Paddy McGuinness breaks down as he finishes Children In Need challenge with huge sum of money raised

Radio presenter Paddy McGuinness was overcome with emotion finally finished the Children in Need Ultra Endurance Cycle Challenge

Paddy McGuinness broke down in tears as he finished the Children In Need bike round with an emotional pinnacle today.

The Bolton star has been pushing himself to the limit, embarking on a gruelling Ultra Endurance Cycle Challenge, pedalling an incredible 300 miles from Wrexham AFC to Glasgow on a Raleigh Chopper. When gearing up for this monumental task, Paddy sought advice from cycling royalty Sir Chris Hoy, who put him through a rigorous training regime.

Paddy has now arrived at BBC Scotland headquarters in Glasgow following his charity cycle ride from Wales to Scotland for BBC Children In Need.

He said that Glasgow was “lit up in sunshine” as he approached the city on Friday morning, arriving at Pacific Quay at around 10.30am.

The Top Gear presenter began his journey on Monday at Wrexham AFC’s Racecourse Ground and undertook the 300 miles of Radio 2’s Ultra Endurance Cycle Challenge on his dream childhood bike, the Raleigh Chopper. So far £7,556,853 has been raised for Children In Need.

Upon finishing the epic challenge, Paddy said: "Every morning when I woke up everything was aching and it was always dark and cold but I've been saying it for the last few days, when you get on the bike, and you get on the road and everyone comes out it just spurs you on.

"Even though we're filming stuff and putting things on social media; until you're actually in that moment, I will never be able to get it across fully what it felt like.

"All the different sounds, all the cities, all the communities. Everyone came out and everyone were together for something. And all those faces, all the kids, all the nurseries, all the primary schools, all drawing pictures of Patch - none of them had a clue who I were - but it was just so beautiful to see and the streets were lined with people.

"Honestly it's a moment in time I'll take with me to my grave. I'll never ever forget it. It's been amazing."

This morning at 6.45am Paddy set off for the final 18.5 miles of his incredible cycling challenge, completing almost 300 miles from Wrexham to Glasgow across 5 days, through Wales, England and Scotland.... all on a little Raleigh Chopper which he’s nicknamed Patch. The total at 6.50am this morning was £6,577,494.

Paddy spoke to Zoe Ball at 6.45am on BBC Radio 2 and said: "As usual at this time of the morning, everything is sore, everything is aching but again I've just rocked up here where I'm going to set off, it's dark, it's a little bit drizzly, and people are already here to wish me well so you can't be in a positive mind about that.

"I came into Strathaven last night, it took me back to the 80s when Liverpool used to do an open top bus parade when they won the FA Cup, it's like that. Honestly, it was unbelievable, it was mind-blowing. I try and go round and high five everyone. They're like - you've done it, we're all behind you. It just pushes you for that last little bit."

On his emotions, he said: "I don't know how i will feel, how i will react. I know one thing - I've done some crying this last few days - flipping heck Zoe! I've been crying my eyes out."

On Zoe Ball's BBC Radio 2 breakfast show on Thursday (November 13), Paddy was visibly touched when he found out he had surpassed the £1m mark in donations, pausing amidst the tough Cumbrian landscape. As Zoe revealed the staggering total of £1,000,277 raised so far, an emotional Paddy expressed his gratitude: "Thank you so much, thank you so much everyone," he managed to say through tears.

Overwhelmed by the achievement, he added: "Oh god, I can't believe we've got to a million, I can't believe it," before sharing the incredible news with those around him: "We're over a million pounds everyone! ". Fans have been lavishing praise on his titanic efforts, with one admirer commenting: "@mcguinness.paddy you are doing fantastic and I've just donated. Keep smashing it mucker you have the support of the country behind you."

As dawn broke in Kendal, Paddy McGuinness set off on the most challenging segment yet: a gruelling 66-mile bike ride over twelve hours, taking him beyond the England-Scotland border towards Ecclefechan. By sunset, he'll have tallied well over 200 miles, a monumental feat.

Dragging himself through the arduous journey, an utterly spent Paddy revealed his feelings to Zoe Ball: "I'm completely broken, dejected and finished today, and it's the happiest I've ever been! And I really mean that because people power is the best tonic ever."

This year’s Radio 2 challenge was three times as long as Vernon Kay’ s ultra, ultra, marathon last year, which raised an astonishing £6million for the BBC charity. It all got very emotional for fellow Boltonian Vernon, and Paddy warned us he would also go the same way. “Trust me, I'm in tears every day when I'm training on that bike,” he told the Mirror.

“I think genuinely, as you get older, you just become more emotional. I get weepy in the training on my own, I don't need anyone to add to that. It won't take much set me off.” The route across Wales, England and Scotland took him from the start line in Wrexham through six counties to the finish in Glasgow this morning.

Radio 2 presenter Paddy McGuinness completed BBC Radio 2’s Ultra Endurance Cycle Challenge for BBC Children in Need – donate at www.bbc.co.uk/paddy. Watch the TV documentary of his whole challenge, Paddy: The Ride Of My Life, on Tuesday 19th November at 8pm on BBC ONE and hear him read the CBeebies Bedtime Story at 6.50pm on Friday 15th November on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer.

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