Cynthia Erivo and Daddy Pig were among the famous faces who completed the London Marathon on Sunday, with warm temperatures greeting thousands of runners on the Mall. The Wicked actor achieved a new personal best of approximately three hours and 21 minutes, improving on her 2022 time of three hours and 35 minutes.
After finishing, Erivo was helped to a seat and told reporters: “There was a little rough moment where I thought it was never going to make it, but then I found a little bit of strength. I’m here, and I feel really proud.” Despite a 5am start, she was scheduled to perform all 23 roles in Dracula at the Noel Coward Theatre on Monday evening, quipping: “It’s at 7.30pm, so I should be fine. I may be a little slower than usual.”
The Peppa Pig theme tune heralded the arrival of Daddy Pig, who ran alongside “The Body Coach” Joe Wicks in five hours and 51 minutes, supporting the National Deaf Children’s Society. Wicks praised the character’s dedication, noting the crowd’s reaction: “99 per cent of it was ‘Daddy Pig, give us a wave!’, kids smiling, kids getting excited.” He dismissed speculation about Daddy Pig’s identity, insisting: “Daddy Pig is a pig and that is it. There’s no human being involved.”
Former England cricket captain Sir Alastair Cook described the finish line as his favourite part, adding: “Just seeing the number of people that come out.” He found a moment of joy at the 20-mile mark when he saw his son Jack and family. Comparing the marathon to cricket, he said: “Cricket’s easy. When you’ve finished, when you’re not very good, you cash out and sit down. There’s no hiding place here.”
Other notable finishers included Team GB cyclist Laura Kenny, McFly’s Harry Judd, actor James Norton, and F1 driver Sebastian Vettel.
