HE spurred a nation to support the NHS and Captain Tom Moore’s good work didn’t stop there.
The late hero of 2020 spurred double-amputee racing driver Billy Monger into action after a low period.
Billy is taking on his biggest challenge since the 2017 crash that led to his legs being amputated: Walking, cycling and kayaking 140 miles for Comic Relief.
In an exclusive chat, Billy said: “At the point when Captain Tom was doing what he was doing, I wasn’t doing anything and didn’t have the motivation.
“It was tough to not be able to compete like I usually do.
“Tom motivated an entire nation — and me too — with a simple task.
“It’s really sad to see him gone but he was a massive inspiration, getting me back to a place where I was able to start exercising and doing something positive.
“Though he’s not here now, he’s played a part in getting me to be in a situation where I could attempt something like this.”
Billy embarks on his four-day triathlon-style challenge later this month, with the cameras rolling for a BBC1 documentary.
Cash he raises will go towards tackling homelessness, domestic abuse and mental health issues, as well as Covid.
Billy added: “I used to cycle a bit before my accident. But since then, I’ve never cycled an upright, normal bike.
“So in the last couple of months I’ve learned how to cycle and kayak, pretty far.
“After the first lockdown I went to a mate’s house and we walked into town, about 2.5km.
“After months away from fitness and training, I was in a lot of pain. I thought, ‘I’m 20, I don’t want to get to 40 and not be able to walk a couple of kilometres’.”
Best of luck, Billy.
- Red Nose Day is March 19. See comicrelief.com/rednoseday
Paul of fame…
PAUL Burrell, former bulter to Princess Diana, is to get his own programme.
I’m told the new documentary series, From Servant To Celebrity, is in the pipeline for Channel 5.
A source said: “Despite various appearances over the years on TV shows as a talking head, there’s not heaps known about the man himself.
“The new series will take a closer look at Paul and his life and go behind the headlines of the past three decades.”
Paul started as a footman at Buckingham Palace aged 18, and was Diana’s personal butler for ten years.
He famously appeared on I’m A Celebrity . . . Get Me Out of Here! in 2004, producing a meme-worthy moment as he explored a hole full of bugs.
He also impersonated Richard Gere singing Razzle Dazzle in Stars In Their Eyes in 2006.
Round two
ITV word game Lingo is to return for a second series.
It sees three teams of two contestants compete to fill in the blanks and find words to win cash.
Host Adil Ray said of the news: “It has been a r _ _ l pleasure to b _ _ _ g so much joy, shouting at the t _ _ _ y and h _ _ eschooling, to so many millions.
“Thank you to everyone for watching.”
C4 means business
LOCKDOWN and the pandemic may be destroying a lot of companies right now, but Channel 4 is giving hopeful entrepreneurs a potential lifeline with a new business reality series.
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The Profit will see seasoned investor Eric Collins – boss of venture capital firm Impact X Capital Partners – offer his expertise and investment to four struggling small businesses, all hoping to turn around their fortunes and secure their futures.
Eric has appeared in The Powerlist, a chart of the 100 most influential black people in Britain, and is among the UK’s top 100 ethnic minority leaders in technology, as picked by the Financial Times.
This sounds just what businesses and the world of telly needs, given that Lord Sugar’s The Apprentice only seems to breed reality TV stars, not business people.
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