Houlding Heads For Everest Scoop

Leo Houlding is off to climb Everest next month as part of a film project, though details are still sketchy.

Apparently Leo is heading for the world's highest mountain as part of a multi-faceted cinematic project with American climber Conrad Anker.

The project is the next stage of the ongoing Mallory and Irvine on Everest saga and - we're told - will form the basis of a drama documentary with Houlding playing the role of Andrew Irvine and Anker doubling for George Mallory.

The pair intend to summit Everest as part of the expedition which will produce both a drama documentary about Mallory and Everest recreating the attempt on the mountain and a spin-off documentary about the making of the film itself.

As far as we know, it's Leo's first ever climbing trip to the Himalayas and a bit of a departure for a climber best known for hard rock routes, speed ascents of big walls and spectacular slack-lining and base-jumping feats, including a high profile 'race' with Jeremy Clarkson as part of a Top Gear road test feature.

That's pretty much all we know at the moment, but we'll bring you more details once we have them.

You can find more information about Leo including a video profile at www.berghaus.com