- Britain’s got talent star and British Army reservist take on first ever endurance challenge of its type, dubbed ‘No Lifts, Just Legs’
- Departing on Friday June 13 from Oxford Circus (London) to Val Thorens (French Alps) the pair will walk for 45 days in ski boots (real, plastic ski boots, that many would struggle to walk 100 metres in)
- Raising money for two charities close to their hearts – Macmillan Cancer Support and Snowcamp
- Walk will officially launch their new King of Hill app, available in November
Two friends, Reuben Gray (Britain’s Got Talent) and Matt Brinkley (Exeter Uni Alumnus), will take on 801 miles of walking from central London to Val Thorens, in the French Alps, both wearing ski boots and ski clothing. The walk will take 45 days and will take them from through Kent to Dover, across to Dunkirk (by ferry) through Belgium, Luxembourg, France, and Switzerland – ending in Val Thorens.
The challenge marks the official launch of King of the Hill, a new skiing and adventure sports app designed to make planning group adventure trips easy, gamified, and social – powered by AI. The walk, dubbed No Lifts, Just Legs, aims to raise thousands of pounds for Macmillan Cancer Support and Snow Camp, a UK charity transforming young lives through snow sports.
Reuben Gray, whose inspiration for the journey is deeply rooted in his late godfather, Jerry Chilvers’ fight against cancer, said:
“We’re not just ‘walking the talk’; we’re putting our core belief in shared human endeavour to the ultimate test. This 801-mile trek is a raw demonstration of what everyday resilience looks like when faced with extraordinary circumstances. It’s for everyone who dares to dream big, and critically, it’s for the vital work of Snow Camp and Macmillan Cancer Support.”
Matt Brinkley elaborates:
“This challenge is the very essence of teamwork and fortitude – just like the best group adventures. This isn’t just about publicity and a few blisters; it’s about the grit, the camaraderie, and pushing what we each think is possible, as normal people. We’re illustrating why King of the Hill exists – to encourage anyone to overcome challenges together and simply enjoy their experiences in the moment, alongside their mates”.
Their progress will be tracked in real-time by their GPS tracking partner ZeroSixZero, building out an interactive map for the public to follow every step.
With daily video diaries, real-time GPS updates, industry leader meetups, and surprise activations along the way, the King of the Hill walk aims to capture every high and low of this extreme endurance challenge.
Reuben and Matt will depart from Oxford Circus on Friday June 13, 2025 at 12pm midday.
About The Charities
Macmillan Cancer Support – One of the UK’s leading cancer charities, providing emotional, medical and financial support.
Snow Camp – A UK youth charity helping young people carve out brighter futures through snow sports and life skills training.
Donate: Just Giving Page
For interviews, contact Rob Stewart at Ski Press or Reuben and Matt directly:
Reuben Gray – reuben@kingofthehill.co.uk
Matt Brinkley – matt@kingofthehill.co.uk
