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.
But how much has McGuiness raised so far – and how does it compare to his fellow BBC Radio 2 host Vernon Kay?
How much has Paddy McGuinness raised for Children in Need?
So far, McGuinness has 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.
How much did Vernon Kay raise for Children in Need last year?
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.
