Our team of TV doctors and friends who successfully completed the London to Paris bike ride last summer are back! Dr Dawn Harper, a presenter of Channel Four’s Embarrassing Illnesses and Embarrassing Bodies series, has once again persuaded some fellow media medics to get back on their bikes and take on our flagship cycling challenge.

Team GP 2010 includes: 

• Dr Pixie McKenna, co-presenter of Embarrassing Illnesses/Embarrassing Bodies
• Dr Rob Hicks, columnist for Prima Baby and Men's Fitness
• Nine local doctors from Dawn's home county of Gloucestershire plus a bunch of family and friends

They are again raising money for the charity’s Touching Tiny Lives appeal, which aims to reduce life-threatening pregnancy complications and premature birth, and improve care for sick babies.

As doctors, the team are very aware of the huge benefits medical research has brought over the years.

Two of team captain Dr Dawn's three children were born prematurely, one at just 32 weeks. She says: "It’s thanks to previous medical research and the hard work of the special care baby unit that my little ones recovered well and have grown up into healthy children. I am very aware that other parents have not been so lucky. We want to do our bit by raising as much as possible to fund vital research into premature birth. I really hope people will get behind us. However small, your donation really does count.”

• Dawn Harper
• Pixie McKenna
• Rob Hicks
  

  Dr Dawn Harper

  Team captain, Dr Dawn is best-known as one of the presenters of Channel 4’s Embarrassing Illnesses and Embarrassing Bodies series. She also works as a GP, based in Gloucestershire, at an NHS Surgery in Stroud and runs private clinics focusing on women’s health.

  Dawn says: “I’m really looking forward to the ride. To be honest, I have no idea what I have really let myself in for but ignorance as they say is bliss and if I’m going to put myself through hell I might as well do it with a great group of people and for a great cause!

  "The furthest I’ve cycled so far is 60 miles – mostly downhill – but I’m now cycling to and from work and getting out for longer rides at the weekend."

  Two of Dawn’s three children were born prematurely, which is why she is such a strong supporter of the charity’s Touching Tiny Lives appeal. Her youngest son, Harvey, was born at just 32 weeks and spent the first three weeks of his life in a Special Care Baby Unit.

  "It was a fairly daunting experience and I’m very aware that I am one of the lucky ones since both of my children came home and now live happy, independent lives. Not everyone is so fortunate," she says.

  Dawn’s husband, Graham, is also a GP and will be joining the team for the ride.

  Quick quips...

  What are you most looking forward to?
  Champagne afterwards on the Champs-Elysees

  What are you least looking forward to?
  I’m not allowing myself to even consider the negatives

  What special skills/traits will you bring to the team?
  Extra sponges and a cork screw!What will be the one thing you can’t be without for the ride?
  Padded seats

  Song to get you pedalling?
  Shania Twain – “Let’s Go Girls” – sorry chaps, you will just have to be honorary girls for the ride

  Dr Pixie McKenna

  The ‘baby’ of the team, Pixie is best-known as a co-presenter of Embarrassing Illnesses/Embarrassing Bodies with team mate Dr Dawn. Originally from Cork, Ireland, Pixie divides her professional time between her home town, where she runs her own practice, and a London clinic on Baker Street. She comes from a medical family and is the third generation of doctors, but the first female medic.

  Pixie says: “I’m scared, very scared. Like all ‘athletes’, I fear failure! But we are cycling for a great cause, which is the ultimate motivator, raising money and awareness in a fun way.

  “It’s also an excellent chance to ditch the winter fat and get fit. I’m cycling daily on my purple exercise bike, doing spinning classes at the gym, walking everywhere in lieu of car or tube and using my bike as my main mode of transport ... even if I’m in 6-inch heels!”

  Quick quips...

  Furthest you’ve cycled so far?
  I’ve cycled for the duration of "Coronation St", including the ad breaks, on my exercise bike in the living room!

  Any ‘secret’ techniques or special tactics up your sleeve to help you?
  To put my brother in the ride instead – he’s a triathlete and looks just like me, but without hair!

  What are you most looking forward to?
  The banter, the pit stops, the luxury of several days off cycling in the French countryside and the overall challenge... plus the prospect of acquiring pert buttocks by the end!

  What are you least looking forward to?
  The thought of wearing Borat-style padded shorts for four days

  What special skills/traits will you bring to the team?
  I hope I can ensure we have what the Irish call "great craic" en route. We can’t take ourselves too seriously given that the Tour De France is in town

  One thing you can’t be without for the ride?
  My glasses otherwise I won’t get beyond the white cliffs of Dover!

  Song to get you pedalling?
  Talking Heads, ‘We’re on the road to nowhere’

  Rob Hicks

  The Classic FM doctor, Rob is also a regular contributor to many magazines and a medical editor and writer for the BBC Online health sites. He also works part-time as an NHS GP.

  Rob has the most cycling experience of the team. He rode around France in his younger years - something he didn’t tell his team mates until very recently!

  He says: “I’m excited and looking forward to it. It’s a while since I’ve cycled long distances so it’ll be good to get back in the saddle. I’ve wanted to cycle in France again for years so this is a great opportunity.

  “I’m preparing by taking every opportunity to ride. Also, I think it’s important to be mentally prepared, so I’m spending plenty of time thinking about training too!”

  Quip quips...

  What’s your main motivating factor for the ride?
  To raise money for a fantastic cause, get fit and have some fun in the process.

  What are you most looking forward to?
  Arriving in Paris in one piece

  What are you least looking forward to?
  Monday 27th July 2009

  What special skills/traits will you bring to the team?
  Apparently I look pretty good in lycra so as the only male media medic in the team I hope to offer some visual motivation for the rest of Team GP to get up the hills. And my unique sense of humour, of course...

  What will be the one thing you can’t be without for the ride?
  Optimism, and music - I love music

  Do you remember your first bike?
  Yes. Wine red in colour, fat tyres, covered in stickers. Not so different to my current one, only the one I ride now is bigger, of course!

  Songs to get you pedalling?
  A definite will be Duran Duran’s ‘Hold back the rain’!