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Jamie finished day two with a surprise visit from his mum in Kettering yesterday after being on the road for 8 hours and 20 minutes and raising a mega £101,000 by the end of the day
Jamie became tearful on the breakfast show this morning as Greg was joined by Mariella from Comic Relief funded partner, Empire Fighting Chance, who shared her story
Traitors’ stars Leanne and Jake joined Jamie for a stretch of his run in a well needed morale boost
The journey began again in Market Harborough this morning and will see Jamie head 30.5 miles north towards Loughborough
From Monday 17 March to Friday 21 March, Jamie will attempt to run across England, setting off from the home of Radio 1 in London and crossing the finish line in Salford, ahead of Red Nose Day’s night of TV
Money raised could help put food on plates and roofs over heads, keep little ones safe and help support families affected by conflict here in the UK and around the world
Red Nose Day returns on Friday 21st March
For live updates along the route, see here(opens in new window), and to support Jamie, visit: comicrelief.com/ultra
Wednesday 19 March: Radio 1 DJ Jamie Laing kicked off Day 3 of his incredible journey with an emotional start this morning, as he broke down in tears with his co-star Matt Edmondson live on Greg’s breakfast show. Today, Jamie will face his third and longest ultra-marathon, running 30.5 miles from Market Harborough to Loughborough University, pushing his body and mind to new limits.
Day two took a toll on Jamie, both physically and emotionally, as the reality of the challenge began to sink in. While the joy of Matt Edmondson’s scooter being destroyed gave Jamie a much-needed lift, he found himself struggling at times, feeling drained and overwhelmed. Yet, every beep of encouragement from passing drivers or selfie request from fans along the way was enough to bring his bubbly, chatty self back to life.
Jamie’s spirits were further lifted at the finish line when he was surprised by his mum, who cheered him on with open arms. To make the moment even more special, the Mayor of Kettering, Cllr Craig Skinner, presented Jamie with an honorary half-marathon lanyard as a symbolic gift of appreciation for his relentless effort. “It's a small token of our appreciation really, this is something that took place last week - our first half marathon in Kettering. So, we'd like to give it to you as a symbolic gift of your struggle”, said the Mayor.
Empire Fighting Chance, a Comic Relief-funded partner, was also there to show their support. The charity, which helps young people in Bristol who face the impact of inequality, was particularly close to Jamie’s heart after his recent visit to the project. Mariella, an ex-beneficiary and now employee at Empire Fighting Chance, shared her deeply moving story on air this morning. She spoke about how, after a mental health crisis and being hospitalized, she felt lost. But thanks to the support of the charity, her life turned around. “Donating can be pivotal and can change a young person’s life”, Mariella said, leaving Jamie speechless with emotion.
Speaking before he began his first leg this morning, a tearful Jamie said “The people are so amazing. They’re so strong… I’ve ran 100 kilometers now which is a pretty big feat, and I can’t believe the public has donated over £100,000, I feel very blessed and to know where that money’s going makes it all the more amazing. But my body is really tired… I feel completely drained like a sponge that has been completely rinsed. It’s just not what I was expecting. I feel pretty emotional from it all. People are here with signs saying ‘go on Jamie!’ and I’m trying to find the energy I usually bring but I just can’t find that this morning. I’m a little bit broken if I’m honest”.
Jamie got a well-needed boost during the second leg of his run this morning after it was revealed that Radio 1 listeners had upped the donations to £180,000, when he was surprised by this year’s Traitors winners, Leanne Quigley and Jake Brown. The trio ran together from the first pit stop to the second, bringing some much-needed fun and energy to Jamie’s day.
Today’s route will see Jamie run from Market Harborough, through Wigston, Leicester, and completing his day at a very special finish line at Loughborough University – welcomed in by special guests, students and locals to celebrate him being over halfway through the challenge. Radio 1's Ultra Marathon Man with Jamie Laing for Red Nose Day will be broadcast live on Radio 1 and BBC Sounds across the week, with video highlights on Radio 1’s social channels.
The money raised for Radio 1's Ultra Marathon Man with Jamie Laing for Red Nose Day will provide vital funds that could help put food on plates and roofs over heads, keep little ones safe and help support families affected by conflict here in the UK and around the world.
To support Jamie, go to comicrelief.com/ultra
ENDS
ASSETS AVAILABLE
Comic Relief selection of Jamie finishing day two and starting day three available here (opens in new window)
Wider selection of Getty photography available here (opens in new window)
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Emily McCormick
07487582054
e.mccormick@comicrelief.com
Out of hours enquiries: 0207 820 2444
NOTES TO EDITORS
About Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is the UK’s No.1 youth station, targeting 15 to 29 year-olds with a distinctive mix of new music and programmes focusing on issues affecting young people. The station is the soundtrack to young people's lives in the UK and has been for over 50 years.
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 or follow @comicrelief on social media to find out more.
Red Nose Day is an initiative of Comic Relief.
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 or follow @comicrelief on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok for the latest content and news.
Comic Relief is the operating name of Charity Projects, registered charity in England & Wales (326568) and Scotland (SC039730).
