Former BBC Breakfast weather presenter Owain Wyn Evans has announced he will take on a new charity challenge this November for BBC Children in Need, cycling nearly 400 miles through all four UK nations. The distance marks the greatest ever covered in a Radio 2 fundraising challenge.
A new experience for the Radio 2 presenter
Speaking on BBC Breakfast to Charlie Stayt and Sarah Campbell, Owain admitted the challenge takes him far out of his comfort zone. "I'm not a cyclist, I'm not an athlete, I'm not athletic, so this is a new experience for me," he said.
Owain explained that while he knew the challenge involved cycling, he had no idea of the distance he would cover, sharing that it is the longest distance travelled over a week. He added: "For somebody who's not used to cycling, and like I said to Sara (Cox) earlier, the boy who was always the last one to be picked on the sports team or the one who was not in those circles, I suppose, it's going to make it extra difficult for me, for sure."
Training and support
Owain described training as what he has found "really difficult" for someone who does not have good balance. Although he shared that things are being put into place to ensure he is supported during the challenge, he noted it is "not familiar territory".
He continued: "We've got a matter of weeks before I start this challenge, so it's going to be a lot of hard work over the next couple of weeks for sure, but we're doing it for the most amazing cause, and that's what it's all about."
Charlie offered some advice, telling Owain to invest in padded shorts, to which the radio star replied that they are already in use.
Following in Sara Cox's footsteps
Owain previously raised more than £3.8 million for Children in Need in 2021 when he took part in the Drumathon challenge, drumming for 24 hours. Showing a compilation of clips from that event, Sarah commented that he was "back at it again", as Owain told her and Charlie he was "emotional" watching it back, calling it an "incredible challenge".
Speaking about Sara Cox's challenge last year, which raised £11.7 million, Sarah joked there was "no pressure" on Owain to follow in her footsteps. When asked how he is feeling, Owain replied: "To be receiving the baton of the little Pudsey rucksack that we've got off her (Sara) this morning was just a really special moment. Of course, there's pressure, but that's what it's all about."
He added: "It's about taking someone out of their comfort zone, someone who is really not athletic, who finds this all new, and doing it with the help of this lovely yellow bear that we all adore."
BBC Breakfast is available to watch weekdays on BBC One from 6am.
