Owain Wyn Evans finished his Children in Need presenters cycle challenge in Cardiff on Friday, ending almost 400 miles on the road for Children in Need. He crossed the line in Central Square just after 11:00 GMT and was met by his husband, Arran Rees, after a crowd cheered him in.
Cardiff finish for Owain Wyn Evans
The challenge began on 9 November in Scotland and carried him through Northern Ireland, England and Wales over five days. The total raised reached £3,853,530, giving the ride a fundraising finish to match its scale.
At the line, Wyn Evans thanked supporters and said, “Thank you so much everyone, from me and Shania.” He also said, “Honestly, this has felt so far away for such a long time. I can't believe that I'm here with this welcome and the sun's out.”
Radio 2 route and support
The said the ride would be the “greatest-ever distance” covered in a Radio 2 endeavour for the charity. Luke Evans announced the route to him each day on Radio 2, while his bike, Shania Chain, was decked out in Children in Need colours.
Wyn Evans, 42, said earlier that he was “ready to give it absolutely everything I've got.” He also said he had “a lot to live up to” after naming Sara Cox, Paddy McGuinness and Vernon Kay as people who had already achieved “extraordinary things” for Children in Need.
Hardest challenge of his life
After finishing, he said, “This has been the hardest challenge of my life, 100%.” He added, “I can't believe I'm here. It's overwhelming, all the love and passion and commitment people have shown.”
The ride was his second challenge for the charity fundraiser after his 24-hour drumathon in 2021. The route also included a surprise premiere of Steps' new version of “5, 6, 7, 8,” retitled “5, 6, 7, donate,” with new lyrics and extra vocals to lift him on the longest day of the challenge.
The fundraising total is the key number from the ride, but the breakdown behind it has not been explained. What remains is the finish: a completed route, a crowd in Cardiff, and a sum that passed £3.8 million before the day was done.
