A Channel 4 star, and town resident, is set to host awards recognising the best Andover has to offer.

Jordan Wylie is a former soldier who has set records with his extreme adventures around the world. He stars as one of the hunters in Hunted, where individuals try to escape detection for 25 days while being pursued by former police, military and intelligence personnel.

He will be hosting the 14th Pride of Andover Awards in 2021, following in the footsteps of celebrities including Katie Piper, Dame Esther Rantzen and Sally Taylor MBE.

Jordan left school at the age of 16 and joined the British Army, where he served for 10 years across Northern Ireland and Iraq in the fields of military intelligence and reconnaissance. He subsequently fought Somali Pirates off the coast of Africa, and wrote a bestselling book on the back of his experiences.

Since then, he had completed a series of challenges including becoming the first person to row solo and unsupported across the Bab el Mandeb Straits between Djbouti in Africa and Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula. He has also climbed Mount Kilamanjaro barefoot, and completed running challenges in warzones.

He has set a number of records, including the deepest underground marathon by running over 26 miles in a mine one kilometre below the surface, as well as the longest paddleboard journey while standing, where he covered almost 2400km.

He will be hosting the award ceremony at The Lights in October 26, following the anticipated end of the theatre’s role as a vaccination centre for Andover. The Pride of Andover Awards were delayed last year because of the pandemic, with nominations remaining open to ensure those going above and beyond in the Covid pandemic are recognised.

The stated aim of the Pride of Andover Awards is “to shed light on the town’s unsung heroes - endorsing the inspiring and often selfless actions of Andover’s most generous individuals promoting a sense of pride in our unique north Hampshire town.”

They have been run since 2007, and give awards in a variety of categories, including Community Champion, Inspiring Others, and Young Person of the Year. Previous recipients include Stephen Pugh, a fundraiser who sadly passed away earlier this year.

For more information about the Awards, please visit: www.prideofandoverawards.org.uk.