‘The terrain is brutal!’ Karim Zeroual reveals traumatic Sports Relief ‘hell’ left him broken 

Karim Zeroual revealed he suffered ‘little breakdowns’ during the 100 mile Sports Relief: The Heat is On triathlon and crossing the finish line left him physically and emotionally ravaged.

Strictly star Karim, 26, told The Mirror on Saturday that he battled agonising blisters and emotional turmoil as he joined six fellow celebrities in the ultimate desert challenge.

The CBBC presenter admitted he nearly gave up several times during the Namibian trek which saw the group scale 19 of the worlds biggest sand dunes in 45 degree heat.

Karim described the challenge as almost impossible saying: ‘The terrain is brutal – all the elements are against you.’   

He continued: ‘On the biggest day, I thought I just couldn’t do it- I almost threw in the towel two or three times.’  

London born Karim explained that his fellow triathletes spurred him on throughout the hazardous four day challenge.

The Strictly finalist joined Frankie Bridge, Rob Rinder, Samantha Womack, Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Louise Minchin and Radio 1 DJ Nick Grimshaw on the limit testing expedition. 

Actor Karim revealed that he formed an especially strong bond with Radio 1 DJ Nick Grimshaw, 35, and Frankie Bridge, 31, during their desert experience. 

Reflecting on their bond, he said he called Frankie and ‘Grimmy’ (Nick Grimshaw) his older sister and brother during their expedition.

He went on to share that when he broke down in tears, it was Frankie who was first in line to give him a supportive hug. 

Karim said: ‘Frankie is such a positive person, no matter what she’s been through and how open she’s been with her mental health, she is the strongest woman I know.’

Former Saturdays Singer Frankie took part in the trek dubbed March For Your Mind in bid to raise money for mental health charities. 

The trek also aims to shatter the stigma surrounding mental illness, which will affect one in four adults and one in 10 children during their lifetime.

Frankie has previously discussed her own mental health battles in a candid  best-selling book titled Open:  Why asking for Help Can Save your Life.

During a recent interview with Lorraine Kelly, Frankie revealed she felt ‘overwhelmed’ and even started to worry the desert beetles were mocking her during the desert trek. 

The entire crew was pushed to their limits during the challenge, with Nick Grimshaw having to pull out at  the end of day one and miss the entirety of day two due to heat exhaustion.

Luckily Nick recovered enough to rejoin his team on day three and got to share in the momentous moment when the group finally crossed the finished line.