BBC Radio 2 presenter Owain Wyn Evans has reached Wales on his 400-mile cycling challenge for Children In Need, describing the hilly stage as the day he has been dreading.
The broadcaster began pedalling from Welshpool on Thursday, 12 November, heading towards the finish line in Cardiff on Friday. Before setting off, he joined Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt on BBC Breakfast via video link.
A tough start in Wales
Naga told him: "You're on two wheels, you're moving, your thumb's in the air Owain, you've got Pudsey on your back, the sun is shining... you're looking good."
However, the 42-year-old replied: "Oh Naga I tell you what I'm not feeling good today. It's been a long old couple of days and today is the day I've been kind of dreading. It's so weird, I'm back in Wales in my home nation but today's a long hilly day, wherever you look around us now, hills everywhere, my knee's playing up, got a bad back, I'm absolutely zonked."
Support from the Breakfast sofa
Naga continued: "Do you know what Owain, you may not know this, I have faith in you, loads of people have faith in you. and you wouldn't do this if you didn't know what you were doing it for and the impact, the difference you are going to make to people's lives."
Owain replied: "That's exactly it. It's what we're doing it for."
Charlie confessed that watching him from the sofa was "making me feel a little bit guilty", though he noted that with the sun shining, it appeared as if Owain was tackling the Tour de France.
A laughing Owain replied: "Charlie thank you. Well I tell you what, this is the first time I've been on a road bike. This is all very new to me but it shows you can get into something that's good for you if you put your mind to it."
"Am I enjoying it? Not with this knee and not with this back today but as you say look at this? I try to take it in as it's all so beautiful," he said of his surroundings near Welshpool.
Injury update from earlier in the ride
Owain's latest BBC Breakfast appearance follows an injury update he shared with the programme two days earlier. On Tuesday's broadcast, presenter Emma Vardy asked him: "How are the legs?"
Owain replied: "Aw listen, receiving you loud and clear. The legs are alright, Emma. I have got a bit of a dodgy knee today. This happened last night, because we did a really steep climb just before we got to the ferry port. We're actually on one of our climbs today now, the first of the really long climbs. So, the legs are okay, but at the moment, the knee, actually, the knee is not okay."
Children In Need 2026 is on BBC One on Friday, November 13 from 7pm. Owain's journey can be followed on BBC Radio 2, BBC Sounds and at bbc.co.uk/owain.
