Paddy McGuinness cheered in Chester during 300-mile BBC Children In Need bike trek

TV presenter Paddy McGuinness cycled through Chester today as his epic 300-mile BBC Children In Need bike trek got underway. The 51-year-old comedian set off from Wrexham this morning with the aim of reaching the finishing line in Glasgow on Friday (November 15).

McGuinness, who hosts a Sunday morning show on BBC Radio 2, is undertaking the challenge on his dream childhood bike, the Raleigh Chopper. He is travelling through Flintshire, Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire, Westmorland, Cumberland, Dumfriesshire and Lanarkshire.

He's already passed through Chester and was cheered by Queen's Lower School pupils as he cycled along Liverpool Road. Prior to the challenge starting, the former host of Top Gear and Take Me Out revealed he was pushed to his “absolute limits” by Sir Chris Hoy.

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He told the PA news agency: “Chris Hoy has been absolutely, as you can imagine with some like him, outstanding, first class, brilliant with his advice. I really feel as though everyone’s got behind me on this, and just wants me to do it, so they’re giving me as much help as possible. But it’s been an eye-opener certainly.”

He added: "When I go on a bike ride with Chris, I really know about it, because he pushes me to my absolute limits.” McGuinness said his motivation for his charity cycle is fuelled by the people he has met who benefit from the money raised by BBC Children In Need.

“I’ve been to a place called the Seashell Trust, which is a project up near me which Children In Need fund, and I’ve met a young lady called Grace who’s come through her cancer battle,” he said. “She’s on the other side of that, and she’s taking on her own challenge as well.

“And when you meet these people… that’s what spurs you on, and when you see the work that’s being done in and around it, and again, when you’re out and about, just people stopping me. I did a gig last night – I’m just on tour at the minute – I came off, I finished the show in Milton Keynes, and when people are applauding at the end and they’re standing up, a fella just ran to the front and handed me a wad of cash, and he gave me £880.

“Literally, I’m still on stage, getting applause and stuff, and he was shouting: ‘Children In Need, it’s for Children In Need’. And I was like, ‘That’s so amazing’, you know? So things like that happening is what spur you on.” BBC Children In Need will air at 7pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on November 15.

A behind-the-scenes documentary showcasing McGuinness’s journey called Paddy: The Ride of My Life will air on November 19 from 8-9pm on BBC One.

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