Becky and Ellie Downie
Becky and Ellie Downie are known for being Olympic gymnasts (Ellie has recently retired from the sport).
British Heart Foundation (BHF) has been a charity extremely close to their hearts, since their brother Josh died from a sudden cardiac arrest in 2021 while he was playing cricket. CPR was attempted before he was taken to hospital, but nothing could be done to save him. He was just 24. They later found out that he had a condition called arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, which is genetic and something they both continue to be monitored for.
Becky and Ellie are passionate about supporting BHF and know there is more research that needs to be done to prevent others from losing their loved ones.
They have supported us in a number of campaigns and events since 2021, including London Marathon 2022, and the London to Brighton Bike Ride. They have also judged and presented at our annual Heart Hero Awards.
In June 2024, the Downie family supported our “Til I Died” campaign, which highlighted the tragic reality that 12 people under the age of 35 are lost every week in the UK to sudden cardiac death. Their brother, Josh, was one of the 12 murals unveiled in their hometown, Nottingham.
BHF are thrilled to have Becky and Ellie as Ambassadors and we look forward to their future support.
David and Frankie Seaman
David and Frankie Seaman became BHF Ambassadors in September 2021, having been fantastic supporters of BHF for many years. They have been involved with lots of events and campaigns, including our flagship London to Brighton event that saw David take to his bike; Frankie was on the committee for the Beating Hearts Ball; David hosted our online football quiz alongside former fellow footballer Glenn Hoddle; and they have both judged our Heart Hero Awards twice.
It’s an honour to have them both as Ambassadors for BHF and we look forward to their further involvement in our work.
David Ginola
David Ginola suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch during a charity match in 2016. Since this life-changing moment, David has been committed to helping to spread the importance of learning CPR, and saving more lives.
David has supported BHF in several ways over the years including, presenting the CPR Hero Award at our annual Heart Hero Awards. He has also promoted RevivR, our 15-minute online CPR training, as part of our annual Heart Month campaign.
David’s main passion is CPR – he wants as many people as possible to learn it as this is what saved his life.
BHF are delighted to have David as an official Ambassador. We look forward to working together to push the importance of CPR, to help ensure as many people as possible learn this lifesaving skill.
Dr Hazel Wallace
Hazel was just 14 years old when she lost her dad to a stroke. It was for this reason that Hazel went on to become a doctor and started The Food Medic – an educational platform that advises users on the latest insights and developments in nutrition and other lifestyle factors.
Hazel’s interest in health stems from her passion to help prevent others from losing their parents and loved ones before their time.
Since 2017, Hazel has shown her support for BHF in a number of ways, including hosting events and using her platform to help educate the public about cardiovascular disease.
She has also supported our corporate partnerships, including with Tesco, and most recently she featured in the Heart FM x BHF ‘World Heart Day’ collaboration.
Hazel often raises awareness online about BHF and the work we do through her social media platforms.
Dame Esther Rantzen
Journalist and TV Presenter Esther Rantzen first started supporting us when she used our home stores free collection service to help with her house move.
Esther's late husband, documentary-maker Desmond Wilcox, battled heart disease for years, which is why she is so passionate about our lifesaving research.
Over the years, Esther has supported on various initiatives, including retail campaigns and our volunteer programme. She continues to be a regular donor to our BHF shops.
Emmanuel Sonubi
Emmanuel Sonubi is a successful stand-up comedian based in London. In 2019, he went into heart failure on stage. He flew home and ended up in the ICU within hours, later being diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy. After being released, Emmanuel had to go back into hospital after suffering a stroke.
Emmanuel’s condition eventually improved. His heart failure is now managed with medication and regular monitoring, which will continue for the rest of his life. Under the guidance of his medical team, he has been able to carefully return to exercise and increase his fitness levels.
This life-changing experience was very impactful for Emmanuel, even inspiring his new comedy tour titled ‘Life After Near Death’, where he talks openly about his experience.
Emmanuel has also taken on BHF's iconic London to Brighton bike ride, raising money for our lifesaving research. The evening of the bike ride, he also hosted a comedy night with all proceeds donated to BHF.
Emmanuel said: “Taking on the London to Brighton Bike Ride for British Heart Foundation is a really personal one for me. Six years ago, I wasn’t sure whether I’d even survive, let alone be able to ride a bike again.”
Emmanuel has also supported BHF's Keep Us Beating campaign, sharing how he and his family have been directly impacted by cardiovascular disease with another heart patient on one of BHF's iconic red benches.
Gemma Atkinson
We have worked closely with actress Gemma Atkinson for many years, since she lost her dad to a heart attack when she was just 17.
During her long-standing support for BHF, Gemma has taken part in our TV appeal, the Manchester to Blackpool Night Ride, and fronted our ‘Bag It Beat It’ campaign to help raise awareness of women and heart disease. Gemma has also been involved with our annual Heart Hero Awards.
Gemma is keen to help others who have suffered from a similar loss or are living with a heart condition. After years of support, we are proud to have Gemma as an Ambassador and look forward to the future work we can do together.
Graeme Souness
Graeme Souness, the former Liverpool FC Manager, was diagnosed with coronary heart disease after 3 of his arteries were blocked. Through out his life, Graeme has undergone several operations and has suffered from a heart attack.
Graeme knows first-hand the impact of heart and circulatory diseases, and is passionate about supporting people going through similar experiences. Graeme has been involved in numerous campaigns and events, visited our labs to learn more about our research and met heart patients. Most recently Graeme was involved with our annual Heart Hero Awards.
Jack & Andriani (Drou) Wilshere
Former England and Arsenal footballer Jack Wilshere is joining forces with BHF to raise awareness of heart conditions after his daughter underwent lifesaving surgery.
Jack and his wife Drou have both been announced as BHF Ambassadors after sharing that their daughter, Siena, required open heart surgery for a congenital heart defect.
Siena was diagnosed with the defect aged 5. It was during a family holiday in Cyprus that a doctor detected a heart murmur and urged the family to bring Siena to see a cardiologist.
Back in the UK, Siena underwent further tests and it was later confirmed that she had a hole in her heart. Siena then underwent a successful operation to repair the defect in February 2024.
Jack said: “We call her our heart warrior. The bravery and strength she’s shown has been incredible, and we are just so proud of her.”
Drou said: “We didn’t know anything about congenital heart conditions and never thought our daughter would ever require open heart surgery… Turning to BHF made us feel less alone and gave us the answers and support we needed.”
They want to use their ambassadorship as a platform to raise more awareness of congenital heart conditions, and to help us fund further lifesaving research. We are so proud to have both Jack and Drou as BHF Ambassadors.
“We're supporting British Heart Foundation because without lifesaving research keeping children's hearts beating, we might not have Siena here with us today,” added Jack.
James Taylor
Former England cricketer James Taylor was forced to retire from professional cricket when he was diagnosed with the inherited heart condition arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC).
James is passionate about supporting our lifesaving research to find new ways to prevent, detect, and treat heart conditions like ARVC. Over the years, James has visited our research lab at St Thomas’ Hospital with fellow BHF Ambassador Graeme Souness, as well as supporting various campaigns and fundraising events. He was also involved with BHF’s Heart Hero Awards as both a judge and presenter.
Lindsay Davis
Lindsay is a former Miss Ohio who retired from her promising career as a dancer after being diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) aged 17. She is a passionate advocate and campaigner who has championed legislation mandating CPR and defibrillator training in several US states. She led the passage of the eponymous “Lindsay’s Law” which protects children from sudden cardiac death.
Lindsay has received numerous recognitions for her work, including receipt of President George H W Bush’s Point of Light Award, being part of the World Heart Federation’s 2022 Salim Yusuf Emerging Leaders cohort, and receiving the Bakken Invitation Award.
Through her role as BHF Ambassador, she is raising awareness of our lifesaving work, building new networks of supporters and fundraising for cutting-edge research, including the CureHeart initiative which aims to develop cures for her condition.
Luke Pritchard
Front man with legendary indie rock band, The Kooks, Luke Pritchard has a very personal connection to BHF. He was just 3 years old when his father died of a heart attack – an event that has influenced his career and his music. Luke understands the devastating reality of heart and circulatory diseases, which is why it’s so important to Luke to support BHF.
Luke was a judge, presenter and performer at our 2019 Heart Hero Awards and continues to work with us in raising awareness of cardiovascular disease. It’s an honour to have Luke as a BHF Ambassador and we look forward to seeing what we can create together in the future.
Mac twins
The Macfarlane twins, Lisa and Alana, are DJs, presenters, authors and founders of The Gut Stuff – a gut health education and wellness business.
In 2014, Lisa and Alana’s lives changed forever when their father, Kenny, suddenly died from a heart attack while playing golf at the age of 58. Since this tragic incident, Lisa and Alana have been committed to supporting BHF’s lifesaving research.
Over the years, the twins have supported BHF by running the London Marathon in memory of their father, attending and DJing at many of our fundraising events, including our annual Heart Hero Awards, and hosting cook-alongs with our corporate partners.
In memory of their Dad, they also took on the North Coast 500 in a VW Campervan to raise money for BHF. It was always Kenny’s dream to tour in a VW Campervan after his retirement, so the twins packed up their bags and children to take to the road in his honour. They raised over £7,000.
Lisa and Alana have been such wonderful supporters of BHF over the years and we are delighted to have them as Ambassadors.
Ollie Proudlock
Ollie Proudlock currently balances several businesses, a successful YouTube channel and collaborates daily with highly recognisable fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands on his Instagram channel. Stepping into the public eye as an original cast member on E4’s Made in Chelsea, Ollie has since founded his first business: a fashion and jewellery brand titled Serge DeNimes.
Ollie lost his dad to heart disease and has been committed to raising awareness of BHF since. Ollie has been involved in the Beating Hearts Ball, was a judge at our annual Heart Hero Awards, and has supported some of our retail and corporate campaigns.
After years of dedication to BHF, we are proud to have Ollie as an Ambassador and look forward to the future work we can do together.
Olivia Arben
Model Olivia Arben was 16 years old when she lost her dad to heart disease. Olivia has been dedicated to working with BHF since 2017, taking part in retail campaigns such as #BoughtAtBHF, helping to promote sustainability through pre-loved shopping.
Olivia knows the devastating impact of heart and circulatory diseases and she is passionate about working with BHF to raise awareness; her support on social media campaigns and corporate partnerships has been invaluable. Most recently she attended the Beating Hearts Ball and was a judge and presenter at the Heart Hero Awards.
(Left: OMI; right: VIN)
OMI
OMI is one half of pioneering sustainable fashion duo VIN + OMI. In February 2026, VIN + OMI partnered with BHF during London Fashion Week, revealing a new collection with 10 looks crafted from garments found in BHF shops. For the first time ever, these runway pieces were then made available for the public to buy on BHF's eBay store.
OMI was also recently involved in BHF's ‘This is Science’ (Keep us Beating) campaign, which featured 65 red benches across the UK to mark 65 years since BHF began. He shared his story of having had 3 heart attacks in quick succession, and why it's so important for him to break down the stigma of ill health in the fashion industry.
Pippa Middleton
Pippa has supported BHF for many years, getting involved in several fundraising initiatives and campaigns, including the epic 3,000-mile Race Across America cycling challenge and BHF’s flagship London to Brighton Bike Ride.
Pippa has attended events, donated prizes, supported corporate partnerships and raised vital funds for our lifesaving research. She also created a heart healthy recipe book, Heartfelt, which is available in our online shop.
Roger Black MBE
Olympic silver medallist and world champion, Roger Black MBE, is a long-time supporter of BHF after being diagnosed with congenital heart disease aged 11.
Over the years, Roger has been involved in various campaigns and events, including BHF's recent ‘Walk for Hearts’ campaign. Roger is passionate about encouraging people of all ages to exercise and get moving – particularly those in the heart patient community.
S Club
Pop group S Club have been supporting BHF since 2023 in memory of their much-loved band member Paul Cattermole, who died in April 2023 at the age of 46 from an underlying heart condition.
The band know first-hand the heartbreaking impact of heart and circulatory diseases; in September 2023, they supported our ‘Spotlight On’ campaign to raise awareness of the devastating impact of hidden heart conditions. As part of this, S Club encouraged fans and people across the country to post a picture on social media to show their support and tag their post with #showyourhearts. They then dedicated the first night of their 25th anniversary reunion Good Times Tour in Manchester to BHF in Paul’s memory.
As part of Heart Month, S Club visited Clapton Girls’ Academy in Hackney to take part in classroom RevivR – BHF’s free tool to help students learn lifesaving CPR – joining pupils to master the skills needed to help save a life. The band also supported our Omaze partnership, helping to raise more than £4.5 million.
BHF are delighted to announce S Club as BHF Ambassadors. They have been wonderful supporters and are truly passionate about raising awareness of the charity and its lifesaving work.
Sir Ranulph Fiennes
Ranulph is a long-time supporter of BHF and unfortunately knows the dangers of heart disease well. In 2003, he suffered a heart attack followed by several cardiac arrests. He then underwent an emergency heart bypass performed by our heart surgeon Professor Angelini.
Despite leading an active lifestyle, Ranulph has demonstrated that heart disease can strike almost anyone.
Ranulph fully credits the amazing work of our very own Professor Angelini for saving his life, and in allowing him to carry on doing what he loves, like taking on huge climbs, all-terrain marathons and other extreme challenges.
Ranulph has supported plenty of BHF campaigns and events, including most recently our Beating Hearts Ball.
Tom Lockyer
Footballer Tom Lockyer suffered a cardiac arrest during a Premier League game against Bournemouth in December 2023. After spending time in hospital and having an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) fitted, Tom began a long road to recovery.Tom went on to support BHF's Heart Month, calling on the nation to learn CPR with BHF's RevivR tool. Now back playing professional football, he’s using his experience to continue to inspire more people to learn CPR and feel confident stepping in during a medical emergency.
Tom said: “Without the people who reacted quickly by performing CPR and using a defibrillator, I wouldn’t be here today... I have so much to be thankful for. I have my health which is the main thing, and I’m really looking forward to the future.”
Tom has since supported many initiatives at BHF, including Sky Bet's Every Minute Matters campaign. This partnership has raised over £6 million and has trained 500,000 people in CPR; Tom continues to play a key role in the campaign.
Vernon Kay
Vernon Kay is one of the most experienced and versatile broadcasters in the UK, with a career spanning over 20 years across live entertainment, magazine shows and sports broadcasting. Vernon also has a daytime show on BBC Radio 2.
Vernon has been involved with BHF for a number of years, hosting our annual Heart Hero Awards 5 years in a row. The event is a really special evening where we recognise and celebrate the incredible contribution from our supporters – from young children who have bravely undergone multiple heart surgeries and families who’ve raised thousands for BHF in memory of a loved one, to those who’ve performed CPR in an effort to save another’s life.
Vernon has been a wonderful supporter of BHF over the years and we’re looking forward to continuing to work together to raise awareness and vital funds for BHF’s lifesaving work.
Yinka Bokinni
Yinka is a Capital XTRA DJ and hosts the weekday breakfast show. When not on the radio, Yinka can be found on screen presenting music events, festivals and documentaries.
Yinka has been involved with BHF for many years, hosting behind-the-scenes content and being a judge at our annual Heart Hero Awards. Yinka also hosted the awards in 2024.
Yinka has since hosted a talk with the One Beat members – BHF’s support group for young people living with heart conditions. As someone with a heart condition, Yinka enjoys meeting supporters and other people with heart conditions, and learning more about the research we do.
Through her role as Ambassador, Yinka is passionate about providing hope and encouragement for young people living with similar conditions. We’re looking forward to working together more in future.