AceShowbiz - Take That star Gary Barlow is planning a hike to the North Pole to raise money for charity. The singer helped raise more than $1.96 million for U.K. organization Comic Relief last year when he scaled Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa with a gang of celebrity pals, including British singers Cheryl Cole and Ronan Keating.

He's now gearing up for an expedition to the North Pole in the spring 2011 and is looking to recruit more stars for the challenge. Barlow is expected to spend a week hiking to the polar landmark with the help of Arctic experts.

A source tells The Sun, "Gary loves a challenge, so as soon as he finished the Kilimanjaro trip he was working out what to do next. There was talk of climbing Everest but that's a seriously tough exercise. Getting to the North Pole is not exactly easier but it is more do-able."