AN actor has successfully completed a 40-mile swim around Jersey for charity.
William Ellis is mainly known for his role in British soap EastEnders, as character Theo Hawthorne, as well as appearing in films such as Great Expectations with Helena Bonham Carter and Ralph Fiennes.
He is also a voice artist, podcaster and… competitive swimmer.
He completed the 65km swim in a time of nine hours and 52 minutes, raising funds for Amaze, which supports children, young people and families with disabilities and special educational needs.
The charity has supported Mr Ellis’s son Odie, who has the rare genetic condition Mowat-Wilson syndrome.
Jersey long-distance swimming legend Sally Minty-Gravett supported Mr Ellis with his challenge. She said: ‘He is training for the English Channel for next year, so in preparation I said, “Why don’t you come to Jersey for a round-the-Island swim?” ’
After completing the swim, Mr Ellis went back to the UK for the NTA Awards, where the EastEnders cast picked up an award.
Mr Ellis also hosts An Open Water Swimmers Podcast, where he discusses his passion for swimming, giving back to the community and interviewing guests from different walks of life, including Ms Minty-Gravett, who used to babysit Mr Ellis in the 1980s.
To help donate or to Mr Ellis’s cause, visit: justgiving.com/fundraising/williamhellis.
