Gethin Jones weeps on live TV as he raises more than £900,000 for Comic Relief

TV presenter did a 24-hour dancing challenge for Red Nose Day

Ellie Harrison
Friday 17 March 2023 10:14 GMT
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Hamza Yassin hugs Jowita Przystal after winning Strictly Come Dancing 2022

Gethin Jones wept on BBC One’s Morning Live today (17 March) as he neared the end of a 24-hour dancing challenge for Red Nose Day.

The TV presenter, 45, had been awake all night, doing his 24-hour #StrictlyFitness dancing challenge to raise money for Comic Relief.

At the end of the 24 hours, it was revealed on the show that Jones had raised more than £900,000.

At one point during the challenge, he was shown crying with joy at how much he had raised.

Over on BBC Breakfast, clips were shown of Jones dancing throughout the morning, with the presenter so exhausted he was unable to speak. He managed to give a thumbs up to camera at one point, while bobbing up and down on the spot.

Countryfile star Helen Skelton briefly danced next to him, telling viewers he was a “broken” man.

Speaking ahead of the challenge, Jones had told Radio Times: “It’s mental resilience, isn’t it? I think it’ll be physical to a point and then it will just be that mental aspect it to get through. I know it’s not going to be easy. You’d have to drag me out of there for me not to finish it.

“You’d have to literally take me out in an ambulance, because I won’t be quitting because it means too much too many people.”

Throughout the challenge, which ended just before 10am on Friday 17 March, Jones was joined by Strictly pros and stars, including Tess Daly, Claudia Winkleman and Shirley Ballas.

Jones’s challenge came ahead of BBC One’s Red Nose Day special, which will air from 7-10pm on Friday 17 March.

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