Plus, there will be a Radio 2 Gala Performance of The Lion King – all in support of this year’s BBC Children in Need appeal
“We can only imagine how hard it is going to be for Paddy to cycle from Wales into England then onto Scotland over five days, so I’d like to thank him for agreeing to take on this mammoth challenge. I know the amazing Radio 2 listeners will do all they can to support him along the way!”
Date Published: September 24, 2024 — Paddy McGuinness, who presents on Radio 2 each Sunday morning (11am-1pm), will take on the ultimate endurance ride of his life by cycling through three nations, starting in Wales, travelling through England and finishing in Scotland.
As announced on Vernon Kay’s Radio 2 show this morning, Paddy will start his Ultra Endurance Cycle Challenge during the Breakfast Show on Monday 11 November and will pedal almost 300 miles, starting in Wrexham. The route will take him through eight counties – Flintshire, Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire – including a stop at Preston, where Radio 2 in the Park took place in Moor Park earlier this month – onto Westmorland, Cumberland, Dumfriesshire and Lanarkshire, and he is aiming to finish at on Friday 15th November morning in Glasgow. But Paddy won’t be taking on this challenge on just any bicycle… he will attempt to complete the route on an iconic, BBC Children in Need customised and modified, Raleigh Chopper bike.
He’ll be passing through and stopping off at villages and towns along the way to meet as many Radio 2 listeners as possible as they cheer him on and help him to raise much needed funds that will help make life lighter for children across the UK. The need has never been greater as right now BBC Children in Need is only able to help one in eight of the organisations who ask for money.
Paddy says: “I’ll be cycling from Wrexham to Glasgow. That’s 300 miles, eight counties and three nations. ‘No likey, no bikey’ just isn’t an option! 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 peddling to raise as much money as possible for the charity. After seeing Vernon’s incredible efforts last year… no pressure then!”
Vernon Kay, who raised over £6 million last year for BBC Children in Need with his Ultra ULTRA Marathon, says: “I know exactly what Paddy will be going through so I and the rest of our Radio 2 buddies will be supporting him every pedal of the way, especially up all those hills – ouch!”
Simon Antrobus, BBC Children in Need Chief Executive says: “Paddy is taking on an extraordinary challenge which will help benefit the lives of children and young people across the country who are facing significant challenges. Right now, the need is greater than ever, but with the support of the public we can continue to lighten the load for hundreds of thousands of children across the UK when they need it most. We’re encouraging Radio 2 listeners across the country to support Paddy by taking on their own fundraising challenge too – whether that’s by roller skating or cycling – I look forward to seeing everyone’s efforts! A huge thank you to Paddy for taking on this challenge, everyone here at BBC Children in Need wishes him the best of luck!”
Helen Thomas, Head of Radio 2, says: “As with Vernon’s Ultra ULTRA Marathon last year, this is one man attempting to do an extraordinary challenge, not least as he’ll be on a bike which is designed for style not endurance cycling! We can only imagine how hard it is going to be for Paddy to cycle from Wales into England then onto Scotland over five days, so I’d like to thank him for agreeing to take on this mammoth challenge. I know the amazing Radio 2 listeners will do all they can to support him along the way!”
Paddy’s Ultra Endurance Cycle 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.
A BBC TV crew will be following Paddy every pedal of the way for a behind-the-scenes documentary about his challenge featuring exclusive footage to be broadcast on BBC One later in November. A BBC Studios Entertainment production.
Listeners are encouraged to get behind Paddy 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
Paddy’s Ultra Endurance Cycle follows in the footsteps of Vernon Kay’s Ultra ULTRA Marathon last year which raised over £6 million, 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 £2m for the charity.
Radio 2 Gala performance of The Lion King
Pudsey Bear stood on the set of the stage production of The Lion King. Three actors in costumes pose for the camera beside Pudsey.
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 10 November 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.
BBC Radio 2 is the UK’s most listened to radio station, with a weekly audience of 13.3 million (RAJAR Q2, 2024) and The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show the most listened to Breakfast show in the UK with 6.4 million listeners (RAJAR Q2, 2024). Vernon Kay (Monday-Friday, 9.30am-12pm) hosts the biggest radio show in the UK. The network’s presenters include Michael Ball, Zoe Ball, Rob Beckett, Tony Blackburn, OJ Borg, Revd. Kate Bottley, Rylan, Fearne Cotton, Sara Cox, Jamie Cullum, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Gary Davies, Paul Gambaccini, Mark Goodier, Angela Griffin, Bob Harris, Vernon Kay, Cerys Matthews, Paddy McGuinness, Scott Mills, Jason Mohammad, Trevor Nelson, Dermot O’Leary, Elaine Paige, Mark Radcliffe, Romesh Ranganathan, DJ Spoony, Liza Tarbuck, Jeremy Vine, Michelle Visage, Johnnie Walker, Jo Whiley, Phil Williams and Owain Wyn Evans.
At the 2024 Audio and Radio Industry Awards, also known as the ARIAs, Scott Mills won Gold for the Best Music Entertainment Show, 21st Century Folk won Gold for the Best Music Special, Windrush 75, presented by Trevor Nelson, won Gold for Best Coverage of an Event, and The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show won Bronze for the Best Music Breakfast Show. Plus, Cerys Matthews won the Best Blues Broadcaster Award for the third time at the annual UK Blues Awards so she has now been elected into the UK Blues Hall Of Fame.
Source
BBC Radio 2
