Paddy McGuinness, the comedian and television presenter, will be riding a Raleigh Chopper on a 300-mile cycle challenge for BBC Children in Need in November. The challenge will see him ride from Wrexham to Glasgow over five days.
McGuinness, who presents a show on Radio 2, is following in the footsteps of Vernon Kay, who ran 116 miles in four days last year. The challenge was announced on Kay’s breakfast show on September 23.
He will cycle through eight counties in three nations in a challenge that is sure to be a lot harder than it looks.
McGuinness will be riding a BBC Children in Need customised and modified Raleigh Chopper. He’s not a stranger to a challenge, however, and he’s already got his own saddle, as well as other modifications to help make it a little bit easier.
The Chopper will also have more durable brake callipers, levers, and pads to enhance braking efficiency. Aluminium rims with grooved braking surfaces will be used for better water displacement.
The Chopper will also utilise a Mk3 handlebar and stem set-up to provide a more comfortable and efficient riding position. This two-piece design allows adjustment of the bar angle without altering the classic Chopper look, maintaining the bike’s iconic silhouette.
These modifications have been carefully designed to retain the Chopper’s classic style while ensuring McGuinness can safely and comfortably complete the challenge.
Despite the challenge, McGuinness is looking forward to the task, and is especially excited to be riding a Chopper.
“As a kid, I didn’t have much and used to be really jealous of my mates riding around on those bikes, so I’m really honoured to support BBC Children in Need by getting pedalling to raise as much money as possible for the charity,” McGuinness said.
“‘No likey, no bikey’ just isn’t an option.”
Children in Need has a rich history when it comes to cycling-related challenges. Matt Baker’s 2016 Rickshaw Challenge raised £3.5 million. In the same year, jazz musician Mike Hatchard cycled to seven gigs in a day, with keyboard in tow, to raise almost £8,000.
In March, BBC Radio 1 DJ and former Saturdays star Mollie King raised over £1.1 million for Comic Relief with her 500km London to Hull cycle for Comic Relief, the feat made even more impressive by the fact that she’d never ridden a bike on the road before.
McGuinness’s Ultra Endurance Cycle Challenge will be broadcast live on Radio 2 and BBC Sounds, with video highlights and further coverage on Radio 2’s social media accounts. During the challenge, Radio 2 presenters will be broadcasting their regular shows whilst offering him lots of support, keeping him motivated and spurred on with messages from the listeners. He will also be joined on his arduous journey by a host of surprise guests to help keep him going.
The event will also be broadcast on television, with a behind-the-scenes documentary featuring exclusive footage to be broadcast on BBC One later in November.
Listeners are encouraged to get behind McGuinness with their own wheel-based fundraising challenges, and will be asked ‘how will you roll’? Anyone can choose to take part by cycling, scootering, go-karting, roller skating or blading, uni cycling or - if you’re Jeremy Vine - jumping on your Penny Farthing! Challenge yourself to help make life lighter for children and sign up at bbc.co.uk/Pudsey.
McGuinness’s Ultra Endurance Cycle Challenge is the latest in a series of 24-hour challenges for BBC Children in Need.
Vernon Kay raised over £6 million last year with his Ultra ULTRA Marathon, which followed on from Radio 2’s previous 24 Hour challenges for BBC Children In Need: The Great Scott TreadMills Challenge in 2022 when he walked, jogged and ran for 24 hours on a treadmill raising over £1.3 million; Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Kitchen Disco Danceathon in 2021 which also raised over £1.3 million; Joe Wicks’ 24 Hour PE Challenge in 2020 which raised over £2.5 million in 2020; and Rylan undertook his 24 hour Great Ka-RY-oke Challenge in 2019 which helped Radio 2 raise over £2 million for the charity.
This year’s Radio 2 Gala performance in aid of BBC Children In Need is Disney’s The Lion King. It takes place at 2.30pm on Sunday, November 10, at London’s Lyceum Theatre. Radio 2 presenter, Scott Mills, will host the performance.
The multi-award winning musical, which celebrates its 25th anniversary in the West End this year, features beloved musical numbers such as the Academy Award-winning Can You Feel The Love Tonight and stunning artistry from its design team, who created 232 puppets and over 350 costumes especially for the show. It tells the iconic story of Simba’s epic adventures, as he struggles with the responsibilities of adulthood and becoming king. For further information and to book tickets, visit bbc.co.uk/radio2events.
As well as putting on this Gala performance in support of BBC Children in Need, The Walt Disney Company is making a £50,000 donation to the charity.
BBC Children in Need believes that every child should have the chance to thrive and be the best they can be. For this to happen, we want every child to have someone they can turn to for help or support to overcome challenges they face. We make sure there’s someone able to give food, clothes and beds to a child living without; someone qualified to talk a child who is anxious, isolated or grieving; someone trained to mentor teenagers in communities facing inequality, violence or lack of opportunity; someone to be there for children living with serious illness, disability or carrying a load that’s just too heavy to manage alone.
BBC Children in Need supports children in the communities where you live. We fund amazing people in family centres, community spaces, youth clubs and refuges; homeless shelters, hospices and helplines. In England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
