Cake or Death's Groovy News

[from contactmusic.com]

British actor Eddie Izzard has pulled out of his charity marathon challenge after suffering “unforeseen medical complications”.
The comedian had planned to run 27 marathons in 27 consecutive days in honour of former South African president Nelson Mandela.
He worked out his running route around sites important to the anti-apartheid leader’s history, including where Mandela grew up, and kicked off the challenge last week (ends20May12).
But he’s been forced to abandon his attempts to complete the mega-marathon due to health concerns and tough running conditions.
In a post on his Facebook.com page on Thursday (24May12), he writes, “I set out to run 27 marathons in 27 days as a tribute to Nelson Mandela and his 27 years spent in prison.
“Having completed four marathons, unfortunately, I have had to put my attempt on hold due to unforeseen medical complications that have arisen due to a multitude of factors including severe terrain, humidity and altitude. But I wish to say that my attempt is not over and I will return to South Africa and run the 27 marathons and finish this story.
“I owe that to Nelson Mandela who has inspired the world to struggle and succeed no matter what obstacles are thrown at us.”

British actor Eddie Izzard will pay tribute to Nelson Mandela by running 27 charity marathons in 27 consecutive days to represent each year the former South African president spent in jail during the apartheid.

The comedian, 50, announced plans for the South African mega-marathon on Thursday at a reception for the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg.

Revealing how he came up with the challenging idea, he explained, “I was thinking about what I had done to demonstrate against apartheid and I realized that I did nothing.”

Izzard, who hopes to race the majority of the distance barefoot, will map out his running route based on sites important to the anti-apartheid leader’s history, including where Mandela grew up, where he went to university and on Robben Island, where the now-93 year old was imprisoned after campaigning against racial segregation in his country in the 1960s.

The mammoth adventure, which will take place this summer, will be filmed for a U.K. TV documentary expected to air in the autumn.

Izzard previously set himself the task of running 1,100 miles in seven weeks across Britain for the Sports Relief charity and he successfully completed the race in 2009 – but he’s not planning on doing much physical preparation for the new task.

He says, “I don’t really do training, I just get on with it. I have actually only done one marathon since I ran all those marathons three years ago but I’ve been mentally training.”

Eddie Izzard chats candidly about the nine-year plan that culminates with him running for Mayor of London.

>> VIDEO HERE

[from contactmusic.com]

British funnyman Eddie Izzard is planning to run barefoot through the African desert to raise money for charity, according to a U.K. report.
The actor has pushed himself to the limits to raise funds for good causes in recent years, including running 1,100 miles (1,770 kilometres) across the U.K. in 51 days in 2009.

Now he plans to complete his toughest challenge yet by running without shoes through the hot African landscape to boost funds for British charity Sport Relief, according to U.K. newspaper the Daily Mirror.

A source tells the publication, “It’s only a couple of months before the challenge is due to start so he really needs to get training. But last time he only started running five weeks before his first marathon so maybe he’s hoping the same build-up will work again.

“No one has ever done anything like this barefoot before so in a way he’s stepping into the unknown. It’s definitely his toughest challenge yet.”

The run is slated to take place in January or February (12).

In September, Eddie Izzard travelled to Kenya with UNICEF UK to film a documentary about the children’s emergency in East Africa. The show, Eddie Izzard – Didn’t We Fix Famine? was broadcast on ITV1 on Thursday 20 October. (Watch it online.)While he was on the trip, Eddie recorded this exclusive video diary and photo gallery for us. Below the video, read Eddie’s tweets from the field and find out more about UNICEF’s work in East Africa.If you’d like to support our work with children in East Africa, please click to donate, or text FAMINE to 70099 to give £5. Thank you.

In September, Eddie Izzard travelled to Kenya with UNICEF UK to film a documentary about the children’s emergency in East Africa. The show, Eddie Izzard – Didn’t We Fix Famine? was broadcast on ITV on Thursday 20 October. (Watch it online.)

These photos were taken on Eddie’s documentary shoot. He also recorded an exclusive video diary for UNICEF. If you’d like to support UNICEF’s work for children in East Africa, please donate by clicking on the red icon to the right. Thank you.

>> PHOTOS HERE

[from thesun.co.uk | thanks Jean]

WHEN Eddie Izzard salutes you for your ability to carry on despite the toughest conditions, it means something special.
The 49-year-old funnyman, floored his critics by completing an incredible 43 successive marathons in 51 days and now is in training to compete in a series of Ironman races.

Yet, Eddie, fresh from returning from the Horn of Africa, admits he was bowled over by the spirit and strength of character of very young children in the famine-hit region.

“As a Westerner I know a bit about enduring, but some of these children walked for a month to get over the border,” he says of his visit to the world’s largest refugee camp in Dadaab, Kenya.

>> READ MORE WITH PHOTOS

>> VIDEO HERE

[from BBC.CO.UK | thanks Jean!]

Celebrity Labour supporter Eddie Izzard has defended Ed Miliband’s speech to the Labour party conference – which was criticised as “anti-business”.

In his speech, Mr Miliband attacked “predatory” firms and a “fast-buck” culture.

The comedian also told the BBC’s Sian Williams that he would run for mayor, MEP or MP in 2020.

>> VIDEO HERE