Sara Cox collapses in tears after torturous challenge that raises millions

Sara Cox battles extreme pain to finish a 135-mile marathon effort that raises over seven million pounds

Sara Cox has completed one of the most punishing physical feats ever attempted by a BBC Radio 2 presenter, finishing a gruelling one hundred- and thirty-five-mile challenge that pushed her to the edge of exhaustion and raised more than seven million pounds for Children in Need. The fifty-year-old broadcaster crossed the finish line in Pudsey on Friday afternoon after five relentless days on the road, each one the distance of a full marathon. She staggered into Leeds shortly after half past three, visibly overwhelmed as she finally reached the end of a journey that began in the remote depths of Kielder Forest in Northumberland.

Throughout the challenge she carried a Pudsey Bear backpack, a constant reminder of the charity cause driving her forward as she powered through Durham, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire. Her arrival triggered huge cheers from supporters and a surprise performance from Melanie C, who had followed the effort closely and said she felt emotional watching Cox approach the final steps.

Cox told the crowd that she could barely believe she had made it to the end. She described the ordeal as the hardest thing she had ever done, adding that she felt like an honorary Yorkshirewoman after spending days on roads lashed by relentless wind and rain. She spoke with raw honesty on Radio 2, telling Scott Mills that she had never known pain like it. Her words revealed the harsh reality of the endurance challenge, which left her battling aches, fatigue and the constant threat of the cold seeping deeper into her bones.

Yet she said the encouragement she received along the way kept her moving. Women lined the route to cheer her on. Lorry drivers blared their horns. Farmers stepped away from their fields to offer support as she passed. Countless strangers offered their homes when she needed a quick stop, kindness that she remembered with humour and gratitude.

Even the Prince of Wales added his voice of support. In a video message broadcast on Radio 2, he congratulated Cox for her astonishing determination and told her that the people of Pudsey would welcome her with open arms and possibly a plate of crumpets. He said the nation was proud of her and urged her to keep going as she approached the final stretch.

Melanie C watched the conclusion of the challenge with a mixture of pride and disbelief. The former Spice Girl said the effort felt almost communal, as if everyone who had followed the journey had walked beside Cox in spirit. She called the achievement a powerful reminder of human resilience and said that Cox had become a symbol of how much more people can accomplish than they realise.

The outgoing presenter also spoke about contacting her family during one of the toughest stages. While passing a telephone box during Thursday’s long route from Richmond to Ripley, she received a call from her mother and sister, who were in India at the time. The brief moment of connection, she said, gave her another reason to keep pushing through the cold and fatigue.

Her marathon effort leads into the annual Children in Need telethon, which begins on Friday evening on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The programme will be hosted by Paddy McGuinness, Big Zuu, Mel Giedroyc, Rochelle Humes, Vernon Kay and Lenny Rush, with live performances and sketches from acts including Tom Fletcher and the girl group Remember Monday. Cox’s monumental effort has added extraordinary momentum to the charity night, marking one of the most successful challenges in its history.