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BBC Morning Live presenters Gethin Jones and Helen Skelton to roller-skate day and night for Comic Relief
Joined by famous faces and Morning Live colleagues to spur them on along the way, this ambitious 24-hour challenge will roll on into Red Nose Day, Friday 21 March
Images available here(opens in new window)
Wednesday 5 February, 10.00am: BBC One’s Morning Live presenters Gethin Jones and Helen Skelton are lacing up their retro roller boots and taking on an epic challenge on wheels to raise money for Red Nose Day. Gethin and Helen’s Wheely Big Challenge, starting on the morning of Thursday 20 March, will see the presenters take on a 24-hour retro and relentless roller-skating endurance test to encourage people to donate to raise vital funds for Comic Relief-funded partners in the UK and around the world.
As Comic Relief celebrates its 40th birthday in 2025, the 80s, 90s and noughties-themed costumes and soundtracks will take the audience on a journey of fun and nostalgia through the decades. Gethin and Helen will roller-skate their way through the day and night, pushing their muscles, stamina and determination to their physical and mental limits, whilst trying to stay awake whilst on skates. Vital funds raised will support Comic Relief-funded partners which help children to be happier, families stronger, women safer, communities prouder and millions of lives fairer.
During the challenge, the duo will be joined by a cast of stars – from past Comic Relief challengers to Morning Live co-presenters to other surprise guests - all helping them to stay on their skates (for 24 straight hours!) as they celebrate fashions, fads and music from the past 40 years.
The challenge will begin during BBC Morning Live on the morning of Thursday 20 March and continue throughout the day and night, finishing during Friday’s Morning Live on Friday 21 March on Red Nose Day.
Since launching in 1985, Comic Relief has raised over £1.6 billion thanks to the huge generosity and kindness of the public and the Charity’s partners. As returning challengers for the Charity, Helen and Geth know the incredible impact of the UK public’s generosity and the lives that have been changed over the years through Comic Relief-funded partners.
Gethin says: “I've never roller-skated before so I’m nervous about my ability to stand up on skates, let alone move around on them. But I’ll give it all I’ve got and do everything I can to train and get ready because I’m determined to raise as much money as possible."
“I love Red Nose Day and Comic Relief and everything which the money raised does for people going through the toughest times of their lives in the UK and around the world. Every day on Morning Live, we talk and hear about how much people are struggling right now. It’s never felt more important to throw everything into trying to help and raise as much as we can for those who need it most. And have some fun along the way too. Well, maybe for the first hour!"
Helen says: “I am really excited to get stuck into our roller-skating challenge. For me, it sums up what Comic Relief is all about; raising money for vital work that helps families and communities all over the UK and the world, whilst hopefully putting a smile on people’s faces.”
Samir Patel, CEO of Comic Relief, said: “Each year, we are completely blown away by the extraordinary lengths to which our celebrity supporters and partners will go to raise money to help others and this year is no exception. We are enormously grateful to Gethin and Helen and the Morning Live team for taking on this incredible 24-hour challenge for Red Nose Day at a time when donations have never felt more needed. We’re all rooting for you Gethin and Helen and we are here for you every roller-skating step of the way!"
Gethin and Helen are taking on this challenge to raise money for Comic Relief, to support incredible projects which help children to be happier, families stronger, women safer, communities prouder, and millions of lives fairer.
Viewers can follow Gethin and Helen’s Wheely Big Challenge across the full 24 hours on BBC iPlayer, encouraging Gethin and Helen to keep roller-skating throughout the night by donating to Comic Relief. Donations will be accepted by text, online and the on-screen QR code.
To keep up with Gethin and Helen as they gear up for the challenge, keep an eye on www.comicrelief.com/skate and stay up to date with all the latest news.
ENDS
For video and stills please see this shared folder: https://dam.gettyimages.com/comic-relief/skate(opens in new window)
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT
0207 820 2500 (Press Office)
media@comicrelief.com(opens in new window)
www.comicrelief.com/media-centre(opens in new window)
Out of hours enquiries: 0207 820 2444
NOTES TO EDITORS
About Morning Live
Morning Live, made by BBC Studios Entertainment Production, is the flagship daytime television programme for BBC One. Running for over four years, it’s a light-hearted mix of health, consumer, topical and lifestyle items, and an audience favourite.
About Comic Relief
Comic Relief is a UK charity that uses the power of entertainment and popular culture to work towards a vision of a just world free from poverty. We raise money to support organisations that are closest to the communities who can make change happen. We support work that will tackle the impact of poverty, injustice, conflict, and climate change in the UK and around the world.
Since launching in 1985, we have raised over £1.6 billion thanks to the huge generosity and kindness of the public and our partners.
For more information on our work, visit www.comicrelief.com(opens in new window) or follow @comicrelief on X(opens in new window) (formerly Twitter), Facebook(opens in new window), Instagram(opens in new window), LinkedIn(opens in new window) and TikTok(opens in new window) for the latest content and news.
Comic Relief is the operating name of Charity Projects, registered charity in England & Wales (326568) and Scotland (SC039730).
About Red Nose Day
Red Nose Day is back on Friday 21 March 2025.
From hip shakers, cake bakers and joke makers to Red Nose wearers, t-shirt buyers and sofa-sitting givers, it’s that time of year to come together to support people in the UK and across the world who are facing the toughest times of their lives.
This Red Nose Day, there’s lots to be excited about as we begin to celebrate Comic Relief hitting the big 4-0 in 2025. With your help over the past 40 years, we’ve raised over £1.6 billion, supported over 100 million people, and had a great time doing it. So, this March, let’s all go big to help put food on plates, roofs over heads, keep little ones safe, and support families affected by conflict. Because when we all do a little something funny for money, giving gets bigger and bigger.
There are lots of ways to take part in Red Nose Day. Visit www.comicrelief.com/rednoseday(opens in new window) or follow @comicrelief on social media to find out more.
Red Nose Day is an initiative of Comic Relief.
About Red Nose Day night of TV - Friday 21 March
Live on BBC One, BBC Two and BBC iPlayer on Friday 21 March, this year’s Red Nose Day night of TV will invite viewers to join the nation for a nostalgia-fuelled evening of live performances, star-studded sketches, hilarious comedy, spectacular fun and so much more. Swapping her mid-mornings for an unmissable evening, Alison Hammond will be donning her Red Nose and hosting for the very first time, alongside AJ Odudu, Alesha Dixon, Davina McCall, Joel Dommett, Rylan, Tom Allen, and Jonathan Ross – who presented the very first Red Nose Day night of TV back in 1988. Broadcast live from Media City UK, Salford, comedy and entertainment’s biggest night of TV, made by BBC Studios Entertainment Productions, will be essential viewing for the whole family.
