Dan Walker supports Helen Skelton's decision to cut back work to spend time with kids
Walker said the Countryfile presenter is devoted to her three children.
Dan Walker has offered his support to Helen Skelton over her decision to quit her BBC Radio 5 job to spend more time with her children.
The 40-year-old star of Strictly Come Dancing and Countryfile has just announced she is stepping down from her Sunday morning radio show after a year because she wants to be at home with Ernie, eight, Louis, five, and 16-month-old daughter Elsie.
Walker told Matt Albright on the Jeremy Vine Show: "I hope she's not getting any flak for it because she is just great, she is lovely to spend time with, lovely to work with."
Read more: Helen Skelton says Strictly saw her through some 'dark days'
He said: "She is an incredibly dedicated mum to her three children and she would say if she were here this morning – she's not, she is with her kids this morning – she would say that parents are making compromises all the time.
"Two [of her children] play football on a Sunday morning and she's made the decision that practically, she would much rather watch them play football and encourage them to do that than be on the radio at that time.
"Anyone who ever spends any time with Helen, or watches her on her programmes, all she does is speak about her kids."
The Channel 5 news presenter and former BBC Breakfast star has just teamed up with former Blue Peter presenter Skelton on new Channel 5 show Dan & Helen's Pennine Adventure and have spent much of June and July together hiking around the northern uplands.
Skelton joined Radio 5 in August 2022, taking over the Sunday morning slot from Laura Whitmore.
She was runner-up on the last series of Strictly Come Dancing, and was a guest host on Morning Live in July.
The TV presenter announced in April 2022 that she had split from her husband English rugby league player Richie Myler just four months after the birth of their fourth child.
In April this year he announced he had welcomed a baby girl with his new partner.
Skelton wrote on her Instagram stories at the time: "Very sad to say that Richie and I are no longer a couple. He has left the family home. We will be doing our best to co-parent our small children."
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The TV presenter and Myler became engaged in March 2012 and married in December 2013.
Watch: Who is Helen Skelton?