SMEARED with camouflage paint and knee-deep in muddy water, Channel M's Byron Evans certainly looks the part as he battles his way across an army assault course. But when the going gets tough - can TV presenters get going?
The wet and windy base up on Holcombe Moor, near Ramsbottom, is certainly a million miles away from the cosy surrounds of Byron's day job, presenting the Breakfast Show. However, he's here to show those army types that telly stars can cut the mustard when it comes to military fitness, competing against print and broadcast reporters from across the region for the British Army's Get Army-Fit North West Journalist Challenge.
The aim of the day was to find out just how hard it is to get through the army's selection process, with tests of fitness, aptitude and determination.
The culmination of the whole day was a scramble across the base's custom-built assault course - the very one made famous on The Krypton Factor.
Boyhood dream
"As soon as I heard that I just had to give it a go," grins Byron. "I used to love watching The Krypton Factor, so being able to go on the actual assault course was a real boyhood dream. It looks just the same too - but with a new zip wire at the end."
No stranger to the gym, Byron says he likes to keep in shape with swimming and regular exercise. However, having signed up to the Great Manchester Run with the rest of the M.E.N. Media team, he reckoned this would be the perfect way to increase his training regime.
"I thought I was pretty fit, as an armchair sports fan," he says. "But I thought it was time to really up my game for the run. Although I never realised how it would feel to use all my muscles like this.
"This training day used every muscle from your mind down to your toes."
Starting off with a training session - a running hike around the hills, followed by a mad dash through a river, the day was a real chance to get immersed in the army lifestyle. It included an army-style lunch and role-playing dash through enemy fire.
So far so serious. But Byron admits it was a chance to play out some childhood dreams at the same time.
"I never really wanted to join the army because I never liked getting up early - how ironic is that now that I'm doing the Breakfast Show?" laughs Byron. "But I was always fascinated by the physical training side of things.
"And, if I'm totally honest, I was always besotted by war film - watching Rambo and playing soldiers in the woods.
"You always wonder what it's like. You hear that the British army is the toughest and the best in the world so it was fascinating to get an insight into it."
Of course, there were points and prizes for physical endurance. However, as opposed to a session down the gym, this was not just about health but teamwork too.
"We thought if we could just leg it across the assault course we would win - but it's all about getting the other team members across as well. That was really drilled into us, there's no point running across the monkey bars and leaving them to it."
Model soldiers
Byron and fellow M.E.N. team member Nygel Lyndley must have made model soldiers - as their team were crowned winners on the day.
But what did it teach the Channel M presenter about his health and physical abilities?
"It was tough on the day - it was a desolate spot with wind and hail - and by the end of the day I was soaking wet and freezing cold. But I was beaming from ear to ear.
"There were points where my energy was really sapping and I wasn't sure I would make it. But a good army lunch of Lancashire hotpot and Manchester tart helped us through.
"And it really drummed it home to me what recruits have to go through to get into the army. Especially when our sergeant told us they would have to do the same thing, carrying a full backpack, and three more times!"
