niklas and I haven't been on our own in Antarctica either.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51'Those funny orange splodges reflected in my sunglasses
0:05:51 > 0:05:55'are the television crew, filming my every move.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58'Let me introduce you properly.'
0:06:00 > 0:06:04Niklas is my team-mate, guide and kite skiing instructor.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09Murray is the director and he's in charge of the filming.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12He also thinks he's in charge of me, which he kind of is.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18Gisli is a mechanic and engineer.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20It's his job to keep the trucks moving forward
0:06:20 > 0:06:24and that means that the crew can keep moving forward.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28Roli is our sound man. He records everything we say
0:06:28 > 0:06:30and gets nice sound effects.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35Mike is our cameraman. He records everything that happens,
0:06:35 > 0:06:37so that you guys can see it on TV.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42Gummi's a paramedic. It's his job to make sure to make sure
0:06:42 > 0:06:43we're all safe and well.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48Jim is the chef.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51He cooks for the crew, not for me, sadly.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55And, finally, Tony is our expedition leader.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57He's in charge of logistics
0:06:57 > 0:06:59and tries to make sure everything goes to plan.
0:07:00 > 0:07:04And with all these people, setting up camp and feeding everyone
0:07:04 > 0:07:06takes three hours every night.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13Niklas lives in that tent.
0:07:13 > 0:07:14I live in that one.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17We're pretty much self-contained. We boil our own water,
0:07:17 > 0:07:19we make our own breakfast and dinner
0:07:19 > 0:07:22and we try to keep ourselves to ourselves.
0:07:22 > 0:07:27That's what we're meant to do! But over here is where the crew sleep.
0:07:27 > 0:07:32You know, how I keep saying we sleep on mattresses on the floor,
0:07:32 > 0:07:35which is basically just a piece of foam on the snow and ice.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37Let me show you what they've got.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40Yeah, they have beds!
0:07:40 > 0:07:43Actual beds.
0:07:43 > 0:07:44So...
0:07:45 > 0:07:49And a mattress that I may have just burst.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52Once they've got full bellies and a nice cooked meal,
0:07:52 > 0:07:55they come in here and get some rest.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58I haven't even got a sleeping bag. This massive jacket
0:07:58 > 0:08:01is part of my sleeping bag. I just attach a skirt to it.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03Anyway...
0:08:03 > 0:08:05There's a bit more of the camp to see.
0:08:16 > 0:08:20What you don't normally see on TV is the kitchen tent.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23As you know, the food I've been eating is not that great,
0:08:23 > 0:08:26a little bit like sawdust in a bag.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28I just can't eat curried rice.
0:08:28 > 0:08:32The crew, however, have been having a very different experience.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35Come and find out what.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37Jim is here to cook for the crew.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40Talk me through the kinds of things that they're eating
0:08:40 > 0:08:42while I'm eating sawdust in a bag?
0:08:45 > 0:08:49It's been anything from steaks to curries, chillies, erm...
0:08:49 > 0:08:51What else have they had?
0:08:51 > 0:08:54Stews, all that kind of stuff, really.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57How easy is it to cook in Antarctica?
0:08:57 > 0:09:00Erm, now it's got easier.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03Initially it was really hard.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06It was trying to get used to defrosting food,
0:09:06 > 0:09:07everything's at minus 30 here.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10- How do you defrost it? - In the trucks outside.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14I'll take it out a day, or two days before, in trays,
0:09:14 > 0:09:17pop it on the back seat and bring it down, nice and slowly.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19So it's safe, and that's it.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21How much water do you get through?
0:09:21 > 0:09:25- At the moment, we're getting through 40 litres a day.- 40 litres?!- Yeah.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28It's quite a lot.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31This is our snow-melter, so we've got a pot here,
0:09:31 > 0:09:36we go outside, dig snow, fill the ice bucket...
0:09:36 > 0:09:38the cool box,
0:09:38 > 0:09:42and then just keep it on top of the snow all the time, get it melted...
0:09:42 > 0:09:44So, you're constantly filling that up?
0:09:44 > 0:09:46Constantly, all day long, that needs to be full.
0:09:46 > 0:09:51Because I've finished, I'm allowed to eat in Jim's kitchen tonight,
0:09:51 > 0:09:52so what are we in store for tonight?
0:09:52 > 0:09:56- I've done some canapes to start off with tonight.- Whoo-hoo-hoo!
0:09:56 > 0:09:58A cream of tomato soup,
0:09:58 > 0:10:02and then a proper good old English beef stew with herb dumplings,
0:10:02 > 0:10:05and some pasta, and then we've done a duo of chocolate mousse
0:10:05 > 0:10:10and a creamy rice pudding with jam for tonight.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12And with that menu,
0:10:12 > 0:10:16it's not surprising Jim's the most popular member of the camp.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19Living in Antarctica is all about dealing with the environment.
0:10:19 > 0:10:24The crew have tonnes of specialist kit that needs to follow them,
0:10:24 > 0:10:29so they get the luxury of travelling in style - monster snow truck-style.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31I thought the crew would use a GPS or a compass,
0:10:31 > 0:10:34but apparently they just follow the penguin.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37Sorry. This is one of the trucks that the crew travel in.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41It's specially designed to cope with the snow and ice.
0:10:41 > 0:10:46Oh, look - flat tyre. Don't worry. It's meant to be like that.
0:10:46 > 0:10:51To find out why, I'm off to see our Icelandic engineer, Gisli.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53In the UK, if there's a little bit of snow,
0:10:53 > 0:10:55everybody just stays off the roads.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59- I guess in Iceland you get so much snow, you can't do that?- No.
0:10:59 > 0:11:00You'd be at home for three months.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04- What happens when you're driving in snow, you sink in.- Yeah.
0:11:04 > 0:11:09- As you have found out.- So, how do you work out a way NOT to sink in?
0:11:09 > 0:11:12You need a big area to spread your weight on,
0:11:12 > 0:11:16- so you don't sink into the snow.- OK.
0:11:16 > 0:11:21So, we put these enormous tyres on and then we take the air out,
0:11:21 > 0:11:24so it becomes almost flat.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26And that basically increases the surface area?
0:11:26 > 0:11:30- Yeah, increases the surface.- That's an idea we pinched for our bikes,
0:11:30 > 0:11:33because our bikes were, at first, just sinking in.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36We saw what you were doing and we deflated the tyre a bit.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39But it does also makes it harder if the tyres are flatter.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41It makes it harder to turn them,
0:11:41 > 0:11:44but it also brings you on top of the snow surface,
0:11:44 > 0:11:49so instead of ploughing through, which is extremely difficult,
0:11:49 > 0:11:50you're now moving on top,
0:11:50 > 0:11:54and you can keep on going, instead of pointing down.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57Why can't you deflate the tyres at the start of the day
0:11:57 > 0:11:59and then leave them?
0:11:59 > 0:12:02You guys always seem to be pumping them up and letting them down.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05Yeah! We just like playing around with them.
0:12:07 > 0:12:11Never happier than when he's near a massive tyre.
0:12:11 > 0:12:15Keeping the trucks moving is vital for an expedition like this.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18We've had to bring everything with us for the entire trip.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20We don't just travel in one truck.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23Because Tony and his team are here for three months,
0:12:23 > 0:12:26they need two trucks because they have so much stuff.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30On our side of things, we've got cameras and lenses and cables.
0:12:30 > 0:12:32Remember, there aren't any shops,
0:12:32 > 0:12:34so if anything breaks, you can't replace it.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37That's why you've got to bring a spare. Sadly, for me,
0:12:37 > 0:12:40the trucks only have enough space to carry equipment
0:12:40 > 0:12:44for the crew and support team. You've probably seen that, each day,
0:12:44 > 0:12:47I pull two sledges behind me, packed full with stuff,
0:12:47 > 0:12:50and I'm carrying with me my entire life
0:12:50 > 0:12:53for the whole time I'm in Antarctica,
0:12:53 > 0:12:57so nearly two months' worth of kit in just two little bags.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59I don't have a lot of clothes to change into -
0:12:59 > 0:13:02that's why I'm always wearing the same thing.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04But I've got things that I really need.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07Things that are vital to me getting through this and staying alive.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10So, I've got a kettle, in which I boil all my water
0:13:10 > 0:13:13and make all my meals - breakfast and dinner.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17The red bottle contains fuel to power the stove. A-ha!
0:13:17 > 0:13:19Come on, blue flame.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22This green bag I keep at the front of my sledge.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26It's got everything in it that I might need to grab in a hurry,
0:13:26 > 0:13:29so a sat phone, the GPS, a bag of nuts,
0:13:29 > 0:13:33spare gloves - in case I drop my mittens -
0:13:33 > 0:13:36a bottle of water... My flask goes in there as well.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38That is very important.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40Next to my flask I've got boots,
0:13:40 > 0:13:43which are my saviour, to be honest.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47In the training leg, my feet were just getting ripped to shreds.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51You've already developed a blister about the size of a 20p piece.
0:13:51 > 0:13:56If we left this on its own, it would just get worse.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59You've got to carry things that you might need in an emergency,
0:13:59 > 0:14:02so this bag is full of plasters and paracetamol.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06It's the medical kit, basically. I'm hoping I won't need to open it,
0:14:06 > 0:14:09but you've got to carry it just in case, because we are...
0:14:09 > 0:14:13well, thousands of miles from a hospital.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17This yellow thing is only to be used in an emergency.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20That's why it's inside a plastic bag.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23- This says where we are at all times? - This transmits every 15 minutes.
0:14:23 > 0:14:24It's coming up to the satellites,
0:14:24 > 0:14:27down to the computers, so we know where you are.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30My face mask I wear every day, which may look ridiculous, but I'm loving.
0:14:30 > 0:14:34"IMPERIAL MARCH" FROM STAR WARS PLAYS
0:14:34 > 0:14:35My Darth Vader mask
0:14:35 > 0:14:39is the best thing that I could have possibly brought to Antarctica.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45It may look ridiculous but it is really, really practical.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49That mask means my whole face is covered, and there's no risk of me
0:14:49 > 0:14:53getting little bits of frostbite or little bits of frost nip.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58Many of my friends have said that they'd never travel with me again
0:14:58 > 0:15:00because I take such big bags.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03Former Blue Peter presenters, you're included in that.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05Well, look at me. I'm a changed person.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08I could go on holiday with practically an envelope
0:15:08 > 0:15:10and nothing else!
0:15:10 > 0:15:13As well as getting used to travelling light,
0:15:13 > 0:15:15I've also had to adapt to how basic life is.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18Out here, you stink.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21You can't wash and you're sweating every day
0:15:21 > 0:15:24and you're in the same clothes, it's too cold to get undressed,
0:15:24 > 0:15:25so you're in the same thermals,
0:15:25 > 0:15:28so I couldn't have 40 different pairs of thermals.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31I've worn pretty much the same stuff the whole time.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35One of the best feelings out here is brushing your teeth in the morning,
0:15:35 > 0:15:39because you do feel clean if you've got clean teeth and nice breath.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42The only trouble with that is that the toothpaste does freeze.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45I haven't been able to brush my teeth for two days
0:15:45 > 0:15:46because the toothpaste...
0:15:48 > 0:15:50..is frozen solid.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53Two days without brushing my teeth was manageable,
0:15:53 > 0:15:57but when it came to my hair, I only managed to wash it once in 40 days!
0:15:57 > 0:15:59Ohhh!
0:15:59 > 0:16:01It's minging!
0:16:01 > 0:16:04This is me trying to wash my hair.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06I'm dunking it.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12Then there's going to the toilet.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15Now, you might be surprised to know that there's more than one way
0:16:15 > 0:16:17to go to the loo in minus 30.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20On the move, digging a hole
0:16:20 > 0:16:25and using a disposable bag is the quickest option.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29Or, with a bit more time, build a snow wall for privacy.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32Some camps even have the luxury of a proper sit-on toilet.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38Whichever way you choose, it stinks!
0:16:38 > 0:16:43Oh-ho-ho-ohh! There aren't any doors, obviously, in Antarctica,
0:16:43 > 0:16:47so the theory is that if the shovel is upright,
0:16:47 > 0:16:49it means there's nobody in there.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51If the shovel's down then the toilet's engaged.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54I didn't know about that theory, so that explains why
0:16:54 > 0:16:57there's been a lot of, "Oh, sorry! Ooh, sorry!"
0:16:57 > 0:16:59Learned that lesson the hard way.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02But where does all the waste go?
0:17:02 > 0:17:07Everything we take has to come out of Antarctica with us,
0:17:07 > 0:17:09so this truck is full of rubbish.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12Food waste, even things like toilet paper.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15If you go to the toilet, you've got to take everything with you,
0:17:15 > 0:17:17so you poo into a bag and take the paper with you.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20As well as carrying all our rubbish and kit,
0:17:20 > 0:17:22the trucks also do another vital job.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26They let me keep in touch with you back in the UK.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29Using the latest technology,
0:17:29 > 0:17:31I've been able to let you know what I've been up to
0:17:31 > 0:17:35by phone, online and with live broadcasts from Antarctica.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39My favourite one is this phone here. It's like the Batphone.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42It's got a red flashing light, it's stuck to the dashboard.
0:17:42 > 0:17:46This connects to a satellite and it's quite a good connection.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50But it's not 100% reliable, so we've got a backup sat phone,
0:17:50 > 0:17:53which is basically a big mobile phone.
0:17:53 > 0:17:59As well as those, we have a laptop which we can plug into the internet.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02It's not like at home - it's not Wi-fi or cables.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04We rely on satellites that float above Antarctica,
0:18:04 > 0:18:08and there aren't that many, so the internet is really slow.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12To send a two-minute video clip can take over two hours.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15Making telly in the UK can be complicated,
0:18:15 > 0:18:20but making telly in Antarctica is very complicated!
0:18:20 > 0:18:22We're at the bottom of the world,
0:18:22 > 0:18:24yet we're trying to connect to satellites
0:18:24 > 0:18:26that will ping pictures back into the UK.
0:18:26 > 0:18:31We've got 20 minutes to roughly get the satellite working.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35The team are under pressure to get a satellite link-up
0:18:35 > 0:18:37with Television Centre back in the UK.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39The video has frozen at the moment.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41I've just got a still picture of you.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45But once all the technical glitches are ironed out, you turn on your TVs
0:18:45 > 0:18:47and hey presto!
0:18:51 > 0:18:54Helen, are you there?
0:18:54 > 0:18:58- 'Yes, I am here, and I can hear you!'- Brilliant!
0:18:58 > 0:19:02Can you tell us why you're doing this? Why are you out there?
0:19:02 > 0:19:04I'm here for Sport Relief.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06I was challenged to see if I could get to the South Pole.
0:19:06 > 0:19:11'It IS tough, but I'm determined to make it'
0:19:11 > 0:19:14and I've met loads of people whose lives have totally changed
0:19:14 > 0:19:17by Sport Relief-funded projects and I believe in it,
0:19:17 > 0:19:20so I know that your money makes a difference.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23Come back in one piece, Helen. We miss you. See you soon.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26'I will do. I miss you all, so hello to everybody!
0:19:26 > 0:19:28'Thank you for all the lovely messages.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32- 'Keep them coming. I appreciate them.'- Thanks so much, Helen.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34I'm SO glad that worked. That was amazing.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37As well as regular link-ups with Blue Peter,
0:19:37 > 0:19:42I've been promoting Sport Relief by doing interviews along my route
0:19:42 > 0:19:44to inspire you go the extra mile this year.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46Is that BBC London? Is that Radio 2?
0:19:46 > 0:19:49It's Helen Skelton phoning from Antarctica.
0:19:49 > 0:19:55Raising awareness for Sport Relief is something very close to my heart.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58I've seen first-hand how projects funded by Sport Relief money
0:19:58 > 0:20:00can change people's lives.
0:20:00 > 0:20:02Before setting off for Antarctica,
0:20:02 > 0:20:04I went to visit a project in Lancashire
0:20:04 > 0:20:07which has helped a young woman called Sian.
0:20:08 > 0:20:09It's hard to tell
0:20:09 > 0:20:13but just over a year ago, Sian was in a really bad way.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16Her parents had separated, her grandmother was ill
0:20:16 > 0:20:18and her dog had died.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21As a result, Sian started hanging out on the streets,
0:20:21 > 0:20:22drinking alcohol.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25- See you later, Mum.- Bye, love.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32It's illegal to buy alcohol under the age of 18
0:20:32 > 0:20:35but Government research shows that by the age of 15,
0:20:35 > 0:20:38eight out of ten young people have will have tried alcohol
0:20:38 > 0:20:42and some will be drinking up to 13 units a week.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44Alcohol is an addictive substance
0:20:44 > 0:20:48and abusing it can lead to physical and mental problems.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55Alone and unable to talk to her family,
0:20:55 > 0:21:00Sian used the effects of alcohol to blot out her problems.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03But now she's got her life back on track
0:21:03 > 0:21:06thanks to a project funded by Sport Relief.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08It's called the ReachOut project.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13One of the things that ReachOut does
0:21:13 > 0:21:16is go into schools and hold special lessons,
0:21:16 > 0:21:19teaching girls like Sian about how dangerous alcohol can be.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22It's these lessons that have meant Sian has stopped drinking.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24When you started coming to these lessons,
0:21:24 > 0:21:26did you know much about alcohol?
0:21:26 > 0:21:30Not really. I didn't understand what it was doing to me.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33I just thought it gives me a buzz and then that was it.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35I didn't realise what the other effects for it was,
0:21:35 > 0:21:39like my school work and how tired you get
0:21:39 > 0:21:42and everything that it's doing to your insides.
0:21:42 > 0:21:47We're going to talk about the effects of alcohol on this body.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50If you weren't coming to lessons like this,
0:21:50 > 0:21:52what do you think you would be doing out of school?
0:21:52 > 0:21:56I'd probably still be drinking, because I didn't have the information
0:21:56 > 0:21:58that they could give.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01I bet it's a bit easier talking to these two
0:22:01 > 0:22:04- because they're not your family, are they?- No.
0:22:04 > 0:22:05And it's all confidential as well.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08- Do you ever worry about the things you say here?- Not at all.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14Over the last year, the ReachOut project has helped over 600 children
0:22:14 > 0:22:17by talking, listening
0:22:17 > 0:22:21and generally supporting them with any troubles they might have.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25Now when Sian finishes school, she doesn't hang out on street corners.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28She's at the project headquarters, helping others.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33How would you compare the Sian of three years ago
0:22:33 > 0:22:35to the Sian we've met today?
0:22:35 > 0:22:39The Sian of three years ago was obviously...
0:22:39 > 0:22:42enough of a concern for me to want her to come onto the...
0:22:42 > 0:22:45Well, not just me - myself and my colleagues.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49..to come onto the girls' group that we were delivering in school.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52We knew that we couldn't just...ignore...
0:22:52 > 0:22:54seeing her out and about.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57You could tell she didn't really want to be in the situation
0:22:57 > 0:22:58that she was in.
0:22:58 > 0:23:02- She didn't kind of fit in with what she was doing.- Mm.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04And how do you see Sian's future?
0:23:04 > 0:23:07I think she'll be extremely successful
0:23:07 > 0:23:09at whatever she sets her mind to.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11And how proud will you be?
0:23:11 > 0:23:14- I'll try not to cry all the time! - SHE LAUGHS
0:23:21 > 0:23:23Why are you still involved with the project?
0:23:23 > 0:23:26You've changed your behaviour and you're doing well at school.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28Why do you still come here?
0:23:28 > 0:23:32Because they've made me feel so fantastic about myself now
0:23:32 > 0:23:35compared to how I used to feel,
0:23:35 > 0:23:38cos I used to feel all upset all the time and gloomy,
0:23:38 > 0:23:41and now I'm just a ball full of sunshine!
0:23:41 > 0:23:44I just am constantly smiling all the time.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46And they've made that happen
0:23:46 > 0:23:48and I want to make somebody else feel like that.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51I want somebody else to be smiling all the time.
0:23:51 > 0:23:52Sometimes it's hard to see
0:23:52 > 0:23:56where the money you raise for Sport Relief goes and how it helps people.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59But Sian's told us her life was rotten,
0:23:59 > 0:24:01she was in a difficult situation.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05Then she came here to a Sport Relief-funded project,
0:24:05 > 0:24:07and things totally turned around.
0:24:07 > 0:24:09She's getting decent grades, going to school
0:24:09 > 0:24:11and thinking about a career.
0:24:11 > 0:24:12But to top all that,
0:24:12 > 0:24:16she's now spending time helping others before it's too late.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21And if you've been inspired by Sian's story,
0:24:21 > 0:24:22why don't you go the extra mile
0:24:22 > 0:24:25and get involved with Sport Relief this year?
0:24:25 > 0:24:27Get a grown-up and sign up
0:24:27 > 0:24:29to do the Sport Relief mile.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32There are hundreds of events, and by raising money,
0:24:32 > 0:24:35you can help poor and vulnerable people in the UK
0:24:35 > 0:24:37and around the world.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43Well, that is almost the end of my journey in Antarctica.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46I'm going to get on this plane and head back to the coast.
0:24:46 > 0:24:47From there, it's onto Cape Town
0:24:47 > 0:24:49and then I will make my way back home.
0:24:49 > 0:24:53But I've got plenty of happy memories and lots to talk about.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55Here are some of the best bits.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00Two, one, go.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04That is it. Good. And push. Keep working.
0:25:04 > 0:25:09- Keep working.- 500 miles? Are you having a laugh?!
0:25:09 > 0:25:11This is a bit embarrassing. They're so heavy!
0:25:11 > 0:25:15The backs of my legs are already... are already burning!
0:25:15 > 0:25:18You know, in 38 years of doing polar expeditions,
0:25:18 > 0:25:22I made a mistake for three minutes and that was too much.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25I went over ice that was collapsing.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28My sledge fell in the water, it dragged me down ten feet.
0:25:28 > 0:25:33I lost all the ends of those fingers in only three minutes
0:25:33 > 0:25:38of being exposed to the wind and the cold.
0:25:38 > 0:25:39Let's go.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41Let it roll.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43Let it roll, let it roll, let it roll!
0:25:43 > 0:25:46This is absolutely doing my head in.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49I need to get seriously fit.
0:25:49 > 0:25:50SHE EXHALES DEEPLY
0:25:50 > 0:25:52Fun for five minutes.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54Practical for 500 miles?
0:25:54 > 0:25:56I don't think so.
0:25:58 > 0:25:59Ahhh!
0:25:59 > 0:26:01Woah! Oh!
0:26:01 > 0:26:03Ohh! HE LAUGHS
0:26:09 > 0:26:13- TEARFULLY:- I don't want to talk to you, cos I WILL cry.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16Crying out loud. Ranulph Fiennes cut his fingers off
0:26:16 > 0:26:18and he carries on adventuring and exploring.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20I've got a bruise on my foot and I have to stop.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23Forward and up. That's it! Good.
0:26:23 > 0:26:27- Wicked.- Happy?- Very happy. - Good!- Good student.
0:26:27 > 0:26:28Woah!
0:26:28 > 0:26:31No! What are you doing, sledge?
0:26:31 > 0:26:33Sledge! You and I are going to fall out.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35It's literally going to take me about two years
0:26:35 > 0:26:37to get to the South Pole at this rate.
0:26:39 > 0:26:41This is right on the edge
0:26:41 > 0:26:43of what we're capable of putting a tent up on.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45I can honestly say
0:26:45 > 0:26:49this is the most unpleasant experience of my life.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54I am relieved to finally be here in Antarctica.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58# We can rule the world... #
0:26:58 > 0:27:01- Whoo!- # All the stars are coming out tonight
0:27:01 > 0:27:04# They're lighting up the sky tonight... #
0:27:04 > 0:27:06I'm feeling good, I'm feeling positive.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09I have to be upbeat and believe I can do this.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14Same campsite for two days because the weather is SO bad,
0:27:14 > 0:27:16we've been snowed in to our own campsite.
0:27:16 > 0:27:2020 kilometres to go and you and Nicholas could potentially set
0:27:20 > 0:27:21a new world record.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23This will go down as one of those days
0:27:23 > 0:27:25that you talk about as a highlight.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27I cannot believe that we are at the South Pole!
0:27:27 > 0:27:29We're at the bottom of the world.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32This might be the proudest day of my life.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35# We can rule the world... #
0:27:35 > 0:27:37From me in Antarctica, goodbye.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd