Tank Commander star braces himself for readers' dares

Greg McHugh could face his toughest battle yet for Comic Relief.

But faced with a mystery Red Nose Day forfeit, actor Greg McHugh's greatest fear is baring arms . . . legs and everything else in the streets of Niddrie.

The big-hearted funnyman has vowed to 'Do Something Funny for Money' at this year's Comic Relief and is asking Evening News readers to help decide his fate.

Since his quirky sitcom charting the scrapes of a fictional tank regiment in the British Army first hit screens in 2009, the 31-year-old from Morningside has enjoyed a meteoric rise to stardom. But he's taking a break to lay his dignity on the line for this year's Comic Relief.

The actor has also agreed to be Edinburgh's Red Nose Day Community Cash champion - a scheme inviting the city's grassroots organisations to apply for grants between 500 and 1000.

A whopping 50,000 cash pot has been earmarked for Capital community groups, which will be allocated by a panel of judges - including Evening News editor Tom Little.

Always up for a laugh, Greg said he was happy to shelve his self-esteem and allow residents in his native city to select his fundraising challenge.

Speaking to the News, Greg said: "I'm going to leave this in the lap of the Edinburgh people and expect I may well regret saying that.

"I am up for some extreme things as long as they don't seriously endanger my health. I don't mind making an idiot of myself, but if it involves tightrope walking with no safety element I may have to decline."

Asked if there was anything else he would refuse, the comic said: "At the moment I would say no, but once the suggestions come in I may be able to cross off several in a row.

"I'll be fascinated and intrigued but ultimately willing to take on whatever challenge that's been decided."

But the comic highlighted one he might get cold feet about.

"I grew up in a ghetto called Morningside and then moved over to Newington so it's been a tough life for me," he joked. "I really didn't have a privileged upbringing, but the moment you mention those two areas any kind of sympathy dissipates. So running naked through Niddrie would be something I doubt I'd be up for!

"Although, I think Gary: Tank Commander would probably go the extra mile and I would love to see what Gary would be willing to do for Comic Relief."

The themes for Greg's fundraising challenge are: Wear something funny, eat something funny, stage something funny, hair-do something funny, sell something funny or dare something funny for money.

Readers should write "Greg McHugh" in the subject bar and e-mail ideas to [email protected]. The top five will posted on the Evening News website whereafter a readers' poll will decide Greg's fate.