Helen Skelton
From Blue Peter to Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Sport to Strictly!
| Fact title | Fact data |
|---|---|
| Age |
39
|
| Profession |
Presenter and Journalist
|
Meet Helen Skelton
Helen next big challenge: bringing the splits back for Strictly!
Will this world record breaker create Strictly history as she takes to the dance floor? We'll find out very soon...
Helen's life started on a dairy farm, before she headed to the nearby Cumbria Institute of the Arts to get a journalism degree. Her career in broadcast began soon after, working at Border ITV and the CFM Radio, eventually moving into a co-presenting spot at Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Cumbria at the age of 23.
From 2007-2008 she served also as a reporter and presenter on CΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ shows Newsround and Sportsround, before landing a role as the 33rd Blue Peter presenter at the age of 25. During her five and half years on the show, Helen set many world records and tackled a number of exciting challenges, including winning the 2008 Malta Open Dance Competition with 16-year-old wheelchair user James Ireland and being the second ever woman to complete the Namibia Ultra Marathon.
She also kayaked down the Amazon river for six weeks by herself for Sport Relief, setting the world records for longest solo journey
by kayak and the longest distance travelled in a kayak in 24 hours by a woman. On top of that, Helen's also completed a 500 mile long journey to the South Pole, flown with the Red Arrows and walked a tightrope between the chimneys of Battersea Power Station.
Following her time on Blue Peter, Helen joined the Countryfile presenting team, fronted shows such as Holiday Hit Squad, On The Farm and Instant Gardener, and has been a part of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Sport coverage across many major events, including the London 2012 Olympics and Rio 2016 Olympics.
She's also just begun hosting Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 5 Live's Sunday morning show, and is about to join us on the dance floor every Saturday night! We can't wait to see Helen shake her stuff and smash some Strictly records.
