Strictly winner Kara Tointon tries out her first new steps across the desert with fellow stars for Comic Relief

By JODY THOMPSON

Desert flower: Kara Tointon has ditched the fancy clothes and make-up of the Strictly tour for the gruelling 100k fund-raising trek across the Kenyan desert


She's the former EastEnders star who won a host of new fans when she won last year's Strictly Come Dancing - but now Kara Tointon has ditched the spangles and glitter to try out some totally different footwork for Comic Relief.

The beauty and a host of other celebrities have just completed the first day of an arduous trek across the desert in Kenya in the BT Red Nose Desert Trek.

Kara, 27, has left her former dance partner boyfriend Artem Chigvintsev behind after their stint on the Strictly Come Dancing tour to join Ronni Ancona, Craig David, Lorraine Kelly, Scott Mills, Olly Murs, Dermot O'Leary, Nadia Sawalha and Peter White and tackle the tough physical challenge across the Kaisut desert.


Tough trek: Craig David helps Peter White during the first day of the celebrity trek for Comic Relief, as Kara walks behind


The nine-strong team of stars arrived last week in the capital Nairobi before a nerve-jangling ride in a light aircraft across the country to their start point in the barren north.

The team spent a day acclimatising themselves to the harsh temperatures before setting off with the plan of covering 100 kilometres in just five days in temperatures of up to 38C during the day - though they plunge again at night.

It's not just the temperatures they have to worry about either - the region contains some of Africa's deadliest snakes, including black mambas and puff adders.


First steps: The celebrities had their first day of their comfort-free walk across the harsh environs of Kenya's Kaisut desert


Smiling through: Lorraine Kelly, Scott Mills and Ronni Ancona share a laugh in the face of adversity as they contemplate what's ahead of them on their first day


Seeing the big picture: Craig and Peter meet some locals along the way on the walk which aims to highlight problems faced by blind people


The celebs will be accompanied by a caravan of camels to carry their gear on the trip, for which the stars are raising money for deprived communities both in the UK and across Africa.

They'll also be helping raise awareness about people who's sight is threatened - hence blind BBC presenter Peter White joining them on the trip.

He'll be helping highlight the issues faces by those losing their sight or in need of urgent eye care as they meet various people suffering from eye problems on the journey.


Thumbs up: Olly Murs appeared to be enjoying himself on the first leg of the fundraising walk for Comic Relief


In it together: The Red Nose Desert Trek team as they prepared to set off


A documentary about the trek will be broadcast on BBC1 in the run up to Red Nose Day on March 18.

People can sponsor the team and get updates about the journey by visiting www.rednoseday.com/trek


Red Nose Day 2011 - Kara Tointon's Trekker Profile



source: dailymail