For most sensible people, the obvious way to cross the English Channel is by ferry or perhaps on the Eurostar. But Tim Fitzhigham is not your ordinary sensible person; he’s more on the lunatic fringe, as anyone who has watched him perform will testify. So how did he choose to cross the channel? By rowing across in a bathtub, of course. How else?
Rowing the English Channel in a Bathtub
Eccentric funny man Tim has a number of madcap exploits to his name, all done to raise awareness and money for his favourite causes. His first, in 2003, was to paddle a paper boat named “Lillibet” for 160 miles down the River Thames from Cricklade to Tower Bridge. In so doing he broke a record that had stood for an incredible 383 years but, more importantly, he raised £10,000 for Comic Relief.
Buoyed by his success, Tim took on the English Channel the following year. His plan was to row from France to Tower Bridge in a bathtub made by Thomas Crapper and Co Ltd. He had to abandon the attempt after Force 6 winds damaged his bathtub but, undaunted, he tried again in 2005 for Comic Relief and was successful second time around making him the first person to complete the feat and resulting in Crapper naming a lavatory in his honour.
Rowing the English Channel in a Bathtub
In 2006, Tim joined with Alistair McGowan, the United Nations and Britain’s Environment Agency to raise awareness for environmental issues and World Environment Day by putting together the longest washing line in the world in Trafalgar Square. They didn’t achieve the longest in the world but they set new British and European records.
Later in the year, Tim once again tried to put environmental issues in the spotlight by inflating the biggest human-inflated balloon in the world. He actually fainted twice during the attempt.
As if to cast further doubts on his sanity, in 2008 Tim decided to Morris dance the 150 miles between London and Norwich, a feat once performed by one Will Kemp in 1600 to prove to William Shakespeare that he was the king of comedy. Tim’s aim was more altruistic – he was raising money for Comic Relief and a charity for epidermolysis bullosa.
Tim’s record of crazy exploits and bizarre activities grows longer by the day. What ordinary man runs across baking hot deserts whilst clad in a suit of armour, balances on chairs at the edge of the sheer walls of the Grand Canyon or dares to play hopscotch on active volcanoes?
A son of Derbyshire, Tim’s first comedic performances were in a rum shop in the West Indies and he first came to notice in 1999 after performing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. His live shows have been critically acclaimed and have wide ranging themes. He has also presented a science show “Super Human Challenge” for Children’s BBC.
Tim plays to sell out audiences wherever he goes and, as you might expect from his wacky persona and weird and wonderful exploits, is a hilarious entertainer without peer.
Let us know what you think of Tim’s exploits in the comments section bellow!
Tim Fitzhigham is an entertaining and great-value humorous adventure speaker, he is available for bookings via Speakers’ Corner and tweets as@timfitzhigha
