Paddy McGuinness to stop off in Strathaven tonight ahead of final stretch of Children in Need cycle challenge

Paddy McGuinness has arrived in Scotland and the terrain is getting much tougher
-Credit: (Image: BBC)


Paddy McGuinness will be spending the night in Strathaven for some much-needed rest tonight after what will be his toughest day yet in his Ultra Endurance Cycle Challenge for Children in Need.

Strathaven locals are being encouraged to line the streets to give the Radio 2 and Top Gear presenter a much-needed boost after today's gruelling 64-mile cycle across 12 hours from Ecclefechan to the South Lanarkshire market town.

Paddy is pedalling 300 miles over five days on a customised Raleigh Chopper from Wrexham to Glasgow for the BBC charity and has so far raised a whopping £3,348,481.

His route today began at the primary school in Ecclefechan, through Dumfriesshire and into Lanarkshire. After peddling through tricky rural terrain, Paddy reaches a long, bruising and seemingly never-ending stretch of road alongside the River Annan.

He will then scale 1,040 feet to Beattock, passing through Crawford and Lesmahagow, finally arriving in Strathaven where he will be allowed a few hours rest, before yet another early start on the final stretch to Glasgow.

He hopes to cross the finish line in Glasgow on Friday, riding the adapted children’s bike which has only three gears -Credit:Dumfries and Galloway standard
He hopes to cross the finish line in Glasgow on Friday, riding the adapted children’s bike which has only three gears -Credit:Dumfries and Galloway standard

Look out for the TV personality as he heads past the Kingsgate Retail Park in East Kilbride at around 8.20am, passing through Burnside and Rutherglen at around 9am.

Speaking to Zoe Ball on the BBC 2 Breakfast Show a delighted and shocked Paddy said: We’re just starting the day off and we’re over £3 million... Wow, I keep saying this because it’s the strangest thing, I’m absolutely in bits physically and emotionally but I will miss this, I will miss this positivity, this feeling of love that everyone’s getting behind Children in Need. Oh I love it, I love it so much.

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BBC Children in Need
Paddy McGuinness for BBC Children In Need

"Do you know, we’ve got all day to go, the people in Scotland are amazing already, the people all across the rest of the country are still donating and I want who’s anyone in Scotland, tomorrow, and we are going to get to Glasgow, by hook or by crook, I’ll drag the bike and walk if I have to.

"I want as many in Glasgow because together people, all involved in this, you will leave a better person, you’ll feel that love. Come along tomorrow in Glasgow and let’s go out in style!"

You can watch Children in Need live on BBC One and iPlayer at 7pm on Friday, November 15.

Paddy McGuinness does Radio 2’s Ultra Endurance Cycle Challenge for BBC Children in Need – donate at www.bbc.co.uk/paddy

Track Paddy via bbcchildreninneed.co.uk/shows/paddytracker/ or via bbc.co.uk/live/

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