Mountain setback for Barlow

A bid by Take That star Gary Barlow to climb Kilimanjaro to raise money for UK charity drive Comic Relief looked in the balance today after he was laid up with a back spasm.

The singer, 38, is due to scale the 19,000ft African peak next month with a team of celebrities to raise money for the charity.

But after putting his back out during the “hectic” training schedule and the promotion for the band’s new single, doctors have advised him to rest until he departs this Friday.

A Comic Relief spokesman said: “Due to a hectic training schedule for his (climb) and to promote the new Take That single ’Up All Night’, the muscles in Gary’ Barlow’s back have gone into spasm.

“Gary saw an eminent specialist together with Professor Greg Whyte who is the trainer for the ’BT Red Nose Climb’ and has been treated appropriately for this minor injury.”

He added that there was no cause for concern.

“Gary saw the specialist as a precaution because he is determined that he will be fit and well to continue his mission to raise mountains of cash,” he said.

Barlow’s other fellow climbers on the arduous expedition include Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Cole, Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles, presenter Fearne Cotton and singers Ronan Keating and Denise Van Outen.