Paddy McGuinness was left fuming as he revealed he’d been snubbed by BBC Radio 2 listeners, who had sent in messages of support for Sara Cox’s Great Northern Marathon Challenge
Paddy McGuinness branded one issue a “disgrace” after revealing live on air that he’d been overlooked whilst standing in for Vernon Kay’s morning programme on BBC Radio 2, as the regular host attended his wife Tess Daly’s MBE ceremony. During a recent broadcast (November 12), the Phoenix Nights comedian shared messages of encouragement from listeners, who’d contacted the show to send their best wishes to fellow radio presenter Sara Cox.
Sara is currently tackling the 135-mile Great Northern Marathon Challenge, a journey across four counties over five days that is due to conclude today (Friday, November 14) in Pudsey, Leeds, to raise money for Children in Need.
However, Paddy, who conquered his own Children in Need challenge last year, was left distinctly unimpressed that most messages submitted by listeners had been directed to Vernon, despite his absence from the studio that day.
Paddy shared a supportive message from a listener called Janette, who, after greeting the Take Me Out presenter with a “morning, Paddy”, disclosed she’d contributed £20 to back Sara’s challenge.
He commented: “Oh, thank you so much for that, Janette, and also, Janette, thanks for acknowledging me cos I’ve been getting messages for Vernon all morning. It’s a disgrace, this.”
Before her epic journey, Sara, who presents Radio 2’s Teatime Show throughout the week, shared the guidance that she’d been given by Paddy and Vernon, who also previously tackled a Children in Need challenge in 2023.
Speaking to the MEN, she said: “Vernon, whenever I see him, just goes, ‘Go on and run up a hill!’. And I’m like, ‘Okay, Vernon, thanks, but I’m just about to go on air.’
“But that’s part of the training as well, it’s just going looking like a mad woman in my local park and just legging it up a hill and then back down again, just confusing all three dogs off the lead like, ‘What the hell’s she doing?’
“So Vernon, that is true, you do need to do some hill work, so I have been doing that anyway. And. Paddy’s been really good with the other side of it, just saying to block out all the noise, you know.”
Meanwhile, Paddy will front Children in Need this evening alongside Mel Giedroyc, Rochelle Humes, Lenny Rush, Big Zuu and Vernon.
He spoke to the BBC about how the occasion unites everyone with “one common goal”.
He said: “Being a dad makes me very aware of how precious children are. Childhood should be a time of innocence and fun. If there’s any way I can help to give them that, then I will.”
Paddy, who generated a staggering £10.5million for the charity last year through his endeavours, explained that the shared objective is “making a child’s life better”.
