David Beckham digitally aged 30 years for moving malaria prevention appeal

David Beckham's new malaria awareness ad sees him aged up several decades.

The footie ace, 45, looks around 70 in the ad after some digital tampering.

He filmed the short ad for the Malaria Must Die, So Millions Can Live campaign, a cause close to David's heart.

In the clip, the silver haired and bearded version of David tells applauding crowds that they've finally beaten malaria in the year 2050.

It cuts back to the present, with the current Becks, giving some sobering statistics about the deadly disease.

"Right now, the fight is harder than ever," David tells us, "and as a father, it breaks my heart that a child dies every two minutes from malaria.

"A future free from this disease is possible in our lifetime. We must unite and tell our leaders that we won't stop until the job is done.

"Join me, and share to declare that malaria and share to declare that Malaria Must Die, So Millions Can Live."

David's also been involved with Malaria No More, a founding member on its leadership council.

He said: "I've worked with Malaria No More UK since 2009, supporting campaigns and helping shine a light on the challenge.

"Their campaigns always use great creativity and innovation to attract attention to the issue and I'm delighted also to have met some of the inspiring people who are working so hard to end this disease."

The World Health Organisation (WHO) backs up Becks' figures about child mortality from the disease, telling that most of those deaths occur in Africa.

250,000 children die on the continent from malaria every year.

And the Covid pandemic has seen a set back in the fight against it, a WHO spokesperson declaring: "The emergence of Covid-19 has shown the world how critical our health systems are.

"It is crucial that 2021 sees the world getting back on track towards achieving existing targets to reduce malaria as we come through the pandemic.

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