Gethin Jones suffered a “really serious” fall during his Wheely Big Challenge for Comic Relief earlier today (March 21).
The Welsh presenter, 47, took on the gruelling 24-hour rollerskating challenge, along with “best friend” Helen Skelton, 41. But things took a dramatic turn during the home straight when Gethin suffered a “horrible” accident that led to medics being rushed in.
Gethin Jones has ‘serious’ accident during Wheely Big Challenge
Presenters Gethin and Helen were due to finish their rollerskating challenge at 10am today, with plans for them to skate onto the show they co-present, Morning Live, triumphant.
However, Gethin ended up taking a tumble after crashing into the side of a wall and hitting the deck, with the accident revealed on today’s BBC Breakfast.
Gethin and Helen ‘so tired’
BBC Breakfast hosts Nina Warhurst, 44, and Ben Thompson, 43, crossed over to Gethin and Helen in the final hour of the challenge. Skating around a windowless room, Gethin admitted: “I actually don’t know where to start.”
He then told his co-star: “Go on Hel, you go.”
Helen continued: “We’re so tired. He’s literally just stacked it into the side but he didn’t want to miss out on speaking to you guys and the rules are we have to keep skating the whole time. It has been more of a challenge than what we were expecting.”
We’ve just got to finish this challenge.
Nina then pointed out: “Gethin, I’ve never seen you like this.”
He replied: “I’m sorry. My back has been pretty bad. I don’t know how I fell down. I went to get a drink and I kicked the side of the wall and I’ve had hit the wall a few times metaphorically but now I’ve hit it physically.”
Medics rush in as star urged to pull out of challenge
Helen then chimed in and explained how medics actually rushed in to treat Gethin on set. She shared: “The medics actually wanted him to take a moment out. The big cheeses upstairs are saying: ‘Should he be looking at pulling out'”
Determined, Gethin added: “We got close there but we’ve just got to finish this challenge.”
Helen quipped: “We’re just really grateful and overwhelmed. People have been messaging us all night and thank you so much and we’ve seen where the money goes and it literally changes lives and saves lives.”
‘A massive fall’
Once Gethin Jones and Helen Skelton finished their Wheely Big Challenge, they headed over to the Morning Live studio, where host Sara Cox, 50, updated viewers about Gethin’s shock injury.
“Now, this is really horrible. Gethin has just had – this is really serious – a massive fall,” she told the viewers.
Sharing a clip, she added: “Look at this. He’s so stiff anyway and just seized up. Genuinely it was make-or-break whether he could finish the challenge.”
Updating viewers on his fall, Gethin said: “I was really relieved at the end because within an hour and 20 to go, when I had that fall, it was so weird. I just went and got a drink and lost my concentration basically and it really hurt.”
Gethin Jones on ‘bulging disc problem’
Speaking of his existing pain which didn’t help during the challenge, the presenter added: “I’ve had a bulging disc problem for a while and anyone who’s had that will know you can’t actually move. Actually, three hours in, I felt it go and I was so worried that I might have to stop at that point.
“I just didn’t want to fail and I wanted to do it together and then it became really hard. It was really painful… Sorry, it’s a bit emotional but I did this two years ago and I’ve seen where the money goes, the lives it changes.”
Turning to Helen, he then said: “You were amazing, you were incredible. She was just getting me through.”
But Helen, who had been emotional during the challenge as she was surprised by her three young children, comforted him as she took his arm and said: “It’s a team, it’s a big team.”
It was then revealed that they had raised an eye-watering £890,745.
Read more: Gethin Jones ‘blushes’ as he hints at new partner: ‘Got myself into trouble now’
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