The TV presenter joined fellow celebs on an eight day hike to the top of Africa’s tallest mountain, which stands at a staggering 19,340ft. Camping in the most basic conditions, with temperatures below zero during the night, climbing Africa’s highest peak is no easy feat. But never fear, Anita had a secret weapon with her – “a bottle of chilli sauce”.Speaking to Hello! magazine earlier this year, she said: “I don’t know what we’re going to get fed on that mountain, but everything tastes better with chilli sauce right? So that’s on my rider”.Mount Kilimanjaro, which is situated in Tanzania, is far away from the glitz and glam of the Strictly studio, where Anita met fellow climbers Ed and Shirley.
Speaking to Hello!, she said of Ed Balls: “I hosted the Strictly tour when Ed was on it. He’s so charming and has an ability to make everyone feel relaxed.
“You could be intimidated by someone who’s had that level of career at the top end of politics, but he’s a very, very bright man but his biggest skill is he can come to anybody’s level.”
Talking of Strictly’s head judge Shirley Ballas, Anita said: “What a role model.
“I love watching her on Strictly. She’s amazing.”
Climbing Kilimanjaro has been something the star has wanted to do since she took a three month backpacking trip around Africa eighteen years ago.
“I was hitchhiking and camping. I had the most amazing adventure – I went to Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania over to Zanzibar and Uganda.
“I didn’t get to climb Kilimanjaro. We were on a budget and it was a choice of climbing that or going to Rwanda to see the gorillas.”
Although undoubtedly difficult, reaching the peak of the mountain must be exceedingly rewarding.
Once at the mountain’s summit, Anita said “Ladies ad gentleman, boys and girls, welcome to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. We have reached the summit! This is the rooftop of Africa [and] it feels so good!
“We are so tired and we are told it night on impossible that all nine of us would do it together, but you know what… we did. We are very, very happy and thank you for all your support.”
Anita and the gang have done an amazing thing for charity, raising a whopping £3.5million for the cause.
Speaking of the charitable cause, in the same interview the Strictly star said she’s “always beeb really aware of what poverty in foreign countries is about.
“What comic relief does is open our eyes to how people live across the globe and how imbalanced wealth is on this planet.
“I am a huge believer in global humanity – we need to look beyond our own borders.”