With his ultra-endurance cycling challenge, Paddy McGuinness has become the latest celebrity to raise a jaw-dropping figure for BBC’s Children in Need. The 51-year-old set off on his 300-mile cycling challenge on Monday – the route will see the comedian cycle from Wrexham, Wales to Glasgow, Scotland on a modified Raleigh Chopper bike. To prepare, McGuinness trained with six-time Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy, who made headlines himself for sharing his shock terminal cancer diagnosis last month.
Paddy McGuinness is nearing the end of his epic Ultra Endurance Cycle Challenge for BBC Children in Need as he pedals into Glasgow on a Raleigh Chopper nicknamed Patch. The Radio 2 presenter has cycled more than 300 miles from Wrexham in Wales in just five days and raised a staggering total of more than £7.3million so far, with Scots tycoon Sir Tom Hunter promising to match donations up to £3m.
Sir Tom, a businessman and philanthropist, said: "My dear old dad used to tell me, the definition of true kindness is to help someone you will never meet. Paddy, to you and to all of the people who have given to Children in Need, for the thousands of children you will never meet but sure are helping. Thank you for your kindness."
Paddy arrived in Strathaven in South Lanarkshire on Thursday night after the toughest day of his challenge, as he had to get up and over Beattock Summit at 1,016ft above sea level on a 65 mile slog from Ecclefechan in Dumfries and Galloway... although he had Sir Chris Hoy to help him over the top.
Speaking to Zoe Ball on Radio 2 at 6:45am on Friday morning before setting off for the final 18.5miles, he said: "As usual at this time of the morning, everything is sore, everything is aching but again I've just rocked up here where I'm going to set off, it's dark, it's a little bit drizzly, and people are already here to wish me well so you can't be in a positive mind about that.
"I came into Strathaven last night, it took me back to the 80s when Liverpool used to do an open top bus parade when they won the FA Cup, it's like that. Honestly, it was unbelievable, it was mind-blowing. I try and go round and high five everyone. They're like - you've done it, we're all behind you. It just pushes you for that last little bit."
Asked about how he will feel when he reaches the finishing line at BBC Scotland's Pacific Quay HQ in Glasgow, he replied: "I don't know how I will feel, how I will react. I know one thing - I've done some crying this last few days - flipping heck Zoe! I've been crying my eyes out!"
The total at 6.50am this morning was £6,577,494. Zoe was presenting a live broadcast of The Radio 2 Breakfast Show from the foyer at Pacific Quay, including live music from Chesney Hawkes and Tom Grennan.
On Thursday, Olympic cyclist Sir Chris surprised Paddy and joined him on the road over Beattock, and then 1980s band Black Lace also turned up after Paddy had completed over 250 miles. Radio 2 has been playing Agadoo every time Paddy clocks up another 50 miles, and they all got off their bikes and danced to the song.
Paddy said: "The most surreal moment of my life was going into a service station just off the motorway and watching a Knight of the Realm do Agadoo with Black Lace live. I was like, 'this does not happen normally!' It was brilliant honestly."
Paddy has already raised almost £6m for the charity with his 300-mile cycle, which will see him cycle through Flintshire, Merseyside, Cheshire, Lancashire, Westmorland, Cumberland, Dumfries and Lanarkshire before arriving in Glasgow on Friday morning. The comedian was inspired to complete the challenge by his friend and BBC Radio 2 co-host Vernon Kay, who took on an Ultramarathon challenge himself for the charity last year. The challenge saw 50-year-old Kay travel, by foot, from Leicester to his hometown of Bolton, in just four days. In total, the journey clocked up more than 115 miles, with Kay raising a staggering £6m for the BBC’s annual children’s charity appeal.
McGuinness was inspired to complete the challenge by his friend and BBC Radio 2 co-host Vernon Kay, who took on an Ultramarathon challenge himself for the charity last year. The challenge saw 50-year-old Kay travel, by foot, from Leicester to his hometown of Bolton, in just four days. In total, the journey clocked up more than 115 miles, with Kay raising a staggering £6m for the BBC’s annual children’s charity appeal.
Although McGuiness has already trumped the distance his colleague completed last year, Kay has been a vocal supporter of McGuiness’ challenge, rallying listeners of his radio show to send donations and even leaving a heart-warming gift for his friend at the finishing line. During an appearance on Who Do You Think You Are? earlier this year, McGuinness discovered that his grandfather, who he never knew, served in the Boer War to escape a life of poverty. He was then shown the medal that his grandfather was awarded for his service.
The medal was in a private collection before being auctioned off, with its whereabouts unknown – until now. It has since been tracked down, with the auction house buying the medal back from the individuals who bought it in 2021. Now, Kay is hoping to present McGuinness with the medal when he crosses the finish line on Friday. "It brings us full circle to what we’re doing for Children in Need, trying to jump kids out of a life in poverty," he said.
Donate at www.bbc.co.uk/paddy - watch the TV documentary, Paddy: The Ride Of My Life, on Tuesday, November 19 at 8pm on BBC One and hear him read the CBeebies Bedtime Story at 6.50pm on Friday, November 15 on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer
After having the support of a nation behind him all week, Paddy McGuinness has completed his 300-mile cycle for Children In Need. He has cycled almost 300 miles from Wrexham AFC to Glasgow on a Raleigh Chopper, and people have been lining the streets along the way. The Farnworth lad crossed the line at around 10.30am today to the tune of pipe music. Paddy then headed to hug his family, including his step-brother Tony, with many supporters who have travelled up from Lancashire and Bolton to support him. He said, speaking to Zoe Ball on BBC Radio 2: "I can't believe it, coming out of East Kilbride I was looking at Glasgow.
"I had Sir Tom at the side of me, I came round the corner, what a site, what a feeling.
"Every morning when I woke up everything was aching.
"When you get on the road and everyone comes out it spurs you on.
"Until you're in the moment, I can't get across what it felt like.
"Everyone came out.
"It's a moment I'll take to my grave."
In a poignant moment, Paddy was presented with his grandfather's medal from the Boer War, which Vernon Kay helped track down to congratulate the exhausted Radio 2 presenter. "That is amazing, thank you very much," Paddy said. "I'm gonna need a couple of weeks in a dark room after this just to wrap my head around it."
The total raised has now been revealed at £7,556,853, and is expected to continue to increase ahead of The Children In Need show tonight on BBC One from 7pm-10pm. Patch, the chopper bike Paddy has been on all the way, is now set to be auctioned off to raise further funds. To donate text the word 10, 20 or 30 to 70710 depending on how much you want to donate, or head to the BBC's website.
TV presenter and radio host Paddy McGuinness says he has been “blown away” by support for his charity cycle ride from Wales to Scotland for BBC Children In Need. The Top Gear presenter began his journey, which he says he does not regret and will “hang on to forever”, on Monday at Wrexham AFC’s Racecourse Ground, and is expected to finish in Glasgow on Friday. The 51-year-old is undertaking the 300 miles of Radio 2’s Ultra Endurance Cycle Challenge on his dream childhood bike, the Raleigh Chopper, with his bike painted in the colours of the charity’s mascot, Pudsey.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast on Friday, McGuinness said: “It’s drizzling, it’s dark and it’s freezing, but still people come out there. “I’ve been absolutely blown away by the amount of people, I’ve come all the way from Wrexham, out of Wales into England, up into Scotland, and I couldn’t tell you when there were bits where people weren’t stood on the roads. “It feels like every single person knows what’s going on, it’s amazing. “It’s really a privilege to be a part of it, it’s a little moment in my life I’ll hang on to – it’s been lovely.”
McGuinness set off on the last leg from Strathaven to Glasgow early on Friday morning and said he would miss the journey when he went back to his usual job presenting Radio 2’s Smile Every Sunday. He added: “The only regret is: I should have put better padding on top of that (bike seat), but other than that, absolutely no regrets. “In a weird way, I think on Monday I’ll miss it. When I’m sort of walking to the shop for my pint of milk and everything else in the morning, I’ll be like, why no one (here), why aren’t the cars going past going ‘hello’. “I’ll miss that sort of letting on to people all the time and just that feeling of everyone being behind you. “If it wasn’t for that, I don’t think I could have got through it, because it has been really tough.”
McGuinness revealed the fact he was riding a bike designed for a child had caused a few issues, and said his physio had been helping him at every stop. He said: “Essentially, it’s a child’s bike, and you’re kind of in a stressed position all the time when you’re riding it. “So that’s why my back keeps seizing up, but this last couple of days, my knees have gone now, they’re completely shot. “And Jeff… my physio, he gets stuck into me at every pit stop. “We’ll pull in, and he’ll get the bed out, and we’ll do all that, and then I talk to everybody who turns up, and we do selfies and everything else, and then we crack on to the next town.”
So far on the journey, McGuinness has been joined by Olympic cyclist Sir Chris Hoy, greeted by 1970s pop group Black Lace, and broke down after being given some cards and drawings from his children. At the last count, donations had reached more than £6.8 million, with those wishing to donate able to do so on the BBC website.
