TV presenter Ben Shephard is supporting “Mad March”, a Haven House Children’s Hospice campaign, which sees the public take up adrenaline-fuelled challenges in order to raise funds for the charity.

On Saturday 12 March, a team of seven will be plunging 160ft in a bungee jump opposite the O2 in Greenwich and on Wednesday 23 March, Haven House will be holding a firewalk in its grounds in Woodford Green.

Maxine Davies, a mother from Hainault who uses Haven House for her eight-year-old son, Kai, will be undertaking both challenges. In a video, Haven House Patron Ben Shephard praised Maxine for her determination to raise funds for the hospice and said she was an inspiration.

Ben, who has previously done a bungee jump, said: “My fear as I get older is that I become too scared to do things. When you’re young, you think you can do anything, but this changes as a parent. So I think it’s important to always try and push yourself, otherwise you risk sitting quietly in a room wearing a pair of slippers and cardigan, thinking about the things you wish you had done.”

The 41-year-old star recently abseiled down the ITV Studios Tower and clenched his abs for an excruciating five minutes and eight seconds live on Good Morning Britain as part of its Plank Challenge.

But he said the latter was definitely not as hard as a Haven House bungee jump or firewalk. “Planking is intense but it’s hardly extreme. It’s not like abseiling or doing a bungee jump and it’s certainly not like doing a firewalk. The fundamental thing about all of these challenges is that mentally; they are much tougher than they are physically.”

Ben, along with his colleagues on Good Morning Britain, all planked for as long as possible on the show in January. Sports pundit Chris Kamara, who co-presents ITV’s Ninja Warrior with Ben also took part in the get fit campaign.

In his video Ben mischievously challenges fellow Ninja Warrior presenter and Haven House Ambassador Rochelle Humes and her husband, Marvin, to a plank off, saying: “She could do it and Marvin. Get the two of them to do it!”

Ben said Good Morning Britain co-host Piers Morgan managed to plank for two minutes and he is confident that Rochelle can do better than Piers.

“So there’s your challenge Rochelle, if you can beat Piers and do two minutes I will be impressed.”

Staff at Haven House will also be putting their planking ability to the test in order to raise funds for the charity as part of Mad March.

To sign up for a Haven House challenge event please click this link.