Sara Cox has finally crossed the finish line of her extraordinary Great Northern Marathon challenge — completing 135 gruelling miles across Northumberland, Durham, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire in just five days, all in the name of Children In Need.
The Radio 2 presenter was met with roaring applause as she staggered over the finish line, whispering that it was “the hardest thing I’ve ever done” after pushing through battered ankles, swollen shins and relentless stormy weather.
Despite being in “a lot of pain”, Sara kept going thanks to a wave of national support — including the moment she hit an astonishing £6 million in donations, which she said “got me back out on the road” during her lowest point.
Throughout the final day, listeners heard the raw reality of what her body was going through. She admitted her ankles were “battered and swollen”, while medics treated her legs in a village hall as she sobbed through exhaustion. At one point, she could barely walk without two men supporting her by the arms.
Emotional reunions fuelled her through the final miles. Her brother surprised her mid-run and wrapped her in a tight hug, moving fans to tears. Meanwhile, Sara’s dad sent a cheeky but heartfelt message on Radio 2, joking “You should be here feeding these animals instead of messing about” before adding how proud he was of her.
Support from colleagues poured in too. Richie Anderson praised her humour and grit, while Gary Davies confessed he “can’t even imagine what she’s going through” but admired her unstoppable determination. Even Sir Rod Stewart sent a video mid-workout, telling her, “Keep going darling. You’re an absolute hero.”
As she approached the final stretch, thousands followed the BBC livestream, watching Sara limp, jog and force herself onward through Horsforth and Pudsey before finally breaking through the finish line arch that had been waiting for her all day.
Fans flooded social media with love, calling her a “superstar”, a “trooper”, and a woman the whole country was cheering to the end.
And today, after thunderstorms, tears, medical scares and five back-to-back marathons, Sara Cox didn’t just finish her 135-mile mission — she turned it into one of the most emotional fundraising moments in BBC history.