BBC Morning Live hosts Gethin Jones and Helen Skelton completed their 24-hour skating challenge as they raised a huge sum for Comic Relief
An emotional Gethin Jones struggled to hold back the tears on BBC’s Morning Live as he praised his co-star Helen Skelton after their grueling 24-hour skating challenge for Comic Relief.
Facing the aftermath of their incredible feat, Gethin still clad in his skating gear admitted as he sat beside Helen that he was “really relieved” when it all came to an end.
The moment of victory came shortly after Gethin took a tumble before finishing. He said: “I was really relieved at the end because within an hour and 20 to go when I had that fall it was so weird I just went and got a drink and lost my concentration basically and it really hurt and I’ve had a bulging disc problem for a while and anyone who’s had that will know you can’t actually move.”
Choking up, he recounted: “And actually three hours in I felt it go and I was so worried that I might have to stop at that point. I just didn’t want to fail and I wanted to do it together and then it became really hard, it was really painful – sorry it’s a bit emotional but I did this two years ago and I’ve seen where the money goes, the lives it changes.”
An emotional Gethin Jones on BBC Morning Live(Image: BBC)
Gethin couldn’t help but sing Helen’s praises, turning to her fondly with gratitude he said: “You were amazing, you were incredible. She was just getting me through.”
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With a supportive gesture, Helen comforted him, saying: “It’s a team, it’s a big team,” reports Wales Online.
Helen shared her disbelief at how she and Gethin could endure the strenuous roller-skating marathon, remarking: “I said to him (Gethin) at one point, ‘how are we still here we’ve got eight hours left to go?'”
Reflecting on the challenges of maintaining balance throughout the event, especially with guest appearances from celebs like Dr Ranj and Kimberley, who took a fall. The Girls Aloud star told Gethin and Helen: “I tried so hard to stay up but, like you say, if you lose a bit of concentration or get excited you’re gone.”
Helen further commented on the odd experience by saying: “We were going around in a circle for 24 hours in a windowless room, we were quite delirious at times and people would pop up. Ranj appeared twice and I was ‘I’m sure I’ve seen you’. It was quite confusing at times but you were just grateful for people giving up their time.”
Gethin Jones and Helen Skelton after their 24-hour skating challenge(Image: BBC)
Having skated continuously for 24 hours, Gethin humorously noted a quirky after-effect: he found himself skewing to the left as he walked post-marathon.
As the interview drew to a close, the pair were told the total they had raised at that point was more than £700k prompting Gethin to express his heartfelt thanks saying: “Morning Live viewers, you’re amazing, you always give so much.”
BBC Breakfast had showcased Gethin’s live fall earlier in the day when they did a live check-in at the rink, where an overwhelmed Gethin managed to say: “I actually don’t know where to start” before encouraging Helen with “Go on Hel, you go.”
Helen stepped in to explain to viewers: “We’re so tired. He’s literally just stacked it into the side but he didn’t want to miss out on speaking to you guys and the rules are we have to keep skating the whole time. It has been more of a challenge than what we were expecting.”
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BBC Breakfast’s Nina Warhurst then noted: “Gethin, I’ve never seen you like this.”
