The jumpsuits are back

Climbing into a whirring helicopter and yelling into a headset with her megawatt grin, for Anneka Rice, who has dusted off her iconic jumpsuits after nearly 30 years.

- SARA WALLIS

"I'm looking for something long and blue, oh my God there it is," she shouts from the sky, spotting the huge blue and yellow Challenge Anneka lorry and then a giant "Help!" sign spelled out in a field.

Soundman Dave Chapman, her original sidekick, hands her binoculars and the iconic theme tune starts before the familiar running and panic begins.

"Oh, God, I'd forgotten how stressful it is," says Anneka. The TV presenter, 64, who was famous for zooming around helping people in the hit 90s show, brings this revival to Channel 5 on Saturday.

She promises: "Everything is as it should be. This time the truck opens out to form a giant production office. It's big enough for everyone and anything.

"I decided to upcycle some of my old outfits as I have a wardrobe full of Lycra.

"The trouble is we ended up filming in winter so all hopes of looking glamorous flew out of the window.

"Most of the time I look like a Teletubby, layer upon layer of thermals.

"The production company kindly provided a hair and make-up lady which was exciting as I'd never had this before.

"It was lovely for about 10 minutes at 6am but by lunchtime on day one I realised I was just never going to have time to see a hairdryer again.

"So, I look as I always used to look rainswept and dishevelled.

The original Challenge Anneka, which aired on BBC1 for six series from 1989 to 1995, had a peak of 12 million viewers.

It was based on Treasure Hunt, an earlier Channel 4 show when Anneka would arrive by helicopter.

This update retains a 90s charm as Anneka, usually running and being followed by a camera crew, tries to finish a charitable project against the clock by persuading people and firms to help.

"I'm just going to hit the phones, she says, cracking on with the first challenge.

However, her legacy does not always have the cachet she hopes for.