Paddy McGuinness says ‘life-changing’ bike ride showed ‘who I am off telly’

TV and radio presenter Paddy McGuinness has said his “life-changing” charity bike ride for BBC Children In Need showed “who I am off telly” after the fundraising total exceeded £9 million.

The Radio 2 presenter, also known for Take Me Out and Top Gear, told the PA news agency he was “absolutely physically broken” but also “the happiest person around” after the BBC Radio 2 ultra endurance cycle challenge, which saw him travel through three nations and eight counties last week.

McGuinness, 51, finished the journey on Friday. It saw him travel 300 miles from Wales to Scotland on his dream childhood bike, a Raleigh Chopper, which was painted in the colours of the charity’s mascot, Pudsey.

Donations are still being accepted following McGuinness’s ride (BBC/PA)

Donations are still being accepted after the event with the total sitting at £9,254,482 when it was announced on The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show on Monday morning.

Reflecting on the challenge, McGuinness told PA: “Absolutely, without a doubt (it has been life-changing).

“I’m pretty much like anyone else at the moment in the world, we know there’s a lot of horrific things happening, and I’m a kind of person, I wake up in the morning, sort the kids out, and once they’ve gone to school, have a look at the news, see what’s going on, social media, and pretty much we always see negative stuff, which feels like that’s all that’s out there.

“But on day one, when I saw the streets lined and it got bigger and bigger and bigger, it really brought it home that actually everyone still gets on, and everyone still mucks in together as as human beings, and it just really spurred me on.

“And honestly, you say about life-changing, it really was. I wish I could give everybody that feeling that I had when I was out and about on those roads, being absolutely physically broken but being the happiest person around at the same time.”

A documentary titled Paddy: The Ride Of My Life, will show the Farnworth-born presenter’s journey, with McGuinness saying viewers would see a different side to him as he is normally a “heightened version” of himself on TV.

When I've been doing this sort of challenge I think people have seen who I am off telly as well now, which has been nice

Paddy McGuinness

He added: “When I did my radio show on Sunday, and they said the documentary’s on, on Tuesday night, 8pm on BBC One, I actually said I’m really looking forward to seeing that, because I cannot remember anything.

“So for me personally it’s going to be amazing, because I’ll watch that and I’ll probably have tears in my eyes at actually just seeing those people, but from a different angle, because I’m high fiving everyone as I’m going past.

“So for me, there were some builders I went past, and I just had a bit of fun with them, and they put it on TikTok, and that’s gone viral, where I was telling them to hurry up and build this wall, but what I’m saying is I totally forgot that I saw some builders, and I had a laugh with them, and I carried on riding, totally forgot about it.

“So things like that I’m going to love watching back, because you’re like in the eye of an amazing, beautiful storm, if that makes sense.

“I think on telly, I’ve been doing the job for over 20 years now, you’re kind of a hybrid heightened version of your real self, because that’s what performing is all about.

“And within the documentary, when I’ve been doing this sort of challenge, I think people have seen who I am off telly as well now, which has been nice.

“It’s been refreshing for me as well, really, but it’s just still not fully sank in with me.”

The documentary of Paddy McGuinness’s Radio 2’s ultra endurance cycle challenge for BBC Children In Need, Paddy: The Ride Of My Life, will air on Tuesday, November 19 at 8pm on BBC One.