Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly send Sara Cox a good luck message from the I’m A Celeb jungle as she raises a staggering £2.6million for Radio 2’s Children In Need Challenge

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Ant and Dec, the hosts of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, wished Sara Cox well from the Australian jungle on Thursday.

The hosts of the popular ITV show, which returns this Sunday, shared their support for someone running the Great Northern Marathon for BBC Children In Need, saying they’ve heard she’s been doing incredibly well and wished her good luck.

Ant and Dec, speaking from Australia, sent a message to Coxy praising the fantastic work they’ve been hearing about.

Ant, 49, added his support, saying, ‘We’ve been hearing great things about the work you’re doing! Keep it up, and all the best to you and yours.’

Ending the clip with positive words of encouragement, Dec added: ‘Loads of love. Keep it up!’ 

On the fourth day of her challenge, Sara received a lovely surprise on BBC Radio 2’s Breakfast Show when her sister, Dot, and other family members called in.

Sara was really happy and surprised! She admitted she’d been worried when she saw someone running towards her, thinking about security. The timing of whatever happened was perfect, giving her a much-needed lift just when she was starting to feel pain and exhaustion. She was very grateful for the boost.

Dame Judi Dench sent a message of support to Sara, wishing her well on her amazing Children in Need challenge as she travels through the beautiful Yorkshire countryside.

Sending you lots of love from my home county, and I hope everyone in Yorkshire treats you well. You’re doing great, and I wish you the best of luck!

Football icon Alan Shearer also offered his encouragement to Sara, sending a message wishing her the best of luck with the Great Northern Marathon Challenge.

Wow, 135 miles in five days – that’s incredible! I really wish I could be there to cheer you on, but I’m a bit slow getting around these days! Best of luck with everything!

Vernon Kay, 51, shared some wonderful news with Sara, 50, on live radio: she’d raised an amazing £2,680,747 for BBC Children In Need, and people quickly sent messages of support.

He told listeners: ‘Listening to Sara struggle, I must admit I started to get those old flashbacks. 

He added that overcoming discomfort is actually a reason why people contribute to Children in Need.

She’s facing a tough situation, and everyone’s secretly relieved it’s not them. But she’s strong and resilient – she’ll handle it, she’s a true Northerner!

Earlier that day, Scott Mills, age 51, shared on BBC Radio 2’s Breakfast Show that the fundraising total had surpassed £2 million.

An elated Sara Cox said: ‘That is the best news, you absolute legends! Over £2 million! 

This will make a huge difference, and we’re so thankful for every donation! Everyone involved has worked incredibly hard and generously given their own money – we truly appreciate every penny and the impact it will have.

Sara finished her toughest day yet and was welcomed by an incredible crowd of around 2,000 people in Richmond on Wednesday evening. They cheered her on as she finished, despite visibly struggling.

During her journey, Sara received a lovely surprise when her friend Gethin Jones showed up, and a group of 40 tractors honored her with a special salute.

Today is Sara’s biggest challenge so far: a twelve-hour walk from Richmond to Ripley.

On Thursday morning, Sara began her journey from Richmond, accompanied by the town’s Mayor, Carl, and a musician named Steven who plays the horn.

Jude, a 20-year-old from the BBC’s The One Show’s Challenge Squad, also showed her support by running with the marathoner on day four of her Great Northern Marathon Challenge.

Jude, who works with the charity Shine, was born with spina bifida, which makes it difficult for him to move around.

Jude’s parents were once told he might not be able to walk, but he’s overcome that prognosis through numerous surgeries and incredible effort. He’s now fully engaged in sports and enjoys being active.

Sara started the challenging 135-mile Great Northern Marathon Challenge on Monday morning from Kielder Forest.

The five-day challenge, the longest ever for BBC Children in Need on Radio 2, began with the celebrity surrounded by both local residents and a group of unusual fans.

As the race began, a local bagpiper cheered on the athlete. Later, after arriving in Northumberland, she was surprised to be greeted by alpacas.

Before the challenge began, Sara shared that she was feeling good and surprisingly relaxed. She admitted to being quite nervous leading up to the event, but now that it was finally time to start, she felt positive and ready to go.

It’s not ideal weather right now. It’s been raining heavily, though it’s stopped briefly, and my feet are already wet.

After training for months, Sara set off with a lightweight Pudsey Bear backpack that weighed just 270 grams.

The goal is to bring Pudsey Bear, the famous mascot for BBC Children in Need, to Pudsey in Leeds by Friday. This journey represents bringing the charity’s message from across the UK to its central base.

Sara’s Great Northern Marathon Challenge involved walking 135 miles across four counties – Northumberland, Durham, North Yorkshire, and West Yorkshire. It’s also Radio 2’s longest-ever challenge, lasting longer than any previous event.

She’ll be completing the entire mission on foot, either walking or jogging, and won’t be using any vehicles like bikes or cars.

A BBC film crew will document Sara’s entire experience, giving viewers an exclusive look behind the scenes.

Join Sara Cox on BBC One November 19th at 8pm for ‘Every Step of the Way for Children in Need’.

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2025-11-13 18:54