Among the estimated 60,000 people expected to take part in the Great North Run 2023 on September 10, there will be many famous faces.

Those taking part can anticipate running alongside Strictly Come Dancing stars, Emmerdale favourites and Britain’s Got Talent acts.

The world’s biggest half-marathon is now only days away as people prepare to take part in the event to raise as much money as possible for their chosen charities.

The route with a total distance of 13.1 miles will begin from Newcastle and finish in South Shields.

Here are just some of the celebrities you might see on the way.

Who are the celebrities taking part in the Great North Run 2023?

Strictly’s Sara Davies will be running to raise crucial funds for the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust Charity, an organisation close to her heart.

The Dragon’s Den business woman is now poised to make her mark on the running world.

Sara said: “I believe deeply in the work done by the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust so I’m really looking forward to taking part in a northern institution like the Great North Run.

“Though I really enjoy running in my spare time, this isn’t just a personal challenge for me, it’s also a great way to raise awareness of the crucial services they provide and to pay tribute to the tireless efforts of their staff for our community.”

Lee Ridley from Britain’s Got Talent, will also take on the AJ Bell Great North Run for the first time this year.

He will be pushed in a wheelchair by four friends to raise money for Smile For Life children’s charity.

The comedian suffers from a form of cerebral palsy leaving him unable to speak and affecting his movement.

Smile for Life aims to improve the lives of young people with disabilities and learning difficulties across the North East.

Lee said: "I’m really looking forward to taking part in my first Great North Run. I watch it every year on the television and the atmosphere looks amazing so I can’t wait to experience it myself. I think it’s something that every Geordie has to do at some point in their life.

“I’m very grateful to Lee, Ollie, Hannah and Paul for volunteering to push me around the course and I promise to lay off the chocolate buttons until after the race! Most of all, I’m looking forward to raising lots of money for Smile For Life, a brilliant charity that I’m proud to be a patron of.”

ITV Emmerdale actresses taking part in the Great North Run 2023 - who are they?

The Northern Echo:

Emmerdale actresses Laura Norton (Kerry Wyatt) and Isabel Hodgins (Victoria Sugden) are running for CureUSHER.

The charity supports people diagnosed with Usher syndrome, a rare genetic condition that causes hearing and sight loss.

Laura became a patron of the charity after both of her children were diagnosed with Usher syndrome. 

They will be joined by BBC presenter OJ Borg, new DS Chris Oliver from Channel 4’s SAS: Who Dare’s Wins and former boxer Rendall Munroe, running for the Bodhi Hodges Foundation.

Former Sunderland AFC striker Kevin Phillips will be taking part supporting North East heart charity, the Red Sky Foundation.

Kevin said: “I’m so excited for my first ever Great North Run. I’ll be doing the run with my good friend Wess Brown who’s youngest son Sol has had three open heart surgeries at the Freeman Hospital.

“It’s our way of giving something back so Red Sky Foundation can help other families needing their support. We recognise the hard work the charity does to make a difference to the lives of so many people within the region’s cardiac wards in hospitals and also in local communities across Sunderland and the wider North East.” 

Olympic Champion Sir Mo Farah will be competing in the Great North Run this year as his final professional race.

You can follow the coverage of the Great North Run 2023 live on BBC One from 10am until 2pm.