Helen Skelton and Gethin Jones are gearing up to skate for a full 24 hours for Comic Relief but their strong friendship could be put to the test during the challenge.

Gethin Jones and Helen Skelton have signed up to roller skate for 24 hours straight to raise funds for Comic Relief

Gethin Jones and Helen Skelton are firm friends – but he’s scared their upcoming Comic Relief challenge could test their friendship.

Skating isn’t Gethin Jones’ strong suit – it’s his worst nightmare. He even faced embarrassment just weeks ago, while visiting a roller skating disco in Manchester.

“I went to Archie’s Atomic during half-term,” he says, “I wasn’t even allowed on the rink, I had to go around the side with full pads and a helmet. I’ve never felt like such a loser.”

The Morning Live presenter, 47, is preparing to strap on skates for Gethin and Helen’s Wheely Big Challenge – a 24-hour roller-skating challenge in aid of Comic Relief on Thursday, March 20.

It’s not his first endurance test for charity. In 2023, he danced for 24 hours straight in support of the same cause. “That was one of the best experiences of my life,” he says. So when Comic Relief called again, he was ready to step up – until he heard the full story.

Helen Skelton and Gethin Jones are gearing up to skate for 24 hours straight for Comic Relief(Image: Comic Relief)

The presenter knows how gruelling the challenge will be – he already danced for a full 24 hours in 2023 for the same charity (Image: Getty Images)

He won’t be suffering alone. His Morning Live co-star Helen Skelton will be right beside him as they’ll roll out on the morning of Thursday, 20th March and continue throughout the day and night. Their challenge will end during Friday’s Morning Live on Red Nose Day, March 21st.

Gethin is grateful to have Helen by his side. “What’s different this time is that we have each other,” he says, “We’re best friends. We’re very honest with one another.” But with only hours to go, the pressure is mounting.

Staying awake for a full 24 hours is another dreaded challenge. “When I was dancing at 3 am, I thought, ‘This is hard. You’ve got hours to go.’” The early morning could even test the strongest of friendships.

“I’m interested to see how we cope and how we help each other,” Gethin says, “We’ll need to. Seeing people leave and come back refreshed is going to be a test.”

Determined to get a grip before the challenge, Gethin has turned to YouTube. “I watch YouTube videos to figure out what I’m doing,” he says, “We all learn through the Internet.”

Still, videos can only take Gethin so far. He and Helen have been training with Jamie Capewell, a veteran of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s skating stage show Starlight Express.

But they’ve had some frustrating moments. Gethin once struggled to turn on his skates. “Jamie was giving me instructions, I couldn’t get it right,” he says.

Two hours later he slipped off his skates, discovering one of his wheels was stuck. “I was fuming,” he says. “I said: ‘This is already hard enough, now my wheels don’t work.’” Despite the setbacks, progress is being made. “I had a breakthrough after buying new boots,” he says. “I did a turn without falling.”

Gethin is still fronting Morning Live every day, despite receiving advice to give up. His doctor put things into perspective. “He prescribed me more golf,” Gethin says, “He says I need to switch off.”

But relaxation isn’t on the cards. “I struggle to find a good balance,” Gethin says. He doesn’t even plan to take things easy after the challenge. “We finish at 10 and then head back to the studio to give our reactions,” he teases, “It’s only 100 yards away, but we’ll need a taxi. Or we’ll skate there.”