Professor Greg Whyte OBE

Greg Whyte is Professor of Applied Sport and Exercise Science at Liverpool John Moores University, but he’s better known for guiding celebrities through various physical challenges in aid of Sport and Comic Relief. He trained David Walliams for the cross-channel and Thames swims, and helped Eddie Izzard run an astonishing 43 marathons in 51 days. He also assisted John Bishop and Davina McCall in their extraordinary charity feats.

Early in his career Greg represented Great Britain in the Modern Pentathlon - which comprises swimming, shooting, fencing, showjumping and running. He competed at the Barcelona and Atlanta Games and at ten World Championships. He left competition to focus on the biomechanics, training and mindset that elite sport requires.

In presentations he explores how to achieve the seemingly impossible. He shows that success is rarely a chance event; it’s all about having the right strategy, a clear vision, and delivering to plan. Greg aims to turn to the ordinary in to the extraordinary and to deliver not dream. He might also reveal what happened when he led Cheryl Cole and Gary Barlow all the way to the summit of Kilimanjaro.

Greg has served as Director of Science & Research at the English Institute of Sport and worked with Team GB and Team England. He’s been part of the British Olympic Association Performance Management Group and the Commonwealth Games Advisory Panel. He has advised the Benetton and Renault Formula 1 Teams and several Premiership football clubs. He was the sports science expert on the ITV entertainment show Eternal Glory, is the author of the book Achieve the Impossible, and he regularly practices what he preaches undertaking marathons and endurance races.