TV STAR Paddy McGuinness made an emotional arrival in Glasgow as he crossed the finish line of a 300-mile charity cycle in aid of BBC’s Children in Need.
The radio host set off from Wrexham AFC’s Racecourse Ground in Wales on Monday and finished at Pacific Quay in Glasgow on Friday.
The 51-year-old has helped raise more than £7.5m for the charity so far and was greeted by enthusiastic crowds inside and outside the BBC Scotland building as he completed the feat.
Speaking to Zoe Ball during the live recording of BBC Radio 2’s Breakfast Show Paddy said: “I can’t believe it.
“Coming out of East Kilbride and looking at Glasgow, lit up in the sunshine. Coming into the city and the streets were lined, and going round the corner at Pacific Quay, what a sight, what a feeling."
The former Top Gear presenter completed Radio 2’s Ultra Endurance Cycle Challenge on his dream childhood bike, a Raleigh Chopper, which was customised and painted in the colours of Children in Need’s mascot, Pudsey.
Paddy nicknamed the bike ‘Patch’.
Setting off from Strathaven in South Lanarkshire – 18.5 miles from the finishing point – on the final stretch of the five-day journey Paddy was joined by Sir Tom Hunter of the Hunter Foundation.
The Hunter Foundation has matched donations from Radio 2 listeners of up to £3m.
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Sir Tom, riding his own Raleigh Chopper, surprised Paddy and hailed him as an “official national treasure”.
He said: “When I heard Paddy was doing this on a Chopper I thought goodness that man is going to struggle, he needs all the help he can get.
“The Great British public has taken this challenge to their hearts and Paddy is an official national treasure.”
Ahead of his arrival in the city Paddy reflected on the journey and told of his excitement to be in Glasgow.
When asked how he was feeling as he set off at 6.45am he told Zoe Ball he was “buzzing”.
Paddy said: “It’s dark, a little bit drizzly, and people are here to wish me well so you can’t not be in a positive frame of mind with that.
“I came into Strathaven last night, it took me back to the 1980s 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. It just pushes you for that last little bit. I can’t wait to get to Glasgow and see everybody.
“I am so looking forward to it because I know what that city is like. I’m buzzing.”
He went on to thank Sir Tom Hunter, adding: "What he did was really generous, £2m, then changing it to £3m.
“When you're trying to thank someone like that, I couldn't really get the words out that I wanted to say to him.
“He said he was joining me, but what was really nice was coming into Glasgow with the sun shining on it, and he was kind of telling me a little bit about the city and being a tour guide.”
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As he cycled into Glasgow Paddy was met with crowds of people lining the streets and cheering him on before entering the live broadcast of the Breakfast Show.
There was a host of famous faces waiting to greet Paddy as he crossed the finish line including Chesney Hawkes who flew back from his holiday – as Paddy is a fan – to perform his new single Get a Hold of Yourself live, Tom Grennan who sang his hit song Little Bit of Love, and Glasgow singer Michelle McManus.
Michelle explained that she was “extremely proud” of Paddy and had been “bubbling all week”.
She said: “It’s incredible. I’m in tears just listening to him. We’re so proud of Paddy in this country, what an extraordinary challenge.
“I’ve been bubbling all week."
Michelle also completed her own feat for Children in Need this week swapping her headphones for goggles and joining other BBC Radio Scotland presenters in a swim challenge.
This also started on Monday and saw presenters from across the UK swim laps totalling 1000 miles.
Michelle, Zara Janjua, Gary Innes, Jane Lewis, and David Currie – all from BBC Radio Scotland – swam at Allander Leisure Centre in Bearsden with the aim of completing a mile a day.
A documentary, filmed throughout Paddy’s journey from Wales to Scotland, titled ‘The Ride of My Life’ will be available to watch at 8pm on BBC One on November 19.
To donate to Paddy’s fundraiser visit HERE.
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