'Bonkers' Mike Tindall strips down to blue swim briefs to brave freezing lake water for charity

Mike Tindall impressed royal fans on New Year's Day after swimming in a cold lake to raise money for charity

'Bonkers' Mike Tindall strips to brave freezing lake water for charity
(Image credit: Getty)

Mike Tindall left royal fans speechless on Monday after dunking into a freezing cold lake on New Year's Day – and it's all for a great cause. 


Mike Tindall has kicked off the New Year with a splash – a very chilly one, that is. 

The former England rugby player took to Instagram on Monday to share a video of himself going for a cold water dip, much to the awe of his loyal fanbase. 

The extreme activity was completed for DoddyAid, an event that raises funds for motor neurone disease (MND) in memory of Doddie Weir. The Scottish rugby star passed away from the degenerative condition in November, six years after receiving the life-altering diagnosis. 

In the short clip, Mike can be seen standing in front of bare trees and dressed in a blue windbreaker. 

"Happy New Year, everyone!" he says. "It's not that cold, it's a little bit cold. We're down here at the lake." 

Mike, 44, then strips down to a pair of blue swim briefs and cracks the punny joke, "Sorry, it's very nipply out here," before cautiously wading himself into the icy water. After a couple of daunting steps, he takes a brave dive and re-surfaces shrieking from the shock. He's accompanied in the lake by two friends, who have also stripped down to their smalls for the exhilarating dip. 

After warming up, Mike headed to Cheltenham with his wife, Zara Tindall, and their two daughters, Mia and Lena. The exciting trip to the iconic races comes just a week after the couple joined the Royal Family at Sandringham House for Christmas and Boxing Day. 

Mike's followers on Instagram were quick to react to the video, with many praising the I'm a Celebrity 2022 star and his chums for their fearless January paddle. 

"You must be bonkers," one person wrote, while another said, "Holy moly you brave Lads." 

Mike Tindall smiling with his arms crossed on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here 2022/ ITV

(Image credit: ITV Picture Desk)

This isn't the first time Mike has hit headlines for his daring choice of swimwear. 

In November, the dad-of-three stunned viewers of I'm A Celebrity 2022 after donning multicolored briefs to enjoy a swim in the Australian camp's creek. He even received some light-hearted teasing from hosts Ant and Dec, who joked that Mike had stolen Zara's bikini bottoms for the refreshing dip. 

Emma Dooney
News and lifestyle writer

Emma is a Lifestyle News Writer for Goodto. Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, she mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.