Sara Cox completes marathon challenge after raising £6,000,000 for Children in Need

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Sara Cox has crossed the finishing line after completing her epic 135-mile marathon for Children in Need.

Over the past five days, the BBC Radio 2 presenter, 50, has been undertaking the Great Northern Marathon Challenge, which has seen her trek from the Scottish border to Pudsey in Leeds.

The total distance is the equivalent of doing five marathons in five days.

When told earlier this week that she’d helped raise over £1,000,000 so far, she broke down in tears and thanked those who had supported her.

Now, she’s completed the marathon challenge, crossing the line around 3.30pm on Thursday.

As Sara arrived, she was greeted by family, friends and a crowd – who cheered her as she finished up.

Sara Cox
Sara Cox has completed the Great Northern Marathon Challenge for Children in Need (Picture: BBC)
Sara Cox
The BBC presenter said she’d ‘never known pain like it’ (Picture: BBC)

Soon after she then spoke to her BBC co-host Scott Mills. Appearing on stage alongside him just a few minutes after she finished her epic run, Sara joked what she’d just undertaken was a ‘really silly idea’.

‘That was such a ridiculous thing to do,’ she said.

She went on to thank her trainer Greg White, who had now helped run 40 challenges for Children in Need.

Speaking about completing the challenge, she explained it was ‘the hardest thing I’ve ever done’.

For use in UK, Ireland or Benelux countries only BBC handout photo of Sara Cox receiving a message from the Prince of Wales during her Children In Need challenge to cover 135 miles in five days. Prince William has congratulated the BBC Radio 2 presenter for her challenge, which has raised more than ?4 million. Cox, who presents Radio 2's Teatime Show on weekdays, will end her Great Northern Marathon Challenge on Friday, covering the equivalent of five marathons in five days. Picture date: Friday November 14, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: BBC/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: Not for use more than 21 days after issue. You may use this picture without charge only for the purpose of publicising or reporting on current BBC programming, personnel or other BBC output or activity within 21 days of issue. Any use after that time MUST be cleared through BBC Picture Publicity. Please credit the image to the BBC and any named photographer or independent programme maker, as described in the caption.
She broke down in tears earlier this week after being told she’d helped raised over £1million (Picture: BBC/PA Wire)
For use in UK, Ireland or Benelux countries only. Undated BBC handout photo of BBC Radio 2 presenter Sara Cox who is to run the equivalent of five marathons in five days to raise money for Children In Need. Sara's Great Northern Marathon Challenge will involve Cox covering 135 miles on foot across four counties, all while carrying a Pudsey Bear backpack. Cox will run, jog and walk through the sweeping moorlands and rolling hills of Northumberland, Durham, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire, starting from Kielder Forest on November 10, and ending in Pudsey, Leeds, on November 14. Issue date: Friday September 19, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: BBC/Guy Levy/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: Not for use more than 21 days after issue. You may use this picture without charge only for the purpose of publicising or reporting on current BBC programming, personnel or other BBC output or activity within 21 days of issue. Any use after that time MUST be cleared through BBC Picture Publicity. Please credit the image to the BBC and any named photographer or independent programme maker, as described in the caption.
She’s thanked all those who supported her throughout the past five days (Picture: BBC/Guy Levy/ PA Wire)

‘I’ve never known pain like it,’ she said.

‘It was wet and filthy, but so many people came out. The truck drivers honking their horns, the farmers coming out, kids too and just so many homemade signs.’

More to come…

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