Denise Van Outen leads celebs on 187-mile bike ride in memory of Sun fitness guru Nicki Waterman
Riders raised £43,000 for Brain Tumour Research charity after Nicki died at just age 53
THIS is happy Denise Van Outen after crossing the finish line on a 187-mile charity bike ride.
She led 20 riders across India last week in memory of her friend and Sun fitness guru Nicki Waterman.
The ride in Kerala for the Nicki Waterman Foundation raised £43,000 for the Brain Tumour Research charity.
Along the way, Denise, 42, fell off her bike and twisted her knee, TV host Kate Thornton, 44, got heat stroke and Towie’s Georgia Bright, 27, had panic attacks.
Nicki’s daughter Alex Thrussell, 32, took part too, as did TV host Jane Witherspoon and singer Michelle Heaton, both 37, and The X Factor’s Kye Sones, 34.
Also on the ride, arranged via Charity Challenge, were myself, Alex’s pal Hayley Costa, 37, whose mum Bev died from a brain tumour, and two Sun on Sunday readers — project manager Simon Tier, 49, and dental nurse Emma Barclay, 25.
Both Simon and Emma have lost someone close to brain tumours.
Denise said: “The last 300 metres were an emotional rollercoaster. We were all crying with joy and sorrow for those we’ve lost.
“I’m so proud of the team for doing this in memory of such a wonderful person.”
Nicki, was diagnosed with glioblastoma in May 2015.
She died, aged 53, last August.
- Donate now at or text Nicki to 70660 to give £5.