Jungle Celebrities Unite To Back Malaria No More UK
Online, November 26, 2010 (Newswire.com) - As the celebrities in ITV's reality show I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! prepare to enter their final week in the jungle, charity Malaria No More UK reveals the real motivation for their bush tucker trials.
All thirteen celebrities have all chosen to raise money for a single charity with one ambition: to reach near zero deaths from malaria by 2015. This is the second year that all celebrity contestants are uniting to back the same charity, with 15p from every vote going to Malaria No More UK to help save lives in Ghana, where the whole population is at risk of malaria. Last year, this focussed support enabled the charity to invest funds to help protect over 1.3 million people in Ghana from malaria.
British comedian and journalist Dom Joly says: "I've travelled all over Africa and have seen the devastating effects of malaria first hand. But there's a simple solution to prevention, a £5 bed net will protect a mother and a child for up to five years, it's a no brainer. UK travellers are increasingly at risk of getting malaria too, so before you go out and about make sure you take medical advice - it only takes one bite."
Former Olympic and World Champion athlete Linford Christie says: "It used to take me 47 seconds to run the 400 meters, it doesn't sound like much but in that time, a child will have died from malaria in Africa. I'm backing the bid to make malaria no more and hope the British public will get behind it too".
Former Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Opik said: "I hope people will join me in the campaign to make malaria no more and to save literally millions of lives. Last year, the public's generosity through phone voting helped fund a project, which helped protect 1.3 million people in Ghana from catching malaria. I hope our jungle action will spur on even more votes this year".
Playboy model Kayla Collins said: "I was shocked to hear that malaria kills over three quarters of a million people in Africa every year. So it's really good to know that 15p from every vote goes to Malaria No More UK and I hope I can encourage tons of people to vote to help save lives. I'm going into the jungle with the attitude I can take on anything I put my mind to, even if it means eating something really gross. At least I'll know I'm making a difference".
Rapper Aggro Santos says: Big respect to Malaria No More UK, the statistics are crazy and it's not right that so many people are hit by a disease which can be stopped. Right now, I'm happy be in place where I can help out".
Earlier this week, ITV Tonight aired a report back documentary The Deadliest Bite highlighting the more serious side to the celebrities' fun in the jungle. ITV reporter Morland Sanders travelled to Ghana to give a firsthand account of how funds raised through phone voting in 2009 helped fund a crucial malaria education campaign and the distribution of life-saving mosquito bed nets to some of the most vulnerable communities in Ghana.
To watch again please visit ITV Player: http://www.itv.com/itvplayer/video/?Filter=192148&r=true
Malaria is one of the world's most deadly diseases, affecting half of the world's population and claiming the life of a child in Africa every 45 seconds. It is also preventable and treatable and Malaria No More UK works to raise mass public interest about this with the ultimate goal of reaching close to zero deaths from malaria in Africa by 2015.
Sarah Kline, Executive Director of Malaria No More UK said: "We are thrilled to be supported by ITV and the celebrities for the second year running. I have spent time in Ghana and know these funds will help save thousands of lives and provide lasting support for the country in its bid to end all deaths from malaria by 2015."
Peter Fincham, ITV Director of Television said: "I'm delighted that ITV and I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! are able to support Malaria No More UK once again this year. I hope that the funds raised will help Malaria No More UK towards their goal, which is to end malaria deaths by 2015."
For more information and interviews with Arabella Gilchrist, Director of Communications Malaria No More UK please contact: Rebecca Ladbury Rebecca@ladburypr.com
Mobile: 07941 224 975
About Malaria No More UK:
Malaria No More UK launched in April 2009 fronted by David Beckham and Andy Murray, founding members of the charity's Leadership Council. Malaria No More UK is committed to ending suffering and death caused by malaria and works with governments, corporations, celebrities and the public to raise mass awareness and funds to achieve the following UN goals:
• Ensure every man, women and child at risk of malaria in Africa has access to a mosquito net
• Help reach near zero deaths by 2015
A £5 donation to Malaria No More UK will purchase, transport and deliver a life saving bed net to a mother and her child in Africa. 100% funds received by Malaria No More UK are used for malaria prevention and control programs in Africa.
For more information and to donate visit: www.malarianomore.org.uk
About I'm a Celebrity....Get Me Out of Here!
The toughest celebrity challenge on TV and award winning series is back with a bang and a brand new cast of celebrities preparing to leave their loved-ones and luxuries behind as they're dumped in the middle of the Australian jungle with only the wildlife and each other for company.
The tenth series sees contestants facing their toughest tasks as the boundaries are pushed to the limit.
Cut off from the outside world in one of the most hostile environments on Earth, the personalities have just basic food rations to survive on and will have to undergo petrifying and stomach-churning challenges to win supplies. Their celebrity status will count for nothing as they battle it out to be crowned King or Queen of the Jungle. This year the infamous Bushtucker Trials are set to be the most terrifying yet and there will be plenty of new surprises to keep the celebrities on their toes every step of the way.
The ten celebrities heading into the jungle are: Playboy model Kayla Collins, Olympic gold medallist Linford Christie, Hollywood movie star Britt Ekland, Sheryl Gascoigne, actor Nigel Havers, presenter Gillian McKeith, former Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Opik, singer Shaun Ryder, rapper Aggro Santos and X Factor finalist Stacey Solomon.
BAFTA award winning hosts Ant and Dec are back presenting live from the jungle and keeping viewers up to date with all the latest gossip and news. As always, the fate of the jungle VIPs rests firmly in the hands of the British public who will once again decide which celebrity will take on the dreaded Bushtucker Trials and who, ultimately, will win the coveted crown.
I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! is sponsored by Iceland.
For more information, please contact: Shahnaz Awan or Sarah Fuller at The PR Office on 020 7284 6969 or sawan@theproffice.com / Sfuller@theproffice.com