Children In Need will get a national fundraising push when Radio 2 presenter Owain Wyn Evans cycles almost 400 miles across the UK this November.
Evans plans a five-day route starting in Glasgow and finishing in Cardiff, covering all four UK nations. The challenge begins on Monday, 9 November and concludes on Friday, 13 November, the day the BBC’s Children In Need fundraiser is broadcast.
Evans, who hosts the Early Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2 and is originally from Ammanford in Carmarthenshire, described the ride as a stretch beyond his comfort zone. He said, "When I said yes to this challenge, I knew it would push me well outside my comfort zone. It's going to be tough, demanding and probably a little daunting at times, but I'm ready to give it absolutely everything I've got."
The BBC said the route represents the "greatest ever distance" undertaken by Radio 2 for the charity. Evans acknowledged the scale of the task and referenced previous presenter-led efforts, noting that Sara Cox, Paddy McGuinness and Vernon Kay had achieved "extraordinary things" for Children In Need and adding, "I've got a lot to live up to."
Sports scientist Professor Greg Whyte will support Evans during the ride. Whyte previously assisted Sara Cox when she completed a 135-mile sequence of jogging, walking and running through Northumberland, Durham, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire.
So far the only other presenter named among the fundraiser’s hosting team for 2026 is One Show host Alex Jones. Radio 2 controller Helen Thomas thanked Evans for taking on what she called the Pudsey backpack baton from Sara, saying the effort will help "the many thousands of children who will benefit."
The plan places Radio 2 at the centre of the charity push in the week leading to the broadcast. Over five consecutive days Evans will ride between major UK cities and nations, aiming to turn the physical challenge into donations for Children In Need on 13 November.
