BBC Radio 1 DJ Greg James is on day four of his gruelling 1,000km tandem cycle from Dorset to Edinburgh, raising funds for Comic Relief. The 40-year-old breakfast host began the challenge on the Jurassic Coast and is now heading north, with the journey set to take eight days and climb higher than Mount Everest in total elevation.
James has faced an emotional setback after his father was admitted to intensive care following complications from heart surgery. Speaking on Instagram, James said: 'Sadly, the operation didn't go to plan, and he had a stroke. Which is really shit.' Despite this, he remains determined to complete the challenge, stating his father would want him to continue.
The DJ has been met by crowds of supporters along the route. Reflecting on the fundraising total, which has already reached £192,020, James said: 'My God, I can't get my head around that total. I'm sort of just beaming!' He added that he was holding in anxiety over the figure but is now focused on cycling and promoting Comic Relief.
James crossed the finish line of day two and is approaching the halfway mark. 'I feel elated. I feel a bit overwhelmed by all these people who just turned up out of nowhere,' he said. To support his journey, donations can be made at comicrelief.com/ride.
