ARRAY OF CELEBS JOIN ATHLETES; Stars get set for run

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), Sept 19, 2008

Byline: By LAURA CAROE

A STAR-STUDDED line-up is set to pound the streets in the Great North Run.

Around 52,000 people, from elite runners to firsttimers, are due to start on Sunday, October 5, running more than 13 miles from Newcastle to South Shields.

The Great North Run is the world's largest halfmarathon and thousands of people flock to the region to take part or line the route to cheer the runners, alongside live bands and street performers.

Among the runners will be former Olympic medallist Kriss Akabusi, BBC sport commentator Ray Stubbs, model and TV presenter Nell McAndrew and BBC weather forecaster Isobel Lang.

In addition 11 cast members from Emmerdale will be taking part in the event in aid of Leukaemia Research as well as three members EastEnders actors, for Marie Curie Cancer Care, including Jake Wood, who plays Max Branning.

Elite athletes include Kenenesa Bekele from Ethiopia, double Olympic gold medallist in the 5,000m and 10,000m at the Beijing Games.

This year the Bupa Great North Run will celebrate its millionth entrant. Leanne Symonds from Cramlington is the millionth person to enter since the first event took place on June 28, 1981.

David Hart, a spokesman for the Bupa Great North Run, said: "We are all getting very excited, there is a lot of nervous energy. This year has the most impressive list of celebrities ever. There will be a lot of personalities from all sorts of different walks of life. It is going to be quite an occasion.

"It is a testament to the event and its popularity that celebrities take time out of their working lives to come up here and take part."

The run, which is the brainchild of former Olympic 10,000m bronze medallist Brendan Foster, will also have the highest level of media coverage ever, including more than five hours live on the BBC and eight different highlight programmes on Sky Sports which go to 150 countries around the world.

"It is not a bad advertisement for the North East when it probably needs a bit of good news and it is fantastic to know that many millions will see the North East," added Mr Hart.

Radio 1 presenters Scott Mills and Greg James will be running in aid of the Anthony Nolan Trust, as well as actress Amanda Burton.

CAPTION(S):

REGULAR: Nell McAndrew with 2006 Great North Run fundraiser Findlay Young. Nell will be making an appearance at the event again this year; ALL SET: Ray Stubbs, Isobel Lang, Amanda Burton and Kriss Akabusi