Helen Skelton's Biography

Early Life

Helen Skelton was born on 19 July 1983.

She grew up on a farm in Kirkby Thore, near Penrith, Cumbria.

Helen Skelton worked as a waitress, barmaid and in a shop while she was studying for a journalism degree.

Her early credits include being an extra on Coronation Street, hosting on BBC Radio Cumbria and then presenting Newsround.

Helen Skelton on Blue Peter

In August 2008, it was announced that Helen Skelton, at the age of 25, was to be a Blue Peter presenter, after the departure of Zoe Salmon and Gethin Jones.

In the role she took on many challenges including tripling the Guinness World Record for the longest solo journey by kayak (also becoming the first woman to kayak the entire length of the Amazon).

Her other feats included walking a tightrope between the chimneys of Battersea Power Station, completing the 78-mile Namibia Ultra Marathon, and travelling 500 miles by ski and kite across Antarctica to the South Pole.

In August 2013, Helen Skelton announced that she was leaving Blue Peter.

After Blue Peter

She was hired as a football presenter for BT Sport, but continued to front other BBC programmes including Countryfile, Holiday Hit Squad. and The Instant Gardener. In 2016 she was part of the BBC's presenting team for the Olympics.

In August 2023, she revealed she was leaving her show on BBC Radio Five Live.

In December 2023, it was revealed that from the new year Helen Skelton and Michelle Ackerley would become permanent presenters on BBC Morning Live, alternating alongside Gethin Jones every Monday to Wednesday.

Personal Life

Helen Skelton used to date Hamiton Academical footballer David Graham.

She later married rugby player Richie Myler

In 2015, they had a son Ernie.

In the same year she published a novel; Amy Wild: Amazon Summer.

When Richie Myler moved from Warrington to Catalans Dragons the family moved to Perpignan in the south of France.

In November 2016, Helen Skelton announced that she was pregnant, expecting her second child.

In 2019, she wrote Wild Girl: How to Have Incredible Outdoor Adventures. She also wrote Amy Wild: Amazon Swimmer.

In 2022, Helen and Richie broke up.

Helen Skelton on Strictly Come Dancing

On 13 August 2022, it was revealed that Helen Skelton would be one of the celebrities on series 20 of Strictly Come Dancing.

She was paired with Gorka Marquez. They ended up joint runners-up.

Trivia
Her brother Gavin played for Scottish Premier League team Kilmarnock and became assistant manager at Queen of the South.

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