An overweight opera-singing drag queen and a grandfather recovering from a life-threatening illness are an unlikely pair to train for a marathon.

But George Ikediashi and Jerry Hodgson have taken up the challenge to run the London Marathon next month along with 11 other volunteers, guided by Olympic athletes Sally Gunnell and Steve Cram.

Their struggles and achievements have been captured on film and will be shown as part of a new BBC One programme, Run For Glory, which starts tonight.

George, 23, who lives in Marlborough Place, Brighton, signed up to raise his self-esteem.

He said: "I used to weigh 25 stone but after I saw some awful pictures of myself I worked really hard and lost eight stone. I thrive on challenges and thought I would give this a go. "I will finish the marathon if I have to crawl, I'm so determined."

The opera singer, who made the finals of Channel 4's Operatunity and secured a place at the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, works for Personal Telephone Fund-raising in Brighton.

Once a week he performs cabaret at Dynamite Boogaloo at Audio on Brighton seafront and sometimes dresses up as drag queen Le Gateau Chocolat.

George hopes to raise £5,000 for Shine Theatre Trust in Hurstpierpoint, which provides theatre workshops for children including those with special needs.

"My lower legs are still numb but are good enough for me to run."

The ex-Marine hopes to raise £10,000 for the special baby unit at Taunton Hospital where his twin grand-daughters were born.

Trainer Sally Gunnell, who lives in Sussex, said: "To start with we asked them to run a mile. I think we had one person who could actually do it, the rest of them didn't get anywhere near.

Speaking to them now, they've said it's changed their whole outlook."

Sponsor George at www.run-george.co.uk. To sponsor Jerry, call 01580 880337.