Celebs champion all moustaches great and small
You know it... Movember is right around the corner. So to celebrate and shine a light on the month of fuzzy facial hair, we've teamed up with a star-studded cast to kick-start our annual month-long fundraising campaign.
The tongue-in-cheek portraits celebrate the lifesaving power of all moustaches great and small, as we see our celebs set off on an epic journey to answer the call of the Moustache; from patchy beginnings to the best you can do, to no mo whatsoever or even a glorious bushy ‘tache.
The hairy cast
The images feature no mo champions, TV Presenter Jake Humphrey and Olympic Gymnast Max Whitlock OBE, both flying the flag for the cleanly shaven. Slow mo growers include ex-Gogglebox star Joe Baggs and British Actor Royce Pierreson alongside Sunday Brunch Presenter Simon Rimmer, ex Rugby Player Ugo Monye and Mental Health Ambassador Dr Alex George. Finally, full on mo growers Welsh Broadcaster Matt Johnson, British Actors Kola Bokinni and Jack James Ryan, plus Paralympian Blaine Hunt, all show that a moustache is always a great idea.
All shapes and sizes are welcome
The launch follows new research that found more than one in three (33%) of Brits saw not being able to grow a moustache as the biggest barrier to getting involved in past Movember fundraising campaigns. Additionally, almost a quarter of British men (24%) said they hadn’t taken part due to not being able to grow a moustache or being dissatisfied with the growth of theirs. Almost a fifth (17%) simply didn’t know there were other ways to fundraise outside of growing a mo. The research also found that half (51%) of women in the UK thought they’d have to grow a moustache to get involved.
Movember’s findings also revealed that two in three Brits (66%) have been affected by mental health issues either personally, or through someone they know. Almost half (42%) have been affected by suicide, 27% by prostate cancer, and a fifth (19%) by testicular cancer.
A few words of wisdom from our hairy cast
Joe Baggs, Ex-Gogglebox star and TikTok sensation said:
“I know firsthand the challenges that come with being a young man and the impact of being online has had on my self-worth and mental well-being. We need to create healthier spaces and stronger support systems for young men – both online and in their everyday lives. That’s why this Movember I’ll be sporting my first ever ‘tache and flying the flag for their lifesaving work.”
Kola Bokinni, British actor and Race Around the World star said:
“For too long men’s health has been overlooked and swept to the sidelines. In the UK two in five men die prematurely from largely preventable reasons. That’s unacceptable, but it doesn’t have to be that way. I’m joining forces with Movember to help change the face of men’s health. And remember It doesn’t matter if your ‘tache is glorious or barely there, you can still make a difference – so jump in, take on a challenge and help save lives.”
Dr Alex George, UK Youth Mental Health Ambassador said: “Championing mental health has always been, and will always be close to my heart, and to be able to support Movember, and raise awareness around their vital work is an honour. The unfortunate truth is that 75% of all suicides are male, which is why we need to continue to challenge unhealthy behaviours and evolve cultural norms of what it means to ‘be a man’, to create generational change.
Jack James Ryan, British Actor said:
“As someone who's personally been through the challenge of testicular cancer, I can’t stress enough how important it is to openly talk about men’s health. I remember the feeling of isolation, fear, and vulnerability that came with my diagnosis, and how hard it was to find others who understood what I was going through. That’s why Movember means so much to me – helping make space for us to have real conversations about men’s mental and physical health.”
Anne-Cecile Berthier, Country Director UK & Europe at Movember said:
“Here at Movember, we’re driven by a bold mission to change the face of men’s health. But that mission isn't ours to tackle alone. To truly make a difference, we need to unite our global community of supporters.
Moustache or no moustache there are countless ways to show support and get involved, from moving 60km in the month, hosting an event or taking on an epic challenge, we encourage everyone to answer the call and get involved this Movember and help stop men from dying too young.”
What we do next
In the UK, three in four suicides are men, one in eight men will get prostate cancer, and testicular cancer is the most common cancer in young men. We're taking them all on.
In our 21st year we have become the leading global men’s health movement, raising awareness and funds for men’s health.
We're making change, but we need your help.
Grow a moustache, take on the Move challenge by running or walking 60km, host a virtual event, or create your challenge with Mo Your Own Way.
Sign up or donate now and join the movement.