Today, Radio 2 presenter Paddy McGuinness set off early – at 6.45am - from Ecclefechan on Day 4 of Radio 2’s Ultra Endurance Cycle Challenge for BBC Children in Need. He’s attempting to cycle almost 300 miles from Wrexham AFC to Glasgow on a Raleigh Chopper, and people have been lining the streets along the way and it’s really spurring him on! You can follow him en route via the Tracker (link below).
Today was his toughest day yet as he had to cycle 64 miles across 12 hours to Strathaven! His route today began at the primary school in Ecclefechan, through Dumfriesshire and into Lanarkshire. After peddling through tricky rural terrain, Paddy faced a long, bruising and seemingly never-ending stretch of road alongside the River Annan. He then scaled 1,040 feet to Beattock, passing through Crawford and Lesmahagow, finally arriving in Strathaven... where he now has a few hours rest, before yet another early start on the final day.
Highlights today include.... Zoe Ball on the Radio 2 Breakfast Show playing him a special message from Peter Kay –
Paddy also broke down when he was given some cards and drawings from his children (around 11.40am); at 3pm, Olympic cyclist Sir Chris Hoy surprised him and joined him on the road, and whilst they were riding together Black Lace joined them after Paddy had completed over 250 miles and they all danced to the song – the station has been played Agadoo every time Paddy clocks up another 50 miles; singer-songwriter Calum Scott joined Scott Mills in the studio to wish Paddy luck and Shaun Keaveny joined Scott to read Paddy a special poem he's written; then Sir Tom Hunter pledged to match donations up to £3 million, increasing from his pledge to match fund up to £2 million yesterday! And later in the day, Sara Cox got Joe Wicks (who did Radio 2’s 24 hour Children in Need challenge during lockdown) on the line to chat to him.
On his arrival at Strathaven at 7.50pm Paddy spoke to Jo Whiley.
Paddy said: “Coming up into Strathaven the hills, oh they were brutal, but you know as I were getting closer and people were coming out, they were at the side of the road, they were cheering and you start seeing the lights and you go ‘here we go everybody’, oh honestly, as I came into town I can’t get over the amount of people who are here tonight. It’s magic, absolutely magic!”
He said that earlier today: “The most surreal moment of my life was going into a service station just off the motorway and watching a Knight of the Realm Sir Chris Hoy do Agadoo with Black Lace live. I was like, ‘this does not happen normally!’ It was brilliant honestly.”
Jo told him that the total donated so far is £5,869,541
Paddy said: “I cannot believe that. And we’ve still got all tomorrow to go. Oh my days, it still keeps going. I am exhausted. At the hotel there will be bath full of ice and I will be a very happy chap when I’m in it, honestly, I’ll be absolutely over the moon, it’s beautiful here... everyone’s living the dream here.”
You can donate Paddy McGuinness 300 mile Ultra Endurance Cycle Challenge for BBC Children in Need at www.bbc.co.uk/paddy -
You can watch the TV documentary of Paddy’s whole challenge, Paddy: The Ride Of My Life, on Tuesday 19th November at 8pm on BBC ONE and hear Paddy read the CBeebies Bedtime Story at 6.50pm on Friday 15 November on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer.
Paddy will set out on the final leg of 300mile challenge on his now iconic Yellow Raleigh Chopper on Friday morning as he heads into Glasgow to be greeted by his Radio two colleagues and crowds as part of the Children In Need Day events taking place across the UK.
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