Golden couple's kayak challenge

Now for many of us the Easter weekend is a time to catch up with family and friends - and enjoy some rest and relaxation - and maybe a bit of chocolate.

That won't be the case for one celebrity couple from the West Country - who are celebrating their first Easter as a married couple by kayaking 125 miles along the River Thames. They are going to compete in the annual Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Race.

Double Olympic gold medal winner Helen Glover from Penzance - and her husband - Deadly 60 TV presenter Steve Backshall - are hoping to complete the trip from Wiltshire to Westminster in one day.

Helen Glover and Steve Backshall popped into the ITV News West Country studios ahead of their Easter challenge. Credit: ITV News

The couple came into the ITV News West Country studio to tell our presenters Mark Longhurst and Kylie Pentelow about their latest challenge.

  • Watch Mark and Kylie's interview with Helen Glover and Steve Backshall

One thing we were all keen to know is if Helen Glover, who is only 30, is planning to defend her rowing crown in Tokyo 2020.

Steve Backshall congratulates Helen Glover on her Gold at Rio 2016. Credit: PA

The couple aren't doing the feat for the fun of it. They are racing to raise funds to protect a section of rainforest in Borneo, saving it from being cut down to make way for oil palm plantations.

This will safeguard a wealth of threatened wildlife found there, such as Proboscis Monkey, Bornean Pygmy Elephant, the Bornean Orang-utan and Sunda Pangolin.