Stand-in presenter Paddy McGuinness expressed his mock outrage live on air after discovering that BBC Radio 2 listeners had largely snubbed him in favour of the show's regular host, Vernon Kay.
Airing the Grievance
The incident occurred during Paddy's broadcast on Wednesday, November 12, while he was covering Vernon Kay's morning slot. Vernon was absent to attend his wife Tess Daly's MBE ceremony. While reading out listener messages, Paddy noticed a trend that left him distinctly unimpressed.
He shared a message from a listener named Janette, who began with a 'morning, Paddy' before revealing she had contributed £20 to support fellow presenter Sara Cox's charity challenge. Seizing the moment, Paddy responded, "Oh, thank you so much for that, Janette, and also, Janette, thanks for acknowledging me cos I've been getting messages for Vernon all morning. It's a disgrace, this."
The Focus of Listener Support
The bulk of the listener goodwill was directed towards Sara Cox, who was in the midst of her Great Northern Marathon Challenge. The formidable endeavour involved a 135-mile journey across four counties over five days to raise money for Children in Need. The challenge was scheduled to conclude on Friday, November 14, in Pudsey, Leeds.
Before her epic trek, Sara had received training advice from both Vernon and Paddy, who each completed their own Children in Need challenges in 2023. She told the MEN that Vernon's constant advice was to "run up a hill," while Paddy offered crucial mental support, advising her to "block out all the noise."
United for a Common Goal
Despite the on-air jest, Paddy's commitment to Children in Need remains steadfast. He was set to front the main Children in Need broadcast on the evening of Friday, November 14, on BBC One from 7pm to 10pm, alongside co-hosts including Mel Giedroyc and Vernon Kay himself.
Reflecting on the importance of the charity, Paddy told the BBC, "Being a dad makes me very aware of how precious children are. Childhood should be a time of innocence and fun. If there's any way I can help to give them that, then I will." He emphasised that the shared objective is "making a child's life better," a mission he championed powerfully last year by helping to generate a staggering £10.5 million for the charity.
