Blue Peter legend Helen Skelton has been a familiar face on our screens for many years, whether she's presenting Countryfile or undertaking daring feats such as becoming the first woman to solo kayak the 2010-mile Amazon river in 2012. The TV host recently embarked on another challenge for Comic Relief, alongside her Morning Live co-host, Gethin Jones. The duo roller-skated for 24 hours for the special Red Nose Day Wheely Big challenge.
They began their roller skating marathon at 10:00am on Thursday, March 20, and finished on Friday, March 21. Many will remember Helen from her stint on Strictly Come Dancing in 2022, where she danced with partner Gorka Marquez. The pair reached the series's final, finishing second to Hamza Yassin and his partner Jowita Przystał.
Since her successful run on Strictly, Helen's career has continued to flourish with regular presenting roles on Morning Live, Ch5’s Live on the Farm and co-hosting travel series with Dan Walker. This year, she's training for the London Marathon and serves as an ambassador for Go Outdoors, reports Wales Online.
However, during her time on Strictly, Helen's personal life often overshadowed her on-screen endeavours, particularly her romantic relationships. The television star separated from her husband shortly after the birth of their third child in December 2021. Her then-husband was professional rugby player Richard Myler.
In a poignant moment, Helen Skelton took to Instagram in April 2022 to announce her separation from Richie Myler with an emotional statement: "Very sad to say that Richie and I are no longer a couple. He has left the family home. We will be doing our best to co-parent our small children."
The relationship between TV star Skelton and rugby star Myler began in 2013. They have been blessed with three children over the years: Ernie, aged nine, Louis, aged seven, and Elsie Kate, who is three.
Only hours before announcing the split, Skelton shared her inner feelings about motherhood with her followers: "A mama is always full of emotions. Full of love. Full of anxiety and worries. Full of exhaustion and a lack of energy. Full of mum guilt and doubt. Full of pride in her kids. Full of pure joy."
She continued, "She feels it all, that's the beauty of her, she carries it all, too. And yet she gets up every day and does it all over again."
Post-separation, Skelton was notably absent from her presenting role on Countryfile and kept a low profile regarding the split, before disclosing she would join the Strictly Come Dancing 2022 line-up.
Later, in her autobiography "In My Stride," she candidly discussed the turmoil following her split from Richie: "I was in shock. I know that following break-ups, people often say they didn't see it coming, and it sounds like a cliche, but that was me."
She also opened up about how the dance competition rejuvenated her self-belief, saying, "I think everybody at some point needs a little reminder of, 'Actually, you're really good at this, here's your invisible crown, pop it on. 'I was like, 'OK, I'm hurtling towards 40, I've just had another child. I'm on my own. I've moved my life; I've moved my house.'”.
Feeling somewhat uncertain, she added, "I was on a bit of a sticky wicket, but the dancers are all like, 'Oh my God, you have three children, that's incredible. You bought a house, that's incredible.'".
In September 2024, news broke that her former spouse, Richie Myler, fathered another child with his girlfriend Stephanie Thirkill – the daughter of the owner of Leeds Rhinos rugby squad, Richie's previous team.
The duo heralded the arrival of their first baby, Olivia, in 2023 and welcomed their second child, Freddie, in 2024.
