Ex-Big Brother finalist to walk 10,000 steps for Brain Tumour Research charity

BY TOBY PORTER
toby@slpmedia.co.uk

A TV reality show finalist and award-winning novelist has signed up to take part in a Brain Tumour Research fundraiser.

Andy West, also known as the author AJ West, was a BBC newsreader, reporter and producer for 15 years before becoming a Big Brother finalist in 2016.

The 39-year-old, from Black Prince Road, Kennington, is preparing to take part in the Brain Tumour Research charity’s 10,000 Steps a Day in February Challenge.

His effort is inspired by brain tumour patients who have touched his life – and a close friend who had a recent scare.

Andy said: “My personal connection is thankfully indirect, but someone extremely close to me had a scare last year and I still worry every day that the scan missed something.

“I also interviewed a man who was dying when I was a BBC newsreader and reporter.

He wanted to make a video for his daughters so he could be with them when they were older – the interview I did with him has stayed with me always.

“As someone who enjoys reading and is interested in everyday life, time and again I’ve seen the devastation brain tumours can cause and how they can appear out of the blue and take a life away.

“I worry sometimes that people feel under pressure to behave in a certain way and I don’t know if I could be that brave if I was in that situation. I think I would be very frightened and feel that’s a perfectly valid response.”

Andy, who grew up in Milton Keynes, considers walking a form of therapy and is hoping his challenge will raise at least the £274 needed to secure a charity medal, a figure that represents 10 per cent of what it costs to fund one day of research at a Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence.

He said: “Being in the Big Brother house drove me around the bend.

“Not being able to walk. I ended up doing laps of the hot tub for hours on end, just to pass the time and keep myself active.

“The experience gave me terrible anxiety, so ever since being freed from the legendary reality TV prison, I have made the most of my freedom, by walking everywhere and trying to stay away from busy public transport.

“Walking is therapy for me. It’s time for me to think about my writing and come up with new characters and ideas.

I was already doing 10,000 steps a day because it’s good for my mental health, as well as my physical health, and my brain is important to me as a writer.

“But when I saw the fundraiser, I thought it would be a nicer thing for my walking to be about others and not just me, and for a cause I care about.

“To raise £274 would be great but I’m hoping to smash that.”

Charlie Allsebrook, community development manager for Brain Tumour Research, said: “We welcome Andy’s support as we continue to find vital research into brain tumours to prevent more families being ripped apart by this disease.

“Less than 12 per cent of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years compared with an average of 50 per cent across all cancers and we are determined to change that.”

To support Andy’s fundraising, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ajwestauthor