BBC Morning Live star reveals hospital dash after broken arm and concussion
Gethin Jones is slipping on his roller skates for Red Nose Day as he takes on a gruelling challenge with his Morning Live co-star Helen Skelton. But skating isn't his strong suit.
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Gethin Jones is slipping on his roller skates for Red Nose Day as he takes on a gruelling challenge with his Morning Live co-star Helen Skelton. But skating isn't his strong suit.Gethin Jones was left badly injured after trying to ice skate- but he's ready for his Wheely Big Challenge with Helen Skelton for Comic ReliefGethin Jones is gearing up for his Wheely Big Challenge with Helen Skelton - but he was once left badly hurt while ice skating.
The Morning Live presenter, 47, is preparing to strap on skates for a 24-hour roller-skating challenge in aid of Comic Relief on Thursday, March 20. But skating isn’t Gethin Jones’ strong suit - in fact, it’s his worst nightmare.
Gethin Jones even faced embarrassment just weeks ago, while visiting a roller skating disco in Manchester. “I went to Archie’s Atomic during half-term,” he says, “I wasn’t even allowed on the rink, I had to go around the side with full pads and a helmet. I’ve never felt like such a loser.”
It’s not his first endurance test for charity. In 2023, he danced for 24 hours straight in support of the same cause. “That was one of the best experiences of my life,” he says. So when Comic Relief called again, he was ready to step up - until he heard the full story.
“Skating petrifies me,” he says, “I can’t do this. I have no idea what I’m doing, I’ve never done it before.” His track record doesn’t inspire confidence. “I’ve been ice skating,” he says, “I got a concussion and broke my arm - twice.”
Gethin won’t be suffering alone. His Morning Live co-star Helen Skelton will be right beside him as they’ll roll out on the morning of Thursday, 20th March and continue throughout the day and night. Helen and Gethin will end their challenge during Friday’s Morning Live on Red Nose Day, March 21st.
Gethin Jones and Helen Skelton are taking on an ambitious challenge for Comic Relief (Image:
Andrew Whitton/Comic Relief) On Thursday, March 20, the pair will skate for 24 hours straight - though it's not Gethin's strong suit (Image:
Andrew Whitton/Comic Relief)Gethin is grateful to have Helen by his side. “What’s different this time is that we have each other,” he says, “We’re best friends. We’re very honest with one another.”
Determined to get a grip before the challenge, Gethin has turned to YouTube. “I watch YouTube videos to figure out what I’m doing,” he says, “We all learn through the Internet.”
Still, videos can only take Gethin so far. He and Helen have been training with Jamie Capewell, a veteran of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s skating stage show Starlight Express.
But they’ve had some frustrating moments. Gethin once struggled to turn on his skates. “Jamie was giving me instructions, I couldn’t get it right,” he says.
Two hours later he slipped off his skates, discovering one of his wheels was stuck. “I was fuming,” he says. “I said: ‘This is already hard enough, now my wheels don’t work.’” Despite the setbacks, progress is being made. “I had a breakthrough after buying new boots,” he says. “I did a turn without falling.”
The Morning Live stars are great friends but Gethin hopes they'll be able to support one another during the gruelling challenge (Image:
Jordan Mansfield/Comic Relief)But with only days to go, the pressure is mounting. “I’ve got to get as much done as possible beforehand,” Gethin says. “Learning new techniques is fun, but it’s also brutal.” Staying awake for a full 24 hours is another dreaded challenge. “When I was dancing at 3 am, I thought, ‘This is hard. You’ve got hours to go.’”
The early morning could even test the strongest of friendships. “I’m interested to see how we cope and how we help each other,” Gethin says, “We’ll need to. Seeing people leave and come back refreshed is going to be a test.”
Gethin is still fronting Morning Live every day, despite receiving advice to give up. His doctor put things into perspective. “He prescribed me more golf,” Gethin says, “He says I need to switch off.”
But relaxation isn’t on the cards. “I struggle to find a good balance,” Gethin says. He doesn’t even plan to take things easy after the challenge.
“We finish at 10 and then head back to the studio to give our reactions,” he teases, “It’s only 100 yards away, but we’ll need a taxi. Or we’ll skate there.”
BBC One viewers can catch up with Gethin and Helen’s Wheely Big Challenge during Thursday and Friday’s Morning Live - or watch along on BBC iPlayer and the breakfast show’s website.
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