Record-setting Brit skier gives final interview before setting off alone to South Pole

The fastest Brit in history to ski solo to the South Pole returned to try and beat his own record, giving a final interview on December 15 before he sets off alone.

Richard Parks is a renowned Antarctic skier and in 2014 became the fastest Briton to ski solo, unsupported and unassisted, from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole.

Then he completed the 1150km/715m solo journey from Hercules Inlet on Antarctica to the South Pole in 29 days, 19 hours and 24 minutes.

In doing so, he set a new British record and recorded the second fastest time in history. He also became the first Welsh person to complete a solo, unsupported and unassisted journey to the South Pole.

With this record Parks took 9 days off the former British record, when he arrived at the South Pole in temperatures of -24C and after skiing a total of 338 hours, burning the calorific equivalent of two marathons a day completely alone for 29 days.

Four years on Richard has returned to Antarctica to try and break his own record. On December 18 Richard began his expedition to ski solo, unsupported and unassisted, from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole, as fast as humanly possible began.

Richard gave us his last interview from Union Glacier camp before boarding his flight to the expedition start point.